Leslie Amoroso
Leslie holds a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning for Developing Countries with emphasis on food and nutrition security and livelihood issues from the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (IUAV), Venice, Italy. She has wide international experience in food and nutrition security policy and programme-related activities, with focus on childhood, gender, HIV/AIDS, community and rural redevelopment in Ethiopia, The Gambia and Nicaragua. Ms Amoroso works for FAO Headquarters in Rome since 2007. She is currently Programme Officer in the Nutrition Division, FAO, where she works on governance, policy, capacity development, programme and advocacy activities and initiatives aimed at improving food and nutrition security. She is assisting with the coordination of FAO’s preparatory activities for the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2).
Leslie Amoroso
Closing note by Jody Harris and Leslie Amoroso, facilitators
Dear all,
Thank you very much to all who participated in this fascinating, rich and lively exchange. We are grateful to those who contributed in writing, as well as to those who read and reflected on the contributions of others. The discussion covered important topics related to “nutrition-enhancing agriculture and food systems”, and significant knowledge, ideas, views and experiences were shared from many parts of the world, and from several different fields, sectors and professions. Comments on the core background and expert papers as well as on the key three questions (policy, programmes and partnerships) were received and will be synthesized into a final document. The outcome of this exchange will be used to enrich the discussions at the ICN2 Preparatory Technical Meeting from 13 to 15 November 2013 and thereby feed into and inform the ICN2 itself which will be held at FAO headquarters from 19 to 21 November 2014.
Emerging themes and key ideas from the most recent posts (from 19 to 29 July) are summarized below; those from previous posts were summarized by the facilitators on July 18th, and can be seen on the online discussion pages.
The need to balance short-term measures to tackle malnutrition with those aimed at achieving long-term impact was raised by participants, along with the key role nutrition-enhancing agriculture has in addressing food and nutrition security of populations affected by protracted crises, and in strengthening the resilience to shocks. Several contributors highlighted Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and the continuum of under-to over-nutrition in their posts, urging us not to focus too narrowly on one part of the equation. The need to use evidence-based science for effective nutrition policy was recognized, and yet the lack of relevant evidence, is cited as a challenge, as is strengthening inter-sectoral coordination at different levels. In terms of getting programmes and policies enacted, the issues of incentives for effective implementation and of capacity development (human and institutional) were mentioned from various angles. The importance of preserving the environment, as a basis for environmentally sustainable agricultural production, was stressed, as was the need to think about post-harvest and food safety issues along the value chain. Finally, the theme of diversification both of diets and of agriculture was maintained, as was the importance of nutrition education and gender issues. Common ground may be identified between those proposing smallholder agriculture as a sustainable solution, and those proposing more private sector involvement in markets. A rich and varied set of issues, and some important experiences and contributions on each!
We again thank you for your time and for sharing your views and experiences with us, and look forward to continuing the dialogue at ICN2 and beyond...
Jody and Leslie
Leslie Amoroso
Feedback by Jody Harris and Leslie Amoroso, facilitators
Dear all,
Many thanks to all those of you who have contributed to this discussion so far. This is a lively and rich exchange. In this last week we have received several posts providing comments both on the core background and expert papers, which represent some of the most current thinking in nutrition-enhancing agriculture and food systems. In the remaining few days of this discussion (ending Monday 29 July), we would like to strongly encourage those of you who wish to contribute but haven’t found the time to please do so, even briefly, because all the comments can contribute to further enrich the discussion. Again, we invite you to focus your comments on one or more of the core background and expert papers and on the three key questions on policy, programmes and partnerships based on your experience and views.
Thank you for your time and we look forward to your contributions.
Jody and Leslie
Leslie Amoroso
Feedback by Jody Harris and Leslie Amoroso, facilitators
Dear all,
Many thanks indeed for all of your contributions so far. In this post, we hope to summarize some common themes and key ideas that have emerged from the discussion up to now, and also to focus the dialogue around the core background and expert papers, which represent some of the most current thinking in our topic area. We would like to remind you that the outcome of this online discussion will be used to enrich the discussions at the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) Preparatory Technical Meeting on 13-15 November 2013 and thereby feed into and inform the main high-level ICN2 event in 2014.
Emerging themes
Within our core interest areas of policies, programmes and partnerships, contributions have focused on solutions encompassing the behavioral (such as the role of marketing and demand creation); the technical (such as fertilizer or fortification initiatives, and food safety); and the institutional (such as centralized procurements, harmonization between ministries, or development of capacity). We have already commented on the diversity of views and perspectives from different fields, reflecting the variety of options for nutrition-enhancing agriculture and food systems. This diversity is both the opportunity and the challenge of the agriculture-food systems-nutrition field; there is so much that can be done, but so much that needs to be done!
Key ideas
There have been several recurring ideas running through the contributions so far. A key idea is certainly diversification- of the diet, of agricultural production, and within ecosystems supporting agriculture- and this is echoed in much of the background and expert literature for this online discussion. Sustainability, and the scale of agriculture, has been mentioned in various posts; some see smallholder agriculture as the only way to ensure food and nutrition security in an environment of volatile markets, while others commented on the role of market links in making programmes scalable and sustainable. A key idea that has come out of contributions so far is that of the continuum of nutrition from under- to over-nutrition, as well as micronutrient deficiencies, and the importance of considering the consequences at both ends of this continuum of the rapid changes happening in our food systems. Finally, the important question of whether the impact of nutrition-enhancing agriculture and food systems interventions should be measured using anthropometry indicators or other relevant intermediate outcomes along the impact pathway, such as diets, was raised.
Next steps
The themes and ideas above are important and are reflected in the background and expert literature for this online discussion; they remain some of the most important issues within the field of nutrition-enhancing agriculture and food systems, and we would welcome your views on the contributions. Again, we encourage you to read one or more of the core background and expert materials (those which reflect your own interests), and consider these when responding to the three sets of questions on policy, programmes and partnerships.
Many thanks indeed for sharing your thoughts and views,
Jody and Leslie