Giving priority to local production

48. It is now acknowledged that in every development process agriculture is of paramount importance. Whatever the state of international trade or the economic and political independence, the nutritional status of people in developing countries would be improved if agricultural systems were established, giving pride of place to their internal development while remaining open to the exterior. For this to be done, an economic and social environment must be created based on a better understanding and a better management of the following: local agricultural markets, developing rural credit and vocational training, guaranteeing remunerative local prices, improving the processing and marketing circuits for local products, genuine consultation between the developing countries, enabling the small farmers to organise themselves and to collectively defend their own interests. All of these are tasks that depend on human skill and will.