Almaty. June 27. Kazakhstan Today - UN FAO chairman has drawn attention to unused potential of agricultural sector of Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine, the agency reports referring to the UN News Center. 26th regional Conference of United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) for Europe started its work in Innsbruck (Austria). Addressing its participants, UN FAO General Director Jacque Diuf stated that a sharp rise of prices for foodstuffs can undermine progress in agricultural production reached in a number of countries of Europe and Central Asia over the last 10 years. He paid attention to unused potential of agricultural sector of Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. Z. Diuf emphasized that some steps undertaken by the governments of the countries of this region as a response to foodstuff price increase have not improved development of manufacture and labor productivity in agriculture. For example, export restrictions have led to breach of some contracts and to significant reduction of income of farmers. FAO General Director stated that in other parts of the world, including Europe and Central Asia food crisis has most strongly affected poor inhabitants of rural areas. Z. Diuf has drawn attention of participants of the conference to powerful agricultural potential of Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. He considers that having favorable political conditions and investments into infrastructure of these countries, at least 13 million hectares of arable lands can be used again without any serious damage to environment. Today productivity in these three countries is three times below than in the countries of Central and East Europe that use modern approaches in agriculture and modern technologies. FAO representative has called to struggle with poverty especially in rural areas, especially in Central Asia and to allocate more resources for preparation of qualified experts, including in such areas as veterinary science, fishery, forestry and agronomics. He emphasized that the governments of the countries of this region should support development of family farms and private sector. The participants of a two-day conference, including representatives of 44 FAO member countries will discuss further measures directed at realization of final documents of World Food Summit and Millennium Development Goals and will discuss ways of further agricultural development.