Thank you, Hon. Dr. Vo-Tong, and let's give a big hand to your excellent
presen tation. Thank you. Now is question time. We have about fifteen minutes
for the question time, and I think I can allow at least three questions. And
I suggest that, if you agree, the an-swers will be given together, I mean,
we will get al l the questions first, and you will an-swer them together,
to save time. Now I open the floor, question number one, please, anybody?
India, please.
Question 1 (Hon. P.J. Kurien, MP, INDIA):
Thank you very much indeed for this nice presentation that we could enjoy
very much. Now as to water management, you said there are different ways.
And I woul d like to know which is the most economic technology, the most
efficient techno logy or system for the developing countries. This should
also fit the economic criteria. I mean, is it drip irri-gation or any other
system that developing co untries can easily adopt. Because the devel-oped
countries have access to bette r technology, they can spend more, but not
the devel-oping countries. That's wh y I think that you cannot have the same
technology for devel-oped and developin g countries. Which is more suitable
for the developing countries?
Secondly, you perhaps did not say much about the ground water resources and the
deple-tion of ground water resources. During the presentations yesterday they
said that the ground water resources are being depleted, and the water table is
going down. How do we tackle that problem, that is perhaps not mentioned here.
Thirdly, I would like to know that in the first part of the presentation, you s
aid that in the developed country like Japan the irrigated area is not increasi
ng, it is in fact decreasing. You said that it is a result of industrialization
. If that is the trend, then the developed countries also are getting more and
more industrialized. You mean to say that industriali-zation will have a negati
ve effect on agricultural production? If that is so, what is the remedy or solu
tion for that? Or, what is the solution that Japan is contemplating for this ne
gative reaction? Each country is developing, all developing countries are gradu
ally or fast developing. For the developing countries, development should not m
ean that nega-tive agricultural production. If Japan is taken as an example, th
at is not giving us an op-timistic scenario for the next century. What is your
reaction?
Chairman :
Thank you, second question? Yes, New Zealand, please?
