المنتدى العالمي المعني بالأمن الغذائي والتغذية

Does Chapter 1 adequately reflect the current situation of malnutrition and its related causes and impacts, particularly in line with the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda? What are the underlying problems that currently hinder food systems to deliver healthy diets

Yes it does – however it would be advisable to draw attention to the urgency of the issue; given that the guidelines will be released later in 2020 – by when there will be only 10 years left for meeting the 2030 SDG targets; five years to meeting 2025 WHA targets and we will be already five years into the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition. Therefore, the urgency of following these voluntary guidelines cannot be emphasized enough.  Moreover, SDG2 underlies several of the other – if not all – SGDs; therefore, achieving the SDG2 targets is crucial for the achievement of all targets.

Other important points that can be included regarding the current situation of malnutrition as follows;

- According to the latest SOFI (2019), over 820 million people suffer from hunger, corresponding to about one in every nine people in the world. This figure which has been stable or even increasing (depending on the region) is alarming as it means we are moving further away from reaching the SDG2 targets. The same report also stated that over 2 billion people do not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food  - that is one in four people [Ref]; Moreover over 3 million deaths (children under five) related to malnutrition with maternal and child undernutrition contributing to 45 percent of deaths in children under five [Ref] ; around 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient malnutrition [Ref].

- Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are on the rise and are estimated to cause almost 75% of deaths around the world. One of the major causes of NCDs is unhealthy diets and malnutrition [Ref].

What should be the guiding principles to promote sustainable food systems that improve nutrition and enable healthy diets? What are your comments about the principles outlined in Chapter 2? Are they the most appropriate for your national/regional contexts?

Climate change adaptation and mitigation is mentioned on page 11. However, these overarching guiding principles (on page 8) could also include a principle on adopting climate-smart approaches/interventions, that would abate or alleviate the negative impacts of climate change not just on the availability of food but also on the quality of food.  Recent evidence shows that by 2050, the increasing CO2 concentration will result in many crops – in particular, staple crops – grown under such conditions losing their nutrition levels by 3–17%. This increase in CO2 concentration could cause an additional 175 million people to be zinc deficient, and 1.4 billion women of childbearing age and children under five who live in countries with greater than 20% of anemia prevalence would lose >4% of dietary iron intake [Ref].  Therefore, technological solutions (such as micronutrient enriched, biofortified staple crops) and policies for adopting these should be encouraged.

In consideration of the policy areas identified in Chapter 3 and the enabling factors suggested in paragraph 41 of the Zero Draft, what policy entry points should be covered in Chapter 3, taking into account the need to foster policy coherence and address policy fragmentation?

Potential policy entry points include:

- Food-based nutrition interventions such as fortification – included under “processing and packaging” and biofortification included under “production system” are both proven to be cost-effective and scalable interventions for improving micronutrient intake.  They are also equitable (corroborating with point 11) since staple foods are consumed by all members of a family – regardless of age or gender – unlike other nutritious foods (such as animal source foods which may be allocated to male members).  

- Rural smallholders – as both producers and consumers of food – are vulnerable to malnutrition. Their inclusion was highlighted in the previous CFS recommendations, but they seem to be missing from these guidelines. Given that the majority of the food in developing countries is produced by smallholders, and that majority of the population in developing countries reside in rural areas, rural smallholders could be centralized for policy entry points. Potential policies could include subsidized seeds of improved, nutritious varieties of crops (such as biofortified crops), linking smallholders to public food procurement.

- On page 10, under the policy-relevant areas, biofortification could be given as an example of sustainable and nutrition-sensitive agricultural production models.  Globally 21 countries have now included biofortification in their national policies [Ref]. For further evidence on biofortification see here.  

- On page 12, under Handling, Storage and Distribution heading, practices, and technologies to retain and/or add nutritional value can be included among the policy-relevant areas.

- On page 13, biofortification could be included under the Supply of Nutritious Foods heading:  Policies pertaining to input access/availability, extension services, and incentives (e.g., tax breaks or subsidies, guaranteed procurement schemes) could be implemented to stimulate the production of nutritious biofortified staple crops.

- Agree with the sentence “Actions should be taken to make nutritious food affordable for all population groups” on page 15. Since the poor don’t tend to have access to diverse, healthy diets and since most of the calories consumed by the poor come from staple crops, improvement of these staple crops to delivery other nutrients (such vitamins and minerals) through biofortification or fortification, is a low hanging fruit for increasing the nutrient intake of these populations.

- On page 17, under food quality improvements title, biofortification can be included alongside fortification as another evidence-based cost-effective and scalable intervention for improving the nutritional quality.

Can you provide specific examples of new policies, interventions, initiatives, alliances and institutional arrangements which should be considered, as well as challenges, constraints, and trade-offs relevant to the three constituent elements of food systems presented in Chapter 3? In your view, what would the “ideal” food system look like, and what targets/metrics can help guide policy-making?

- One promising tool for improving food systems through their main building blocks (i.e., staples) is the substitution of conventional staple crops with their biofortified (i.e., enriched with micronutrients by using conventional plant breeding methods) counterparts.  Biofortification is a low hanging fruit that requires minimum behavior change; is cost-effective and has been proven to improve not just nutrition but also health outcomes [Ref].

- With regards to challenges, constraints, and trade-offs, the reciprocal relationship between climate change and farming practices, urbanization, disparities, and equity issues and equitable distribution and access to food and technology are the prominent ones.

- An ideal food system should be sustainable, resilient, equitable, and climate-smart throughout a productive whole value chain, that contributes to biodiversity, environment, and it should promote improved health and nutrition for all.

How would these Voluntary Guidelines be most useful for different stakeholders, especially at national and regional levels, once endorsed by CFS? 

- Agree with the principles explained in Section IV. Specifically, the forum mentioned in paragraph 59 would be very helpful for the stakeholders to learn best practices from each other.

- In addition to these principles, it is important to have the guidelines referred to/endorsed by important international platforms such as G20 where commitment/buy-in by national/multilateral leaders could be ensured.

Comments are submitted according to topics in the Elements Paper from CFS Policy Convergence Process. I am especially concerned that Indigenous Peoples’ food systems require unique considerations and need to be addressed in the Voluntary Guidelines. Therefore, there needs to be 4 classification groups: Traditional food systems; mixed food systems, modern food systems, and Indigenous food systems. Indigenous food systems are characteristically based in biocentric approaches that must be considered in the guidelines that are currently written as anthropocentric considerations. This is important in our current food production status within climate change and the climate crisis; it is important to consider Indigenous approaches to food systems that foster sustainability, resilience and adaptability that depend on the health of the natural resource base of the planet.

1. Food Supply Chains

a. Production systems.

It is important to consider food generating activities from the natural resource base that are not “mass produced by agricultural technologies” such as local small-scale indigenous technologies. Unique indicators and metrics are needed, such as “biodiversity variety and micronutrient richness” per surface area. Energy neutrality in food generation is another indicator that needs to be developed.

b. Storage and distribution

Unique storage and local distribution systems need to be considered that are based on indigenous values of sharing and well-being. These should also take into account provisioning of natural medicines that are also foods, cultural and spiritual resources provided in the natural land base that also generates food.

c. Processing and packaging

Consider how processing and packaging can be reduced with greater local distribution and use of food.

d. Retail and markets

Include Indigenous Peoples in policies to shape retail and market use of local resources. Give credit and address and resolve fair intellectual property rights of unique resources (including seeds) known and protected by Indigenous Peoples.

Ensure that retail markets provide healthy foods to Indigenous areas.

2. Food Environments.

a. Availability and physical access (proximity)

Protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples to their traditional territories. Provide incentives for Indigenous Peoples to provision their local communities with healthy foods. Always address the Right of Indigenous Peoples to Free, Prior and Informed Consent in developing food markets.

b. Economic Access

Address trade policies in the local circumstances of Indigenous territories and farmers, and their values, before and during development of national policies.

c. Promotion, advertising and information

Provide education in the local languages of Indigenous farmers and communities about healthy food options that include their local products. Include Indigenous food knowledge in school curricula.

d. Food quality, safety

Provide education on food safety. Consider Indigenous technologies for keeping food safe.

3. Consumer Behaviour

a. Food and nutrition education

Include Indigenous Peoples in developing local education strategies, dietary guideline development, and social protection programs that improve nutrition. Address Indigenous values and preferences.

b. Be aware that Indigenous values may be independent of other “traditional” values within a region or country, and address these respectfully.

4. General Comment

Include the United Nations agencies that address Indigenous Peoples in all activities of the CFS, and especially in the development of these Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition.

Food Security Policies

Prof. ALI ABDALRAHMAN ALI

President of the International Union for Development, Environment and Investment

It is considered of food security policies one of the most world active, which has an effective role and activist, and in the activation of certain policies, food security, through studies, research and food security projects in the world.

Where" Food security exists when all people at all times to access, both physical and economic adequate food , safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs and food preferences Kate has an active and healthy life."

Implicit in this definition is the recognition that food security is a multi -dimensional, and there have been many formulations of what the components of food security, for example , identified CFS four key dimensions or " pillars":is to ensure the availability of , if not the production of sufficient quantities of materials food and ensures access to all the families and all individuals within those households have enough resources to get the proper foods(through the production , purchase, free). And ensure a nutritious diet. Use when the human body is able to absorb and metabolize food.

Diet nutritious and safe, biological and social environment adequate, and appropriate health care to avoid diseases help to make adequate food. Is to ensure stability is maintained when the three pillars of the other with the passage of time.

It has been noted by many experts on the need for a column on environmental sustainability, where patterns of production and consumption of food does not deplete natural resources or the ability of the agricultural system to provide enough food and supports many of all countries to support the financial year, prices of basic consumer goods, which support was introduced at an earlier stage back until World War II , but he skipped several attempts to fix it, and since then has taken attributes benefits Permanent. The targeted programs are rare.

By increasing financial support for food prices, and the imposition of price controls, and the reduction of exports, lowering import tariffs: for example, has been in some countries lowering tariffs on wheat to about zero, and has also been paying financial support for importers, while allowing others preferential import wheat from different countries. In some countries, have increased wages and salaries to help consumers overcome the effects of rising prices.

The question now is:

Does the rise in food prices to create some opportunities in the long term? Most of the poor are rural, and can rise in food prices when its continuation for years to help increase the income of the poor in rural areas and mobilize the economy.

The supply of food emotive issue, so countries in the region feel a real concern about food security.

The rise in prices could help accelerate the increase of productivity and increase local agricultural production. However, the issue of water is scarce in some areas, which requires governments to take action to help increase the efficiency of water use as well.

This means an increase crop yields by the unit of water. An increase in domestic production to help protect countries from the vagaries and fluctuations in commodity markets. But countries in the region also will need to continue to rely on imports and on global markets in order to ensure the supply of food.

They should strengthen their capacity to use: futures markets, options, futures, and other modern tools in order to help meet the needs of food and hedge against the risk of the supply side.

Governments of developing countries better to encourage small-scale agriculture in the new global environment, and what form of special and differential treatment may be required to allow them to do so?

"In many cases, the reforms have been achieved" successful"is not in isolation, but as a result of the implementation of policies associated with them. In drawing lessons from the reforms that are seen benefiting groups of food insecurity, or which say the least, and you do not have disadvantaged them, so it is important to identify complementary policies that facilitated the process of adaptation to more productive activities, and any countervailing policies that act to mitigate losses transitional groups is safe and has only faced a clearer understanding of the effects that are often obscured from trade reform on food security is therefore vital if the drivers of further reform to lead to changes for the benefit of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in poor countries.

It is acknowledged that reforms in sectors other than agriculture, it could have implications far more important both in terms of poverty reduction, through changes in income levels, and food security. It must focus on the agricultural sector and the impact that could be trade reform in its ability to contribute to the improvement of food security in the context of broader structural changes that result from the reforms.

This focus justified by explaining the multiple ways in which agriculture, which they can identify and promote national food security of households. While any trade agreement that alters the balance between trade liberalization and the protection of the particular good or service in the economy, can affect the levels of food security, reform of the relevant agriculture is particularly important for the following reasons:

(1) Agriculture is one of the central contributors to food security in most developing countries; both through its direct contribution to the availability of food, and indirectly as the main engine of economic development and thus improve access to food.

(2) Agriculture is one of the sectors most heavily distorted in many countries, and it has, as a result, has received considerable attention in recent rounds of trade negotiations.

Recommendation :

Need to be food security policies more dynamic and not static, the increasing global variables such as climate change, and changes in dietary patterns, and human behaviors rapidly, in addition to changes in the compositions crop, which requires change, food security commodities.

Phase that they key issues in food security policies and sustainable development policies.

To be involved in civil society organizations and media awareness programs on food security issues in the various communities, in coordination with international institutions and local government and the private sector.

Attention to some other hubs in addition to the main axes of food security, such as:

1. Coordination and integration with the institutions dealing with food security policies, whether domestic or international, and the involvement of civil society organizations.

B. Emphasized that there should be an infrastructure in order to maintain a sustainable food security.

2. Emphasis on tightening the control and inspection of markets by all means possible.

3.The involvement of community members in the development of alternatives to the goods of food security in line with the changing desires of individuals.

4. Controls critical to the operations of the various monopolies, and the reduction of high food prices, both in the case of goods imported or locally produced food.

5. Giving civil society organizations and a strong role in the control of certain markets food security.

6. Seize opportunities to achieve sustainable food security.

H. Emphasize transparency in the implementation of various food securities.

7. The fight against corruption in all images in the application of food security policies, in order to reduce the effects of poverty, hunger and disease.

Critical review of what is known from existing literature and other resources in order to facilitate better targeted research and analysis of developments in trade and food security at the national level.

To provide a conceptual framework for understanding how trade liberalization and economic reforms relevant could affect the national food security at household level.

Provide a practical framework for evaluating the results of previous policies, and to predict the outcome of future initiatives, at both the national and the food security of households.

Prevent unhealthy foods, or rationalization of consumption, or imposition tax them, or provide cash support for more nutritious foods, put laws regulating the work of the manufacturers, awareness to individuals about these foods .

Address the problem of food waste, which is now one of the problems most prevalent in the community, the depletion of natural resources scarce , and environmental costs and the serious economic and social, and there are many effective ways to reduce food waste, which can result in cost savings and environmental benefits in order to create sustainable food system .

Economic Sufficiency Agriculture Food Subsidy System

Prof. ALI ABDALRAHMAN ALI

President of the International Union for Development, Environment and Investment

Sufficiency Economy is a philosophy that guides the livelihood and behavior of people at all levels, from the family to the community to the country, on matters concerning national development and administration. It calls for a ‘middle way’ to be observed, especially in pursuing economic development in keeping with the world of globalization.

Sufficiency means moderation and reasonableness, including the need to build a reasonable immune system against shocks from the outside or from the inside. Intelligence, attentiveness, and extreme care should be used to ensure that all plans and every step of their implementation are based on knowledge.

At the same time we must build up the spiritual foundation of all people in the nation, especially state officials, scholars, and business people at all levels, so they are conscious of moral integrity and honesty and they strive for the appropriate wisdom to live life with forbearance, diligence, self-awareness, intelligence, and attentiveness. In this way we can hope to maintain balance and be ready to cope with rapid physical, social, environmental, and cultural changes from the outside world.”

This philosophical statement has lent itself to interpretation by diverse groups of people. First, we can dismiss outright the extreme interpretation that the Sufficiency Economy means complete self-reliance or autarky. In an autarchic system, a country or unit thereof relies upon itself and its people to produce all its needs with no dependence on others.

It may do this voluntarily (cutting off contacts with the outside world) or by necessity (because it is incapable of generating those contacts). But His Majesty the King explicitly rejected this interpretation: “This self-sufficiency does not mean that every family must grow food for themselves, to make clothes for themselves; that is too much. But in a village or sub-district there should be a reasonable amount of sufficiency.

If they grow or produce something more than they need they can sell them. But they do not need to sell them very far; they can sell them in nearby places without having to pay high transport costs.”

Food Subsidy

The subsidy is an important part in the system of social spending, which aims to ensure that members of the community on their needs of basic goods and services such as food, health, education, transport, water and electricity, is a program of nutritional support of policies that ensure the state in order to improve the nutritional status of individuals and ensure food security for them and eliminate the problem of hunger, and it was total support center to support the food even arrived in some years to 90% of the total value of support, and the program is aimed at nutritional support to the provision of basic commodities at affordable prices are in affordable for low-income classes to ensure that a minimum of food necessary for the poor to stabilize the prices of goods in order to match the wages, and thus leads to the kind of redistribution of income and improve the pattern of distribution and social justice, and improve food security.

The subsidy programs, food for the benefit of consumers are common in many countries, and provides these programs are many benefits to consumers, so the financial cost of this type of nutritional support of matters of interest to policy makers and decision makers, and usually support programs high cost.

Where the government has time as the organization of the provision and distribution of food commodities necessary to individuals at prices relatively low in order to take into account the social dimension, and this support includes the support of direct and indirect, and subsidy includes food and non-food, and the state allocates annually in the general budget State provision of social spending, which includes:

• Subsidy for basic commodities such as food, medicines and slides of the initial consumption of electricity, drinking water and petroleum products and LPG and natural gas.

• Subsidy services include subsidy for cooperative housing and public subsidy for rail and other means of transport, subsidy for treatment at the expense of the state and health insurance and medical insurance for students, subsidy university students, subsidy lending public, cooperative and slums, subsidy services, religious and youth.

• Subsidy for the agriculture sector by lowering interest rates, and increase the price of the supply of cane sugar.

• Subsidy for social insurance by opening the door of the pension does not host them and pay the deficit in the pension funds and increase the number of uninsured.

• Subsidy is dedicated to the integrated development of villages, and is spending on these services as a real entry added to the entry of individuals and on their behalf the State bears the costs of such services.

The alternatives to the reform policies of food subsidy:

System is a food subsidy is an integral part of government policy long term to achieve food security policy and achieve social justice, and thus achieve political stability, although the state has made progress in reducing the cost of the subsidy system, but the absolute costs of the system is still high, so the state is trying to reform the subsidy system towards improving the targeting of the poor and increase their access to subsidy and improve the effectiveness of cost management system, and when studying the options of policy reform, it is important to balance the state the benefits of each option and costs, in addition to taking into account the benefits and costs of supporting the political, social, and because of the inherent system of the current subsidy of the politically sensitive care, it is necessary to study alternatives for change, taking the political implications of each choice.

The subsidy program for food with a good target beneficiaries, will lead to improvement of real incomes and improve food security of the target groups without the benefit of this subsidy is not needed, the leak of the subsidy increased costs and decreased cost-effectiveness of these programs.

There are several options for direct food subsidies to those who deserve it and blocked for non-eligible, and these options are:

Option indirect which mean self-direction, and direct administrative guidance.

It occurs when the self-oriented benefits are available to all, but the course is designed in a way that only makes the poor tended to participate.

The systems are self-directed support food attractive because it reduces management costs, which do not need to be a large administrative apparatus to determine entitlement to benefit.

They are also politically acceptable ways to direct subsidies for food, because participation depends on the free choice of the individual and not on the occurrence of selection upon by a governmental entity. It also requires direct targeting of the administrative definition of the poor, and there is a quantitative approach to estimate the low-cost households, which is known as alternative test averages (Proxy Mean Test), which depends on the indicators are high, and thus lead to improved rates of targeted subsidy for the poor.

The subsidy of the food is not just a technical issue, but it is the subject of political implications as well. We have been efforts to reform the food subsidies directed to those who deserve better and reduce costs for fear of civil unrest.

That is why I have to policy makers and decision makers to take into account the political implications of what is to be made of the decisions when thinking about the reform of food subsidies.

The experiences of the past to study the importance of the following steps when considering the reform programs in support of food:

Adopt a gradual approach in bringing about change in the system of food subsidies, Organize public awareness campaigns to prepare the population for the justification and the need to reform

The application of some compensatory measures for groups that are exposed to some of the adverse effects of the reform programs of subsidy.

This approach aims to improve food security, and comes through:

The study of policy alternatives to increase food availability in the context of ongoing changes in local and global markets.

Develop policies to improve opportunities for households to obtain food in the framework of policies, market mechanisms and economic reform programs.

Analysis of the nutritional aspects of food security in terms of the biological advantage of food, and to identify the factors affecting the nutritional status.

Analysis of the food security situation within the household in terms of individuals most vulnerable to food shortages and methods of care, and therefore can be replaced other goods subsidized food to achieve household food security, according to desire these families and by geographic region, has this is costly in financial terms, but it will help to improve food security.

Identification of micro-nutrient deficiencies (iron, zinc, iodine vitamin A), and explore ways to improve the status of micro-nutrients through the addendum, or through plant breeding and genetic improvement.

FAO – FSN FORUM – CONSULTA ELECTRÓNICA

Agosto del 2019

Participante: ONG Lumen Sapientiae. www.lumenperu.org

Representante: Blasco Núñez Velasco.

Mediante esta consulta electrónica, se invita a las partes interesadas del CSA a responder a las siguientes preguntas orientativas utilizando el formulario propuesto:

¿Refleja adecuadamente el capítulo 1 la situación actual de la malnutrición y las causas y efectos relacionados, especialmente en lo que respecta a los objetivos y metas de la Agenda 2030?

El Capítulo 1 muestra una relación causa efecto entre los factores que intervienen en la generación del problema y sus consecuencias, sin embargo, la complejidad del problema sugiere la necesidad de reducir el alcance de esa visión sistémica u holística, a una visión que esté centrada en áreas geográficas específicas, sobre las cuales se pudiera hacer mediciones más objetivas, las cuales permitirían implementar soluciones de impacto positivo inmediato. Trabajando en este nivel podríamos realizar Análisis de Causa Raíz sobre cada problema específico, teniendo en cuenta el entorno y el contexto, donde se originan los factores causantes de los efectos negativos que sean apreciados en cada caso en particular.

¿Cuáles son los problemas subyacentes que actualmente impiden a los sistemas alimentarios proporcionar dietas saludables?

Los sistemas alimentarios tomados en conjunto, generarían un listado interminable de “problemas subyacentes”. En la búsqueda de soluciones podríamos seguir aplicando herramientas y conceptos sistémicos. Sin embargo, creemos que ha llegado el momento de hacer un análisis de sistemas. Identificar los procesos que generan las no-conformidades y llevarlos a nivel de procedimientos detallados. Sobre este nivel de detalle aplicar Root Cause Analisis para identificar las causas primigenias de cada problema y en cada lugar. Se trata de aplicar la conocida estrategia “divide y vencerás”. Enfrentar el problema en toda su magnitud sería un trabajo inútil, con pérdida de tiempo...y dinero.

¿Cuáles deberían ser los principios rectores para promover sistemas alimentarios sostenibles que mejoren la nutrición y permitan una dieta saludable?

Para cuando se termine de elaborar las Directrices Voluntarias, la situación causada por el problema hambre-desnutrición será tan apremiante, que al mirar hacia atrás nos lamentaremos por todo el tiempo que hemos desperdiciado. Los principios rectores para crear un sistema alimentario-nutricional que sea efectivo (Eficiente + Eficaz) además de ser sostenible, DEBEN ser diseñados, implementados y gestionados por GENTE DEL SECTOR PRIVADO de cada país. Deben ser personas con profundo conocimiento de la realidad de sus entornos y contextos, de comprobada experiencia en el manejo del tema alimentario y principalmente, de sólidos principios y valores. Por allí deberíamos empezar y debemos hacerlo muy pronto.

¿Qué opinión le merecen los principios incluidos en el capítulo 2?

Los principios rectores para crear un sistema alimentario-nutricional que sea realmente efectivo y sostenible, tienen que ser diseñados, implementados y gestionados por gente con experiencia del Sector Privado de cada país. Consideramos que no es suficiente recoger opiniones de personas que - en algunos casos - no pueden exhibir conocimiento suficiente para opinar, sobre las causas y efectos de un problema tan álgido como apremiante.

¿Son los más apropiados para sus contextos nacionales/regionales?

Definitivamente no lo son. El mejor o mayor acercamiento apreciado hasta la fecha, es el publicado por IFAD en el trabajo titulado: “Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chains from a Smallholder Perspective: A Framework for Project Design” Autores: Isabel de la Peña, James Garrett, Aulo Gelli. Ese trabajo se sustenta en una apreciación muy cercana a la realidad. Sin embargo, una probable implementación del modelo, deberá enfrentar el grave problema de las carencias y/o deficiencias culturales y/o profesionales y/o laborales de los Smallholder participantes. Nuestra ONG Lumen Sapientiae ha elaborado un proyecto para utilizar la anchoveta peruana enlatada, como la base de una pirámide alimentaria sostenible a largo plazo. La anchoveta es el recurso pesquero más abundante sobre el planeta. Su calidad natural y contenido proteico superan al de otras especies similares de engráulidos, que son ampliamente consumidas en la Unión Europea.

6. Considerando los ámbitos normativos identificados en el capítulo 3 y los factores propicios sugeridos en el párrafo 41 del borrador cero, ¿Cuáles son los primeros pasos normativos que deberían analizarse en el capítulo 3, teniendo en cuenta la necesidad de fomentar la coherencia de las políticas y abordar su fragmentación?

En el caso particular de nuestro proyecto, el primer paso normativo sería reducir progresivamente el uso de anchoveta para hacer harina para alimentar animales. Establecer una fecha límite, para que la anchoveta sea orientada exclusivamente al consumo de los seres humanos del Perú y del mundo. En la actualidad, el primer país exportador de proteína animal, mira con indiferencia los estragos que causan el hambre y desnutrición en sus niños y pobres. Nosotros somos escépticos con respecto a “lo que podríamos esperar del gobierno de nuestro país”. No estamos seguros de que las Directrices Voluntarias podrían hacer cambiar la política pesquera del país. Los niños, que cada día sienten hambre y conviven con las secuelas de una desnutrición hereditaria, no quieren ni deben seguir esperando que su futuro dependa de pasos normativos. En un país donde las autoridades permiten que los niños tomen “agua blanca” por leche, el problema debe ser enfrentado con hechos y no solo con palabras.

¿Puede proporcionar ejemplos concretos de nuevas políticas, intervenciones, iniciativas, alianzas y acuerdos institucionales que deberían tenerse en cuenta, así como de desafíos, limitaciones y contrapartidas relacionados con los tres elementos integrantes de los sistemas alimentarios presentados en el capítulo 3?

ONG empezó en el 2017 a trabajar un proyecto de desarrollo socio-alimentario para utilizar la anchoveta para lo que Dios la creó: Alimento de seres humanos. En el 2018 terminamos el perfil del proyecto y empezamos a buscar apoyo para llevarlo a nivel de ejecución, sin haber logrado obtenerlo hasta ahora. Es indispensable señalar que nuestro perfil de pre-factibilidad, es una aplicación de innovación adaptativa sobre un proyecto anterior, elaborado en la década de los años 70s. El proyecto original se denominó “Proyecto Sarveta”. (Combinación de las palabras sardina y anchoveta) Dicho proyecto era parte del Estudio Integral de la Pesca, elaborado por la Corporación de Racionalización y Consultoría. En la elaboración participaron varias empresas consultoras de prestigio internacional. Se contó con la asistencia técnica de expertos noruegos, suecos, ingleses e irlandeses, los cuales fueron asignados al proyecto, por la delegación de FAO en el Perú. Se construyó una embarcación con el nombre “Sarveta”, para realizar las pruebas de pesca selectiva de anchoveta, que validarían los objetivos supuestos por el proyecto. Los objetivos de pesca selectiva de anchoveta fueron validados y verificados. Sin embargo, el proyecto se abandonó, supuestamente por “razones políticas”. versión actual del proyecto es un modelo sistémico diseñado para Gestión por Procesos, en el cual hemos recogido las valiosas experiencias anteriores, las hemos innovado y actualizado aplicando tecnología vigente. Por todo lo expuesto, la implementación y operación del proyecto no reviste riesgo alguno. La puesta en operación marcará - sin duda alguna – el inicio de la solución del problema del hambre y desnutrición en el país.

En su opinión, ¿cómo sería el sistema alimentario "ideal" y qué objetivos/indicadores pueden ayudar a orientar la formulación de políticas?

En la ONG Lumen Sapientiae somos expertos en Gestión de la Calidad Alimentaria. Somos Consultores para Standards Alimentarios de GFSI. Esta condición es una fortaleza para el proyecto, porque hemos podido identificar las No Conformidades existentes dentro de la Secuencia de Agregación de Valor de anchoveta enlatada. Hemos diseñado y definido las Acciones Correctivas para eliminar las No Conformidades existentes. Hemos prediseñado la Nueva Cadena de Abastecimiento de Anchoveta Enlatada en el Perú. El proyecto estará en condiciones de proveer, un producto pesquero que reúne dos cualidades esenciales: Alimentar y Nutrir. Es un producto apto para llegar y ser consumido en las poblaciones más alejadas. Tendrá un precio por debajo del promedio de sus similares importados. Contará con la Certificación de Calidad Alimentaria Internacional, bajo el Standard BRC Food - Issue 8 - 2019.

Diversos aspectos de nuestro proyecto coinciden con los lineamientos expuestos en el trabajo de IFAD titulado: “Nutrition-Sensitive Value Chains from a Smallholder Perspective: A Framework for Project Design” Autores: Isabel de la Peña, James Garrett, Aulo Gelli.

¿Cómo podrían ser estas Directrices voluntarias más útiles para las diferentes partes interesadas, en especial a nivel nacional y regional, una vez aprobadas por el CSA?

Con el mayor respeto, nos permitimos insertar una pregunta dentro de nuestra respuesta: ¿Qué ocurriría si el CSA comprobara la factibilidad total de nuestro proyecto (Originado con apoyo de FAO) y lo presenta entre las Directrices Voluntarias, ante el gobierno peruano?

No vamos a pretender que conocemos a priori la respuesta a esta pregunta. Sin embargo, este podría ser uno de esos casos de excepción, en los cuales la solución de un grave problema social está al alcance de la mano, pero los intereses de diversa índole, podrían pesar más que la racionalidad de una decisión inteligente, humana, solidaria y moral, pero que requiere de gran valentía para ser tomada.

ONG Lumen Sapientiae. www.lumenperu.org

Blasco Núñez Velasco.

DIRECTRICES DEL COMITÉ DE SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA MUNDIAL

¿Refleja adecuadamente el capítulo 1 la situación actual de la malnutrición y las causas y efectos relacionados, especialmente en lo que respecta a los objetivos y metas de la Agenda 2030?

En los antecedentes me parece importante agregar las dificultades que se han tenido para detener la epidemia de sobrepeso y obesidad en el mundo, tales como las que señala The Lancet Commission Report (www.thelancet.com Published online January 27,2019), que pueden resumirse en:

La obesidad está aumentando en todos los países del mundo en las últimas cuatro décadas y ningún país ha tenido éxito en frenar este aumento

Las políticas propuestas en los últimos 15 años por la OMS no han tenido éxito por la oposición y lobby de la industria mundial de alimentos y bebidas

No existe la suficiente demanda por parte de la población para enfrentar la obesidad, a diferencia de lo sucedido con el VIH/SIDA

No es un problema urgente y es dejado de lado por otros temas. Esta inercia existe, a pesar de los enormes costos en salud que significa la obesidad y diabetes

¿Cuáles son los problemas subyacentes que actualmente impiden a los sistemas alimentarios proporcionar dietas saludables?

En primer lugar, el sistema alimentario mundial basado en la producción de cereales y de carne no es sostenible desde el punto de vista ecológico, lo cual va a ser agravado por el cambio climático que ya está afectando la producción a nivel mundial, especialmente por la falta de agua en el futuro cercano.

Desde la oferta el sistema alimentario está orientado a producir alimentos calóricos con alto contenido de hidratos de carbono refinado (harina de trigo refinada blanca, arroz blanco), grasas saturadas, azúcar y sal. En muchos países se ha pasado a la “dieta occidental” caracterizada por alimentos procesados, ultraprocesados y comida rápida (Monteiro, C.A., Cannon, G., Lawrence, M., Costa Louzada, M.L. and Pereira Machado, P. 2019. Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system. Rome, FAO.).

Por el lado de la demanda, las elecciones de los consumidores están claramente definidas hacia los alimentos procesados y comida rápida por sobre el consumo de alimentos saludables como frutas y verduras, pescado, carnes magras, lácteos sin grasa. En la mayoría de los países el consumo de frutas y verduras es muy bajo en comparación al consumo de alimentos procesados y comida rápida, que se está incrementando en el mundo a pasos agigantados. Desafortunadamente, la demanda de alimentos poco saludables es mayor en los niveles socio económico bajos que en los de mejores ingresos, así como también el sedentarismo, lo cual hace que la obesidad sea mayor en los más pobres.

¿Cuáles deberían ser los principios rectores para promover sistemas alimentarios sostenibles que mejoren la nutrición y permitan una dieta saludable? ¿Qué opinión le merecen los principios incluidos en el capítulo 2? ¿Son los más apropiados para sus contextos nacionales/regionales?

Estoy de acuerdo con los principios rectores. El problema es cómo se logra que estos principios rectores sean acogidos por cada país e implementados en las políticas públicas en el nivel local.

Todos estos principios rectores son el “qué”, en lo cual todos podemos estar de acuerdo, pero el problema hoy día es el “cómo”, que es el gran desafío actual.

Considerando los ámbitos normativos identificados en el capítulo 3 y los factores propicios sugeridos en el párrafo 41 del borrador cero, ¿cuáles son los primeros pasos normativos que deberían analizarse en el capítulo 3, teniendo en cuenta la necesidad de fomentar la coherencia de las políticas y abordar su fragmentación?

El Capítulo III me parece muy completo. Mi único comentario es respecto a la Parte 3: Comportamiento de los consumidores, punto 55. En este punto se trata muy someramente en el sub punto c) el tema de educación e información sobre alimentación y nutrición. Este punto es crítico porque la DEMANDA de alimentos va a depender en gran medida de la educación alimentaria y nutricional que tengan las personas. Esto se forma desde el embarazo y niñez más temprana y de la educación e información que tengan va a depender como se alimenten en la vida adulta (Hawkes C, Smith TG, Jewell J, Wardle J, Hammond R A, Sharon F, et al. Smart food policies for obesity prevention. Lancet 2015, 385: 2410-21). Hasta el presente, gran parte de las normas, políticas e intervenciones se han focalizado principalmente en la OFERTA de alimentos y no en la DEMANDA por parte de la población. Es así como se han privilegiado políticas de subsidios a los alimentos saludables o impuestos a los no saludables, el etiquetado nutricional y controles sobre la producción de determinados alimentos, dejando la DEMANDA a su libre albedrío.

La DEMANDA se forma con educación en hábitos y consumo de alimentos saludables desde edades muy tempranas y para ello los países deben tener políticas educativas en alimentación saludable muy claras, que en la mayoría no existen. Es por ello que debería enfatizarse la educación alimentaria y nutricional como algo central en los sistemas educativos formales e informales de los países.

¿Puede proporcionar ejemplos concretos de nuevas políticas, intervenciones, iniciativas, alianzas y acuerdos institucionales que deberían tenerse en cuenta, así como de desafíos, limitaciones y contrapartidas relacionados con los tres elementos integrantes de los sistemas alimentarios presentados en el capítulo 3? En su opinión, ¿cómo sería el sistema alimentario "ideal" y qué objetivos/indicadores pueden ayudar a orientar la formulación de políticas?

Nivel Nacional

El sistema alimentario "ideal" debería tener a nivel nacional, en cada país, un Ministerio o Vice Ministerio o Servicio de alto nivel encargado del tema Alimentos, cuya misión fuese velar por las políticas de producción, distribución y consumo de alimentos saludables para la población, siendo responsable de contar con un sistema para la Inocuidad Alimentaria con la normativa y regulaciones adecuados que también se preocupe de la calidad nutricional de los alimentos que se producen y de cómo estos se distribuyen a la población.

Además debería contar con un Sistema de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación en Alimentos y ser responsable de la formación de Recursos Humanos calificados en Alimentos. De esta estructura deberían depender los programas de entrega de alimentos a nivel de embarazadas, lactantes y preescolares y los Programa de Alimentación Escolar.

Nivel Internacional

A nivel internacional, debería establecerse un Acuerdo Marco en Alimentos Saludables a nivel mundial, que al igual que el Convenio Marco contra el tabaco, obligue a los países a tener políticas y programas en alimentos que permitan, por una parte, fomentar la producción de alimentos saludables como frutas, verduras, legumbres, pescado, lácteos sin grasa, y por otra regule la producción y ventas de alimentos no saludables, como son los procesados con alto contenido de grasas, harina de trigo refinada blanca, azúcar y sal.

¿Cómo podrían ser estas Directrices voluntarias más útiles para las diferentes partes interesadas, en especial a nivel nacional y regional, una vez aprobadas por el CSA?

La directriz más importante debe ser que cada país formule una Política Alimentaria considerando todos los aspectos, desde la producción al consumo de los alimentos por parte de la población, con políticas y programas muy completos con el único objetivo de que la población se alimente en forma saludable. Para ello, promover a nivel nacional y mundial el mayor consumo de frutas y verduras es un componente fundamental.

Dear FAO;

As part of Heal The Planet Global Organisation - HTP contributions  on your request regarding global food security allow me share on behalf of our organisation,  allow us express our concerns on Genetically Modified Organism including seeds Several countries are rejecting. Theres is fear in this arrangement sighting health concerns,  diseases and environment not forgeting the ability for soil to grow crops again.

We're advising this comitee to take extra miles to listen to governments,  independently conduct research and pay extra attension to organisations fighting for organic food products and secure agriculture.

Sincerely

Economic and Policy Conditions Necessary to Foster Sustainable Farming and Food Systems:

Prof. ALI ABDALRAHMAN

President of the International Union for Development, Environment and Investment

We asked to address four areas:

(1) The economic and policy conditions necessary to foster sustainable food and farm systems.

(2) The policy lessons and models from Europe and other countries that might help the Committee frame issues.

(3) Alternative agriculture and the value chain—making alternative agriculture successful in today’s economic structure; and, if time permits.

(4) The financial aspects of sustainable practices in the Midwest.

We will attempt to do this by organizing my remarks and Power Point slides according to the following topical outline:

• Alternative visions agriculture

• Policy options to support the sustainable agriculture vision

• Economic and related conditions affecting farming and food systems

• Value chain issues in fostering ecological farming systems

• Economic competitiveness of ecological farming systems

• More on economics of organic agriculture

A list of the major articles and reports used in preparing these remarks appears at the end of this written testimony. Many other sources drawn on indirectly are listed in the respective reference sections of those articles and reports.

Policy proposals for a nation’s food and farming system always rest on some vision for the system, whether or not the analyst or advocate recognizes that vision explicitly. Although there are many competing visions for the future of agriculture at this time, most of the visions underlying proposals for a new farm—originally to be enacted into law in fit roughly into one of the following two categories:

The global competitiveness vision—the recurring theme of policies proposed by those with this vision is maintaining and strengthening the competitiveness of agriculture in international markets. Individuals and organizations with this view have advocated agricultural policies intended to provide bases for successful resumption of World Trade.

Organization (WTO) negotiations under the current Doha Round. They also want agriculture to be on a strong footing to compete in an environment with reduced trade barriers and market distortions worldwide. This is an export-oriented vision, based on comparative advantage economic theory. Often implied in this vision is a agricultural system based on high-input, high-yield production of‘commodity’ crops.

The sustainable agriculture vision—This vision is more inward looking than the global competitiveness vision. The primary concerns of individuals and groups with this version are environmental quality, ecological sustainability, and the economic viability of small and moderate-sized family farms. Policy advocates with this vision are not anti-trade’, but they place greater emphasis on the ‘Jeffersonian’ idea of a nation populated by independent family farms and on natural resource use that is sustainable for the indefinite future. This vision has evolved in recent years to be very similar to the European Union multifunctionality view of agriculture healthy food has taken on much greater importance in this vision in recent years.

Policy options to support the sustainable agriculture vision my concern in this presentation will be with the sustainable agriculture vision. This does not imply that policies cannot sometimes support both visions. Groups representing both of these alternative visions of agriculture have advocated similar reforms in the system of ‘commodity supports’ in the new farm bill. (It does not appear that those commodity program reforms will be adopted at this time, however).

Policy options to support sustainable agriculture can be grouped in four categories:

Regulatory policies

Environmental compliance measures tied to agricultural and energy subsidies.

Environmental stewardship payments.

Markets for environmental services (‘payments for environmental services’)

We will briefly discuss each of these types of policies in terms of their roles in encouraging the adoption of more sustainable agricultural systems. Most of my focus will be on what it will take to induce more farmers to adopt biologically diverse farming systems—organic and other ecologically integrated systems.

The first step up from chemical intensive systems with little or no biological diversity are systems that incorporate somewhat more sustainable practices, such as reduced or minimum tillage or better fertilizer timing and placement. These practices can make particular farming systems—such as the Midwest corn/soybean system—more sustainable, or less unsustainable. However, it is very questionable whether systems that do not contain considerable biological diversity can keep agriculture in any given agro-climatic region truly ecologically sustainable over the long term. Therefore, I believe the challenge Systems Agricultural is to chart paths to achievement of whole systems in other words, transitions to much greater use of ecologically integrated systems.

Farmers weigh many goals in their choices of farming systems. However, especially relevant for policy analysis purposes are their net income (profit), risk reduction, and natural resource stewardship goals. Therefore, we need to keep those goals foremost in our minds as we assess different policy options. Various economic and related conditions—what I call contextual factors—condition the effectiveness of policy options. Foremost among these contextual factors are prices and access to markets, available technologies, the structure of agriculture, and the current stock of social and

human capital.

We probably now are at a juncture where we need to seriously consider the use of more regulations for control of some types of agricultural negative externalities. Failure

The conceptual framework for analyzing the impacts of public policies on agricultural sustainability that we

are using is depicted in Power Point slide number]to make large livestock systems pay their own costs of complying regulations was a major policy mistake, in my view. There may be other areas where we should also make somewhat greater use of regulations away from cost-share policies for nitrate contamination, and now relies on regulatory measures.

Environmental compliance measures. The environmental cross-compliance provisions of the farm bill have been valuable for helping induce adoption of some agricultural practices that reduce negative externalities and enhance natural capital. However, they are not comprehensive enough to induce system changes that would retain or bring about much greater biodiversity. The partial, but important, ‘decoupling’ of commodity subsidies in the farms did facilitate a movement of farmers away from continuous corn, where that practice remained, to the already widely practiced corn/soybean system. Although hardly diverse, the corn/soybean system is much preferable ecologically to continuous corn. With very high corn prices the last couple of years, however, we have seen some movement back to corn-following-corn.

There may be other ecological diversity minimums in other parts of the country that should be added to our Federal farm bill compliance provisions. Environmental stewardship payments. In contrast to regulatory measures, which are based on the ‘polluter pays’ principal, environmental stewardship payments, implicitly at least, are based on the ‘provider gets’ principal. In other works, providers of good environmental stewardship get rewarded. In reality, however, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ stewardship are really points along a continuum. Stated another way, the line that separates ‘positive’ from ‘negative’ externalities are subjective. Economics alone cannot specify that line. What deserves to be regulated and what deserves to be rewarded are up to societal decisions. Economics and other sciences, however, can help greatly in understanding the consequences of practical distinctions and associated policy responses.

The predominant approach to promoting greater ecological sustainability in agriculture up to now has consisted of environmental stewardship payments in various forms. The latest such stewardship payment program of conceptual significance is the Conservation Security Program (CSP), introduced as part the farm

Contribution by Zoltan Kalman

Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN Food and Agriculture Agencies in Rome

1. Does Chapter 1 adequately reflect the current situation of malnutrition and its related causes and impacts, particularly in line with the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda? What are the underlying problems that currently hinder food systems to deliver healthy diets?

Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive overview on the situation. However, among the causes of malnutrition the reference to the root causes is still missing: poverty and inequalities. It is a rather complex issue and would require a holistic approach and would also necessitate structural changes in our current food systems.

One of the basic problems with our food system is the misconception of low food price policy. The impacts of low food prices on the consumers' behaviour are significant, including their buying preferences. The situation of “low food prices” appears to be the result of competition among retailers and as such they seem to be positive and useful, favouring the poor people. In reality, all people, including the poor, suffer the consequences of this low food price policy, because low food prices regularly linked to low quality of food. These low quality, ultra-processed food (frequently with high fat, sugar and salt content, the so-called junk food) have serious consequences on the nutrition status of the poor populations, many times leading to obesity and overweight. Food prices are frequently kept artificially low; they do not reflect the real costs of production, ignoring the positive and negative impacts (externalities) of the various food systems on the environment and on the human health.

For the decisions to transform our current food systems, true cost accounting is essential, giving due consideration to all environmental and human health externalities. This could help shape the Voluntary Guidelines, recommend appropriate measures, policy incentives in support of sustainable solutions. There are ample scientific evidences related to the true costs of food and there are several studies available on this topic, for example http://www.fao.org/family-farming/detail/en/c/436356/; or http://teebweb.org/agrifood/measuring-what-matters-in-agriculture-and-f….

In addition, artificially distorted, low food prices have a strong impact on the food waste as well. If food is cheap, it conveys the message that it does not represent a real value. Therefore, consumers will care much less about it, they are throwing away food more easily. Higher food prices (reflecting the true costs of food) would discourage consumers to buy more than they effectively need. Realistic prices (reflecting the true costs) of food do not imply generally high food prices. Only the prices of those (ultraprocessed, junk) food would go up which do not internalize the environmental and public health externalities. Studies show that as a result of true cost accounting, prices of locally produced, fresh, healthy, unprocessed (whole) food would become more competitive. For the benefit of those who produce them, and in particular, the consumers and the whole society. Obviously, there would be the need for measures to provide decent wages as well, but these are necessary anyway to combat extreme poverty. In addition, the costs of these measures are much lower than the benefits of saving great amounts of public health care expenditure.

2. What should be the guiding principles to promote sustainable food systems that improve nutrition and enable healthy diets? What are your comments about the principles outlined in Chapter 2? Are they the most appropriate for your national/regional contexts?

Guiding principle a) Systemic and holistic and evidence-based approach. This is essential and it should include scientific evince of true cost accounting. Respecting the principles of sustainability is indispensable, paying due attention to the (so far neglected) environmental and social dimensions. Obviously, the economic dimension should also be considered. However, it should be kept in mind that economic sustainability is nothing else but the result of the national and international "economic environment", in particular the financial policy incentives or subsidies, promoting one or another type of food systems. In this regard, national legislators have enormous responsibility in providing the appropriate policy incentives to those food systems which are really sustainable.

Guiding principle b) Coherent and context-specific policies. Appropriate policies should include targeted measures to create an enabling economic environment for all stakeholders, with positive and negative financial incentives. These measures should be based on the above mentioned scientific evidence of true cost accounting and should address the power imbalances along the food supply chain.

Guiding principle e) Nutrition knowledge and awareness. This should include nutrition education starting with the youngest children at school.

Guiding principle f) Realization of the Right to Food. Reference to the root causes of hunger and malnutrition is missing: poverty and inequalities. Realization of the Right to Food is possible only if poverty and inequalities are adequately addressed.

3. In consideration of the policy areas identified in Chapter 3 and the enabling factors suggested in paragraph 41 of the Zero Draft, what policy entry points should be covered in Chapter 3, taking into account the need to foster policy coherence and address policy fragmentation?

The Chapter dedicated to shaping the Voluntary Guidelines, in particular paragraph 41 rightly provides a list of the cross-cutting factors and specific operational fields. As agreed earlier, the objective is to provide recommendations applicable and usable in practice, providing real help to Member States in their efforts to improve the nutritional status of their population. Therefore, it is important that policy decisions to provide incentives to transform our current food systems, improve nutrition and enable healthy diets, should be based on scientific evidence. In this regard, it is indispensable to apply the true cost accounting concept, giving due consideration to all environmental and human health externalities. See more reference above, under Section 1.

It appears evident again the lack of reference (in paragraph 43.) to the root causes of malnutrition: poverty and inequalities. In this regard, the first sentence of this paragraph should refer to economic affordability, in addition to food availability.

Several times in the document, including in sub-paragraph h) food fortification is mentioned. Fortification can constitute a short/middle term solution against micronutrient or other deficiencies but should not be presented in the Voluntary Guidelines as a global solution for nutritious, healthy diet and sustainable food systems. Fortification has an important role in emergency situation, but it should be considered only as a temporary solution in specific, fragile contexts and not as a final goal. The real, longer term solution should be the consumption of diverse, locally produced, nutritious food for a healthier diet, benefitting also the local communities who produce these food products. These products contain all nutrients, minerals, vitamins for a healthy diet; therefore, on the longer run there is no need for fortification. This should be made clear while shaping the Voluntary Guidelines.

In the same paragraph 43, a whole sub-paragraph (i) is dedicated to Climate change adaptation and mitigation. This area is extremely important but adaptation and mitigation measures alone are able to provide solutions only to some of the overall problems. It is the concept of sustainability that fully includes the climate change adaptation and mitigation concerns and goes well beyond, provides adequate responses to a number of other environmental challenges (biodiversity loss, soil degradation) and to social issues as well, like rural employment.

In sub-paragraph j) Antimicrobial resistance it would be appropriate to specify and add at the end of the sub-paragraph the need for phasing out of use of antibiotics for animal growth promotion.

In paragraph 44 sub-paragraph a) Food losses and waste: This paragraph should be complemented. The main drivers of Food losses and waste (including low food prices and the policies of retail chains) are to be identified and appropriate measures should be recommended.

Paragraph 46 refers to local markets. The Voluntary Guidelines should explicitly recommend establishment and promotion of local farmers’ markets. Short supply chains have a number of advantages like the supply of fresh, diverse food for a healthy diet to consumers. This paragraph also refers to the challenge of lower prices in supermarkets. The situation of “low food prices” is rather complex and therefore should be elaborated in more details. For further references, see above my responses related to low food prices, under section 1.

Under a) and b) of paragraph 46 the issue of true cost accounting could provide relevant inputs for the Voluntary Guidelines. Regarding food products high in fat, sugar and salt, the Voluntary Guidelines should recommend serious restrictions on the advertising and marketing.

4. Can you provide specific examples of new policies, interventions, initiatives, alliances and institutional arrangements which should be considered, as well as challenges, constraints, and trade-offs relevant to the three constituent elements of food systems presented in Chapter 3? In your view, what would the “ideal” food system look like, and what targets/metrics can help guide policy-making?

5. How would these Voluntary Guidelines be most useful for different stakeholders, especially at national and regional levels, once endorsed by CFS?

The Voluntary Guidelines would be useful for governments and parliaments preparing/adopting appropriate legislation. It would be important to follow these guidelines by the other stakeholders (private sector, civil society, etc.) as well.

FAO has a crucial role to give due consideration to these Voluntary Guidelines while providing policy advice to countries. (This would be important for all the other, previous CFS policy recommendations, guidelines and principles…)

Great job at the CFS policy. However, my contribution is in line with the issue of conflict and war. Data shows that malnutrition correlates well with areas struggling with conflict and wars. What policy measures can we include in this document that address issues of food and food systems in times of wars and conflict?

I also felt the aspect of access to technologies, resources are skewed to some extent on in developed countries. Can the policy pronounce itself on this issue? I know for instance some developed parts of the world have invented and protected their intellectual properties and yet these are so critical in addressing malnutrition, food production, etc in developing parts of the world. How do we ensure that these tools/technologies are accessible to all citizens of the world at a fair price if necessary?

I also feel the issue of gender in relation to nutrition & food system is so important in dealing with malnutrition. Is it possible to spell independently policy proposals that are critical in addressing the underlying gender interplay on malnutrition? I feel mixing it up in other areas may not bring it to the fore.

Thank you