CFS: 99/4



COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY

Twenty-fifth Session

Rome, 31 May - 3 June 1999

REPORTING FORMAT FOR MONITORING
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT
PLAN OF ACTION

 

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Committee at its 24th session considered issues relating to a future reporting format and arrangements for monitoring the implementation of the World Food Summit (WFS) Plan of Action based on the report of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) which had met immediately before the Committee's session to consider possible approaches and a draft reporting format. It will be recalled that the Committee endorsed the report of the OEWG, with some comments and clarifications.

2. The Committee decided to start monitoring of the progress in the implementation of the WFS Plan of Action in the year 2000. It also decided that it would undertake two full cycles of reviews, before the mid-term review in the year 2006, of the progress made in achieving the World Summit goal of reducing the number of the undernourished by half no later than 2015. The Committee agreed that the first cluster of Commitments to be reviewed in the year 2000 would consist of those relating to "people-centred" objectives - Commitments One, Two, and Five - with the relevant parts of Commitment Seven. The second cluster consisting of those relating to "development-centred" objectives, namely, Commitments Three, Four, and Six with the relevant parts of Commitment Seven will be reviewed in the year 2002.

3. The Committee re-emphasized that it is the implementation of the Plan of Action that is vital, and pointed out that reporting is an instrument and not a goal.

4. The Committee agreed that the focus of each monitoring session should be qualitative analysis based on key indicators for outcomes and results of the actions undertaken within the framework of objectives. The Committee stressed the need to refine the format for monitoring the implementation of the WFS Plan of Action to ensure that country reports provide the relevant information required for analysis of the actions being undertaken, and for identification of practices which had proven to be successful in pursuance of the WFS goals. The Committee also re-iterated the view that the reporting format should be simple, straightforward and flexible.

5. The attached Format which is being put forward for the Committee's consideration and approval has been designed taking into account the Committee's suggestions and recommendations. The Secretariat has also benefited from the comments of the Bureau in preparing it.

6. It should be recognized that, in view of the fact that the WFS Plan of Action covers wide-ranging areas cutting across all sectors of the economy, reporting on the progress in the implementation of the Plan of Action is beyond the competence of a single government ministry or institution. Since much of the implementation of the Plan falls under the responsibility of different institutions, reporting on the implementation of the plan also calls for the involvement of various ministries and institutions. In this context, the Committee may wish to recommend to member countries to establish, if they have not already done so, a central unit or an inter-ministerial committee to monitor the implementation of the Plan and to report to the CFS, when required.

II. DESCRIPTION OF THE FORMAT

7. The Format covers Commitments One, Two, Five and the relevant sections of Commitment Seven, in line with Committee's decision that the first reporting and monitoring of the WFS Plan of Action for review at its Session in the year 2000 should cover the "people-centred" Commitments. The Format contains four Forms (A, B, C, and D) for each Commitment.

8. CFS:99/3/Supp.1 provides a basic reference and guideline to use in filling out the forms. It contains a list of outcome and process indicators which could gauge the progress in the implementation of the recommended actions and the achievement of the objectives under each commitment. For the purpose of this format output indicators refer to indicators which show the achievement of or progress toward an objective set under a commitment; process indicators are meant to indicate the nature and type of activities already undertaken or being undertaken under each recommended action to achieve a given objective.1

9. Countries are expected to report on actions taken domestically and on the support they provided to other countries to assist them to tackle poverty and food insecurity and to reduce the number of the undernourished within the framework of the WFS Plan of Action. On page 1 of the format governments are expected, where possible, to provide an estimate of the number of the undernourished and food insecure people in their respective country in 1996 and in 1999.

III. GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETING THE FORMAT

10. For each of Commitments One, Two, Five and (part of) Seven:

IV. DRAFT REPORTING FORMAT

FORMAT FOR REPORTING ON PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING
THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT PLAN OF ACTION
(COMMITMENTS ONE, TWO, FIVE AND
RELATED SECTIONS OF SEVEN)

Background information

1. Name of the country:

2. Name of the reporting institution or unit:

3. Contact person:

a) Name and Official Title:

b) Telephone:                             E-mail:                                      Fax:

4. Institutional arrangements established for the follow-up of the WFS Plan of Action (if any):

5. Estimated number of the undernourished or food insecure in the country:

Number in 1996 (or latest available information prior to 1996) ....

Number in 1999 (or latest available information since 1996) ....

6. The estimate is based on:

Type of Information Date Collected
 

 

 

 

   

 

FORM A

Commitment One

Priority problem areas intended to be addressed under Commitment One

11. The following possible problem areas are intended to be addressed through the implementation of Commitment One. Which of these are considered to deserve priority action in order to reduce poverty and food insecurity in the country? Through assistance to other countries?2

Political problems

  civil war
  localized conflicts
  war with other countries
  issues concerning human rights and fundamental freedoms
  issues concerning transparent and accountable governance
  issues concerning participatory practices in policy making, legislation and implementation
  issues concerning democratic political system
  other, please specify

Social problems

  factors (including cultural and traditional) preventing equal participation of women
  factors preventing women from ownership of productive resources
  absence of gender sensitive legislation
  discrimination against other vulnerable groups
  discrimination against indigenous people
  other, please specify

Economic problems

  fiscal, monetary, or trade policies
  price and marketing policies
  institutional infrastructure
  population growth rate outstripping economic growth
  uneven distribution of and access to land and other resources
  land tenure system
  degradation of natural resources
  other, please specify

Commitment Two

Priority problem areas intended to be addressed under Commitment Two

12. The following possible problem areas are intended to be addressed through the implementation of Commitment Two. Which of these are considered to deserve priority action in order to reduce poverty and food insecurity in the country? Through assistance to other countries? 3

Possible problems preventing the poor from maximzing their income:

  unequal access to productive resources such as land, water and credit
  land tenure system which discourages farmers from investing to raise their productivity
  government fiscal, monetary, or trade policies
  lack of employment opportunities in the rural areas
  lack of employment opportunities in urban areas
  lack of technical know how and appropriate skills
  lack of access to modern to improved technology by small farmers
  degradation of resources including soil erosion
  declining production of traditional foods (such as indigenous grains, oilseeds, pulses, roots and tubers, fruits and vegetables, animals, and fish)
  other, please specify

Problems constraining access to food by the poor at all times:

  inadequate social welfare programmes such as food assistance schemes
  lack of appropriate public programmes to generate employment opportunities when needed
  inadequate stocks or storage facilities in high risk areas vulnerable to food shortages
  deficient early warning and food security information systems to provide advance information on localities vulnerable to food shortages
  other, please specify

Problems preventing the poor and vulnerable groups from strengthening their capacity for self reliance:

  lack of or inadequate access to basic education
  inadequate facilities for training and skill development
  lack of programmes to encourage poor children to attend schools
  insufficient access to health services including reproductive health services
  insufficient nutrition, sanitation and health education
  other, please specify

Commitment Five

Priority problems areas intended to be addressed under Commitment Five

13. The following possible problem areas are intended to be addressed through the implementation of actions under Commitment Five. Which of these problems require priority action at national level? Through assistance to other countries4 to reduce needs for emergency assistance and continued vulnerability to emergencies? Please check in the appropriate box.

Possible problems which give rise to emergency assistance:

  civil war
  localized conflicts
  terrorism
  natural disasters such as drought, floods, pests and plant diseases
  animal diseases
  inadequate institutional arrangements for advance information on possible emergencies
  inadequate strategies and mechanisms to combat disasters
  inadequate strategic food reserves
  other, please specify

Possible problems preventing recovery and rehabilitation after disasters to return to sustainable
economic and social development:

  lack of well planned post emergency recovery and rehabilitation programme
  lack of resources
  absence of effective local public and community organizations
  other, please specify

 

FORM B

Commitments One, Two and Five

14. For each of the problems identified under Form A, explain in one paragraph not exceeding 200 words how it contributes directly or indirectly to the prevalence of poverty and food insecurity. If the space provided is not adequate please use additional pages.

 

FORM C

Commitments One, Two and Five

15. Please provide information on the objectives set and the priority measures being undertaken to overcome each problem identified in Form A.

Progress in the achievement of the national objectives and implementation of the actions recommended in pursuance of Commitment One of the WFS Plan of Action.

Problem identified under Form A (ranked in order of priority) Objective set (result aimed at) against the problem Priority actions being undertaken to achieve the objective5 Progress in achieving the objective since 19966
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

 

FORM D

Commitments One, Two and Five

16. Please provide the information requested on the priority actions indicated in column 3 of Form C. A separate form should be used for each action, indicating at the top of the form the commitment and the problem to which that action refers.

Commitment .........

Problem addressed.........


Priority Action:
Institution in charge of the action and partners:
When did the action begin?
What concrete steps have been taken to ensure success of the action?
What results are expected to be achieved? By what date?
What successes have been achieved thus far?
What constraints and difficulties have been encountered?
How does the country intend to overcome these constraints and difficulties?
Indicate any bilateral or multilateral co-operation to implement the actions and to overcome the constraints.
To what extent does the implementation of this priority action contribute to the reduction of the number of undernourished ?

 

Commitment Seven

17. With respect to Commitment Seven, Governments have pledged that they will implement, monitor and follow-up the WFS Plan of Action at all levels in co-operation with the international community. They are requested to use Form D to report on progress in the implementation of the actions recommended under Objective 7.1.

18. International Organizations are requested to use Form D to report on actions taken under Objective 5.3, and Objective 7.2 (a), (d) to (m) and (o), in the context of the responsibility assigned to them by the WFS Plan of Action, as well as any other actions relating to the commitments under review on which they wish to report.

1  The actions recommended under the relevant objectives under Commitment Seven are self explanatory and no attempt has been made to suggest process indicators for such actions.

2  For countries wishing to report on their international assistance objectives and activity, please use a second copy of Form A and ensuing forms.

3  For countries wishing to report on their international assistance objectives and activity, please use a second copy of Form A and ensuing forms.

4  For countries wishing to report on their international assistance objectives and activity, please use a second copy of Form A and ensuing forms.

5  The actions indicated in this column need to be elaborated in Form D

 6  In showing the progress in achieving the objective, please show the baseline data or status of the situation in 1996 or any latest year prior to the Summit.