The new head of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, Jose Graziano da Silva of Brazil, on Monday promised "a new era" at the often-criticised organisation, warning staff that he would crack down on inefficiency.

 

In his first press conference as FAO chief, Graziano, who was elected Sunday with 92 votes against 88 for his closest challenger, Miguel Angel Moratinos of Spain, said "the election was very difficult, almost a draw."

 

The vote largely split along geographical lines, with northern hemisphere countries supporting Moratinos, while southern nations backed Graziano, the first Latin American to head the organisation.

 

"We want to initiate a new era in the organisation," Graziano said, while promising to consult all nations concerned before making a decision.

 

"There are profound differences between countries. I know them all," he said.

 

While not denying that differences exist, he said it was crucial to find "a minimum agreement between member-states so as to not paralyse the organisation."

 

In a comment directed to all FAO staff regarding corruption within the organisation, Graziano said, the FAO's "objective is to end world hunger and not hunger within your own families."

 

Speaking about a previous visit to an FAO regional headquarters in Chile, he said he was baffled at the number of staff members that seemed oblivious to the organisation's main objective.

 

"I did an investigation into the role of the FAO. (The staff) gave me very elaborate and very sophisticated answers, but only 10 per cent told me their mission was to combat hunger," he said.

 

Senegal's Jacques Diouf, who has held the top post at the FAO for 17 years, steps down at the end of the year, leaving an agency that critics consider to be too centralised and chronically inefficient.

 

When pressed by journalists, Graziano declined to offer kind words for the outgoing leader's tenure.

 

"I am not going to comment on Diouf's management," he said.

 

Graziano's election comes amid growing concern over global hunger and spiralling food prices.

 

Roughly 925 million people are under-nourished worldwide, and Graziano was not optimistic that prices on the international food market would soon stabilise.

 

"We believe that price volatility will remain for a long time. It is going to stay high. I don't know for how long," he said.

 

Graziano will assume his new duties on January 1.

 

Each of the FAO's 191 member states had one vote in the election -- unlike other UN agencies where the biggest contributors get more of a say.

 

-AFP/ac