Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Caritas Internationalis welcomes the consultations on how can FAO and civil society organizations engage better. 

Caritas Internationalis is a global confederation of 162 National Caritas member organizations and 7 Caritas Regional Offices that respond to humanitarian emergencies and promote integral human development and integral ecology, with special concern for the effects of climate change on the poor and its implications for the full enjoyment of a wide range of human rights.  Caritas Internationalis has its headquarters in Rome and two delegations to the United Nations in Geneva and New York.

This submission includes inputs from the following regions Africa, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

 

1.  How can FAO and CSOs work together to regain the momentum lost and work jointly to "leave no one behind”?

• Policy Advocacy and Awareness: FAO and CSOs can collaborate to advocate for policies that promote equal access to resources, education, and healthcare. They can also raise awareness about the importance of reducing inequality and the impact it has on achieving the SDGs. FAO can also  work together with CSOs in ensuring that there is Zero hunger by joining forces with CSOs to advocate for agroecology 
• Monitoring and Accountability: Establishing joint monitoring mechanisms to track progress towards reducing inequality is crucial. Joint regular assessments and evaluations can help in identifying gaps and refining strategies to ensure that no one is left behind.
• Data Collection and Research: Joint research initiatives can be conducted to collect and analyze data on socio-economic disparities. This data is crucial for informed decision-making and can highlight areas that need immediate attention.
• Community Engagement and Participation: Encouraging community participation in decision-making processes is vital. FAO and CSOs can facilitate town hall meetings, workshops, and forums where community members, especially from far reaching areas, can voice their concerns and contribute to local development plans. Community members can actively participate in conversations with the FAO, expressing their preferences and ideas about the specific food systems they would like to see in their communities.

What and how can CSOs contribute to such transformation to boost impact on the ground?  Please suggest concrete actions.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) play a vital role in accelerating the transformation of agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. Their grassroots presence, community engagement, and advocacy efforts can significantly boost impact on the ground. Some of the concrete actions that CSOs can take to contribute to this transformation include:

• Community Empowerment and Education: CSOs can conduct workshops and training sessions to educate farmers and local communities about sustainable farming practices. Empowering farmers with knowledge enhances the efficiency and resilience of agrifood systems.
• Promoting Inclusive Practices: Advocate for inclusive policies that ensure small-scale farmers, women, and marginalized communities have equal access to resources, markets, and agricultural support services. CSOs can work towards eliminating discriminatory practices and policies that hinder inclusivity.
• Promotion of Agroecology: CSOs can promote agroecological approaches that enhance soil fertility, biodiversity, and resilience to climate change. They can support farmers in adopting sustainable farming methods, reducing dependence on chemical inputs, and promoting natural resource conservation.
• Supporting Local Food Systems: Encourage the development of local food systems by connecting local farmers with consumers and facilitating farmer's markets. 
• Advocacy and Policy Influence: Engage in policy advocacy to influence agrifood system reforms at the local, national, and international levels. CSOs can advocate for policies that support sustainable agriculture, conservation of natural resources, and fair trade practices.
•  Partnerships and Collaboration: Collaborate with other stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, and research institutions, to leverage resources and expertise. CSOs can initiate partnerships that focus on research, innovation, and the implementation of agroecological practice practices.

What FAO and CSOs could maximize collective impact to adapt and/or mitigate climate change?

• Access climate finance: Different climate funds as the adaptation funds, green fund, REDD+ funds, and clean technology fund, remain inaccessible for CSOs. There is need for finances to be channeled to local actors and dedicated to strengthening the resilience of local food systems. Examples of these could be agricultural insurance for smallholder farmers, strengthening risk reduction and emergency response capacity, financing the shift to sustainable practices and a host of other measures that Caritas already implements in its development projects. Currently investments remain alarmingly low leaving smallholder farmers very vulnerable to shocks and price shocks.
• Financing Sustainable Food Systems Transformation: There is an urgent need to shift public and private climate finance towards sustainable food systems transformation. Despite the multiple benefits from agroecology to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to cope with climate change, it is still underfunded. As such, there is need to fund and broadly support the transition to Agroecological practices and local innovations to build sustainable food systems. Right now, only 1.7 per cent of climate finance – a fraction of what is needed goes to small-scale farmers in developing countries despite their disproportionate vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
• Advocate for effective climate policies: Such as removing subsidies to fossil fuels, improving the clean development mechanism and REDD+ projects, increasing the loss and damage fund, and mainstreaming a rights based approach, among others.

• Based on your partnering experience, can you share a good example of meaningful engagement with FAO or another UN agency/development partner? Please highlight what/why it worked well in your opinion.

Example: Caritas Internationalis and FAO Collaboration on the “Caritas One Human Family, Food for All campaign”, 2013-2015

Key Elements of Successful Engagement:

• Shared Goals and Objectives

Why it worked: Caritas and FAO shared a common vision of improving food security and livelihoods. Their aligned objectives created a strong foundation for collaboration, ensuring that their efforts were mutually reinforcing.

• Complementary Expertise

Why it worked: Caritas brought expertise in community development, social empowerment, and advocacy, while FAO contributed technical knowledge related to agriculture, sustainable farming practices, and policy development. The combination of these skills enhanced the overall impact of the collaboration.

• Advocacy and Policy Influence:

Why it worked: Caritas and FAO collaborated on advocacy and campaigning, engaging with local governments and international stakeholders. By amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, they contributed to the creation an enabling environment for sustainable development.

In summary, the success of this partnership stemmed from a shared vision, complementary expertise, community-centered approaches, advocacy efforts, and adaptability. These elements can serve as a model for meaningful engagement between CSOs and FAO, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, inclusivity, and sustainability in achieving impactful outcomes.

At present, what are the most significant challenges CSOs face in their engagement with FAO?  What could FAO do to address some of those challenges? Please provide concrete examples.

• Limited Access and Representation: CSOs, especially smaller or grassroots organizations often face limited access to FAO's decision-making processes, which can hinder their ability to represent the needs of their communities effectively. 

FAO can promote inclusivity by actively seeking input from a diverse range of CSOs, including those from marginalized communities. Establishing regular consultations, town hall meetings, and online platforms can facilitate broader participation.

• Limited Funding and Resources: Many CSOs operate on limited budgets, making it challenging to engage in sustained and impactful projects without financial support.
• FAO can establish funding mechanisms specifically tailored for CSOs, providing grants and resources for collaborative projects. Additionally, FAO can facilitate capacity-building workshops to help CSOs enhance their fundraising and project management skills.
• Lack of Information Sharing: CSOs often struggle to access relevant information and updates about FAO’s programs and initiatives, limiting their ability to align their work with FAO’s priorities. 
• FAO can establish transparent communication channels, regularly updating CSOs about ongoing and upcoming projects, policies, and initiatives. Webinars, newsletters, and online forums can facilitate information sharing and collaboration.
• Unequal Partnerships: Power imbalances exist in CSO-FAO partnerships, with larger, more established organizations receiving more attention than smaller, grassroots organizations. 

FAO can promote equality in partnerships by actively seeking out and supporting smaller CSOs. Encouraging partnerships at the local level and recognizing the unique perspectives and strengths of different CSOs can foster collaborations that are more balanced.

• Limited Influence on Decision-Making: CSOs input rarely translate into tangible changes in FAO’s policies and programs, leading to lack of expectation. FAO can demonstrate a commitment to incorporating CSO feedback by actively involving them in the decision-making process. Creating joint committees or working groups where CSOs and FAO representatives collaborate on policy development can ensure meaningful participation.
• Lack of Recognition and Visibility: Local CSOs often struggle to gain recognition for their work, limiting their visibility and credibility in the broader context. Currently and at national level, Country FAO offices limit the coordination with governments generally. This results in limited exchange of lessons and opportunities for enhanced partnerships. As such, it will be important for recognition of local CSO’s efforts and enhance partnerships. FAO and governments need to collaborate with CSOs that compliment sustainable agriculture development programmes on the ground. These partnerships should aim at addressing the entire value-chain, strengthening capacity and coordinated demonstration of local innovations that achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote Agroecological practices.