III. RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations for FAO action

97. Advocate and sensitize governments in incorporating nutrition objectives and considerations into food production as an important means to achieving the MDGs.
98. Promote the use of “number of undernourished people” as a key indicator in monitoring hunger and poverty and to encourage Member States to include this indicator in their work related to follow-up of the World Food Summits (WFS) to achieve the MDGs.
99. Advocate healthy diets including the use of Food Based Dietary Guidelines for setting targets for food production, consumption and domestic as well as international trade.
100. Disseminate relevant information material to countries, particularly to the nodal ministries and ANFN focal points, which can be used at the country level for advocacy and action.
101. Provide technical support to projects that promote food-based strategies and agriculture – nutrition links.
102. Assist countries in promoting food supply chain management and integrate the farm-to- table approach for ensuring food and nutritional security.

Recommendations for country action

103. Advocate/promote the incorporation of nutrition objectives and considerations into national agenda/development policies and programmes in line with the recommendations from the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN), particularly agricultural and food policies.
104. Advocate for national investments in nutrition to reduce poverty and achieve the MDGs.
105. Foster partnerships and dialogues among stakeholders for necessary vertical and horizontal integration and collaboration.
106. Promote a healthy diet including use of Food-based Dietary Guidelines as a tool for an effective food and nutrition policy/programme formulation and establishing targets for food production, consumption and trade.
107. Build the capacity of various stakeholders on how to integrate nutrition objectives and considerations into food production.
108. Disseminate nutrition information, education and communication materials that promote strategic communication that highlights agriculture, food, nutrition and health links.
109. Create awareness and promote nutrition education to strengthen demand for nutritious and safe food as well as a diversified diet among consumers. Special emphasis should be given to promotion of nutritious traditional foods.
110. Actively promote the inclusion of food and nutrition security indicators for monitoring and evaluating food production and nutrition programmes.
111. Conduct evaluation studies to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of food production programmes with nutrition orientation for evidence-based programme planning and to document best practices in nutrition-oriented food production for wider dissemination/application.
112. Promote the farm-to-table approach for strengthening the supply of nutritious and safe foods.
113. Link actively with FAOSTAT for generation and utilization of quality data for inter and intra country comparisons.

CLOSURE OF THE CONSULTATION

114. The draft report of the Consultation was reviewed by the participants and adopted.
115. In conclusion, Mr. Nandi expressed his appreciation for the efforts that were put in by all participants at the Consultation to ensure that Nutrition Orientation to Food Production was viewed as a country priority in undertaking future actions in addressing the issues relating to achieving the MDGs. The Consultation adjourned with a vote of thanks by the Secretariat.