During the 1996 World Food Summit (WFS), a Plan of Action was adopted with the aim of reducing the number of undernourished people to half their 1996 number by
2015.
The Plan of Action contained seven commitments which were to act as
guiding principles to all those involved in formulating the policies to implement the Plan
of Action at national and international levels. The FAO Committee on World Food Security
(CFS), which had been the negotiating forum for the preparation of the WFS, was appointed
to monitor progress at regular intervals and, at its June 1998 session, it presented a
first review of the action taken to fulfil each of the seven commitments, at national and
international levels, during 1997. This review was based on reports contributed by about
100 countries and 33 United Nations agencies, international organizations, regional or
subregional bodies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The World Food Summit, FAO Headquarters, Rome
In November 1996 Heads of State and Government pledged their political will and their
commitment to achieving food security for all and to an ongoing effort to eradicate hunger
in all countries.
Many of the countries covered by the CFS review had introduced
institutional measures to support the Plan of Action and its aims. These included:
establishing interministerial coordination mechanisms; reviewing national strategies in
the light of WFS objectives; and developing national plans of action. More specifically,
Food for All campaigns and other initiatives, including World Food Day celebrations, had
been carried out with a view to raising public awareness of food security issues.
COMMITMENT ONE
"We will ensure an enabling political, social, and economic
environment designed to create the best conditions for the eradication of poverty and for
durable peace, based on full and equal participation of women and men, which is most
conducive to achieving sustainable food security for all."
Although there are still several situations where large numbers of
displaced persons are living under desperate conditions as a result of political and civil
conflicts, steps are being taken at national and regional levels to solve conflicts
peacefully within and between countries, and a number of both developed and developing
countries are supporting United Nations peacekeeping efforts.
Many countries also reported that they are promoting human rights and
stabilizing the political environment by strengthening democratic political processes,
constitutional and legal provisions, transparency and good governance.
Measures undertaken to ensure gender equality and the empowerment of
women include: strengthening of constitutional and legal provisions as well as specific
policies; action in the areas of education and skills development and to improve access to
productive resources such as land and credit; and the development of occupations
specifically for women.
To provide equal opportunities to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups
and individuals, many countries have instigated legislation against various forms of
discrimination. In the developed countries, there are often social benefits and programmes
to supplement legal provisions in favour of vulnerable, disadvantaged groups such as the
unemployed, the disabled and the elderly.
COMMITMENT TWO
"We will implement policies aimed at eradicating poverty and
inequality and improving physical and economic access by all, at all times, to sufficient,
nutritionally adequate and safe food and its effective utilization."
Many developing countries reported that eradicating poverty and
achieving sustainable food security for all is their main policy priority.
In countries with a high proportion of undernourished, special emphasis
is given to short-term measures to ensure access to food for food-insecure households.
Food-for-work projects in the areas of public works and/or conservation of natural
resources are common, as are school feeding programmes and direct distribution of cash or
goods to those who are unable to support themselves. Other short-term mechanisms include
unemployment relief programmes, market intervention to increase supplies and bring prices
down to within the reach of consumers, and consumer subsidies.
Longer-term strategies to eradicate poverty often include measures to
improve access to land and/or security of tenure, the development of infrastructure, and
provision of basic social services and human development, primarily through basic
education and essential health services.
Developed countries generally ensure a minimum income and access to food
on a sustainable basis to food-insecure groups. Among the specific measures pursued are:
training programmes to enhance workers' skills; training, work placements, voluntary work
or full-time education for unemployed youth to enhance their employment opportunities; and
various targeted family supports. At the international level, the developed countries
support developing countries in bilateral and multilateral poverty alleviation programmes,
which are also an important field of action for international organizations.
Food insecurity and vulnerability information and mapping systems have received particular attention at national and international levels as a tool
for identifying vulnerable groups and targeting action.
COMMITMENT THREE
"We will pursue participatory and sustainable food,
agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural development policies and practices in high and
low potential areas, which are essential to adequate and reliable food supplies at the
household, national, regional and global levels, and combat pests, drought and
desertification, considering the multifunctional character of agriculture."
Developing countries have introduced measures aimed at accelerating the
adoption of sustainable agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry production through
the use of appropriate technology. These measures include: widespread use of improved seed
varieties; promotion of green fertilizers; integrated plant nutrition; integrated pest
management; provision of adequate fodder and food; and genetic improvement and disease
control. To combat environmental threats to food security, many developing countries have
established national policies and new legislation for conservation and sustainable use of
water and soil, fisheries and forestry resources. Efforts to combat threats to biological
diversity appear to be less widespread, however.
Many developing countries are working to improve skills in the workforce
and diffusing new technologies. For example, several countries are promoting and
strengthening partnership between private and public research in their formal agricultural
education systems and/or training and research centres. A number of international
organizations are collaborating with national and regional research institutions to find
more sustainable technologies that are better-oriented to food security. The FAO Special
Programme for Food Security (see p. 32) has already reached 36 of the low-income
food-deficit countries to which it is directed.
Integrated rural development approaches are often used to revitalize
rural areas by building infrastructure and services and promoting labour-intensive
projects to foster employment, income and improved living conditions. The strengthening of
marketing and rural credit facilities is an essential part of these approaches. Local
people are empowered through the decentralization of policy-making and the transfer of
responsibilities to local communities and institutions in such fields as health, education
and management of resources.
In developed countries, policies in support of the revitalization of
rural areas include: loans for the modernization of farms; universal access to public
services; help to young farmers; encouragement of agritourism; diversification of
agriculture and rural development activities; encouragement of small-scale operations in
rural areas; reducing the tax burden on ecologically friendly agricultural firms; and
developing special measures for mountain areas.
COMMITMENT FOUR
"We will strive to ensure that food, agricultural trade and
overall trade policies are conducive to fostering food security for all through a fair and
market-oriented world trade system."
Many countries have introduced national policies aimed at trade
liberalization, private sector development and a more outward approach to the application
of trade rules, while international agencies are providing assistance to developing
countries to enable them to reap more benefits from international trade.
Least-developed and net food-importing developing countries were
accorded favourable differential treatment in the provision of credit for agricultural
exports by the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Meeting in Singapore, which also
endorsed a framework to increase trade-related technical assistance from international
agencies to developing countries. The FAO Secretariat for the Codex Alimentarius and the
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) continued to prepare standards,
guidelines and recommendations, which are designed to prevent unnecessary non-tariff
barriers to agricultural and food trade, and are specifically recognized in the Uruguay
Round Agreements.
COMMITMENT FIVE
"We will endeavour to prevent and be prepared for natural
disasters and man-made emergencies and to meet transitory and emergency food requirements
in ways that encourage recovery, rehabilitation, development and a capacity to satisfy
future needs."
To prevent or minimize the impact of natural and human-incurred
emergencies, several countries are establishing mechanisms such as: national early warning
and food information systems; disaster prevention and preparedness programmes; and other
measures, such as the establishment of food security stocks.
COMMITMENT SIX
"We will promote optimal allocation and use of public and
private investments to foster human resources, sustainable food, agriculture, fisheries
and forestry systems, and rural development, in high and low potential areas."
Countries are introducing economic liberalization and macroeconomic
reforms to create a favourable environment for the private sector and promote both
domestic and foreign investment. Specific measures include: creation of special funds for
rural development; promotion of joint ventures with foreign private investment; fiscal and
monetary incentives to encourage investment in areas that contribute to food security; and
allocating a higher proportion of public expenditure to agriculture. A number of countries
are also establishing rural cooperative and self-help schemes to mobilize savings and
generate credit for productivity-enhancing rural activities.
Several donor countries are increasing the flow of financial and
technical resources to help the developing countries move towards sustainable agricultural
and rural development. Some donor countries have surpassed the official development
assistance (ODA) target of 0.7 percent of GNP, while others are increasing their ODA
towards that target. Resources are also being mobilized through: debt-relief measures and
support to the joint International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank initiative for the
highly indebted poor countries; reallocation of excessive military expenditures to social
and economic development; and support to countries undergoing difficult transitions to a
free market system.
COMMITMENT SEVEN
"We will implement, monitor, and follow-up this Plan of Action
at all levels in cooperation with the international community."
The United Nations Administrative Coordination Committee (ACC)5
has established a Network on Rural Development and Food Security, operated by FAO
and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with the close cooperation
of the World Food Programme (WFP). Some 75 countries and 20 United Nations organizations
are represented in this network, whose members include national institutions, bilateral
donors and representatives of civil society. The network uses Internet and other new
information technologies to promote information exchange and foster interactive networking
among countries and regions, and between network members at all levels. Projects that the
ACC Network has been involved in include the formulation of a policy framework and
strategies for sustainable food security and poverty alleviation in Cambodia and a series
of workshops to analyse different approaches and strategies for achieving food security in
Peru.
THE NEXT STEP
The CFS established the programme for future reviews of progress in the
implementation of the Plan of Action. In the year 2000, reports will focus on the
"people-centred commitments" and, in 2002, on "development-centered
commitments". After this there will be one other review before the in-depth mid-term
review in 2006. In addition to these regular reviews, the Committee will also monitor
thematic issues of implementation of the Plan of Action, so as to distill and share the
lessons of successes and difficulties in meeting the commitments of the WFS.
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