Global Forum on Food Security and NutritionA global knowledge sharing network facilitated by
the Agricultural Development Economics Division of FAO

In October 2010 the newly reformed UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS) requested its High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) to conduct a study on social protection, and in particular, to assess: “ways to lessen vulnerability through social and productive safety nets programs and policies with respect to food and nutritional security, taking into consideration differing conditions across countries and regions. This should include a review of the impact of existing policies for the improvement of living conditions and resilience of vulnerable populations, especially small scale rural producers, urban and rural poor as well as women and children. It should also take into account benefits for improving local production and livelihoods and promoting better nutrition.”
Final findings are to be presented at the CFS Plenary session in October 2012.
The High Level Panel of Experts for Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) now seeks input on the following draft outline/scope to address this mandate. This will be used by the StC to finalize the terms of reference of the HLPE Project Team that will prepare the study and policy recommendations.

Draft Scope of work:
 

• Definition of populations vulnerable to chronic and transitory food and nutrition deficiencies – who, where, why
• Outline of what is necessary for these populations to become less vulnerable: availability, access, and use of food (including economic opportunities, local production and processing, risk management and risk coping strategies, education, health care, etc.)
• Discussion of how and why existing social safety net programs are useful (with examples of successes and failures from research and impact studies)
• Recommendations for the design and implementation of specific kinds of programs relevant in specific conditions

The report must include:
 

• Nutrition needs of vulnerable populations in specific lifecycle frameworks (first 1000 days, puberty, pregnancy and breast feeding, elderly, etc.)
• Creation of programmes that are sustainable from management and budgetary perspectives
• How such programmes could be organized, managed and funded
• Special role of women in insuring adequate nutrition for all (including implementation strategies)
• Methods for feasible measurement of impact

The report does not need to include an exhaustive listing of existing social safety net programs, but should reference lessons learned, positive and negative, from programs throughout the world, including relevant experiences from OECD countries.
This paper is meant to provide implementable policy options for governments, NGOs, local communities, and international organizations.
By this consultation, the HLPE Steering Committee invites you to comment on this outline/scope of work. Please be as specific as possible.
 

1. Do you think it is appropriate?
2. Have important elements been omitted or should any of the elements outlined be left out?
3. In your opinion, what would be the main aspects that the report should emphasize?
4. Are there innovative approaches that you would like to highlight?

We look forward to your kind response.

Yours sincerely,
Catherine Bertini, Member of the HLPE Steering Committee
On behalf of the Steering Committee of the HLPE