South-South Cooperation is a key means to achieving Sustainable Development Goals


Cooperation among the southern countries innovatively brings practical and cost-effective development solutions for food security

01/11/2016 - 

Dubai, Tuesday 1 November 2016. South-South Cooperation among the Global South is a fundamental tool achieve the Sustainable Development Goals set for 2030, conveyed FAO today at a joint event with Rome-based Agencies at the United Nations Global South-South Development Expo in Dubai this week.

Rome-based Agencies expressed their firm commitment to facilitating South-South Cooperation (SSC) and Triangular Cooperation (TrC), offering their services in brokering “match-making” between countries for agricultural development, stressing that SSC is a complementary tool to North-South Cooperation. “We all need to work together in the context of the big agenda set out by the SDGs,” said Carlos Watson, South-South Cooperation Coordinator at FAO.

Making the match

FAO plays a facilitation role in South-South Cooperation, having worked with over 20 provider countries and 80 hosts, as well as 15 triangular partners over the years. The Organization provides the space for countries to network, supports the match by offering technical guidance, advises on appropriate modalities of exchange and secures each partners’ commitment to the cooperation, typically in the form of an agreement. It also ensures the quality of the exchange in a tested SSC framework.

SSC is rapidly growing. There is an increasing number of willing Southern Providers making themselves known and gaining stature in the international development landscape. There is also an increasing number of countries interested in practical solutions that have been tried and tested in similar socio-economic contexts.  Southern agricultural solutions can be extremely simple cost-effective. 

For example, over the years, FAO has been involved in fielding more than 1 900 southern experts, helping local partners (governments, farmers, extension workers etc.) in areas such as aquaculture, horticulture and livestock breeding.

Facilitating knowledge exchange and networking

Knowledge sharing among the Global South means no country has to reinvent the wheel.  Providing opportunities for networking is a key starting point to collaboration, Rome-based agencies promoted today in their joint session. 

“FAO is constantly seeking way to innovate on how to bring partnerships together. The SSC Gateway is one example, where governments put forward their institutions of excellence in food and agriculture, so their innovative solutions are showcased and can be replicated through sharing them with others,” said Carlos Watson.

FAO invited more partners on board to network and collaborate through sharing expertise, know-how and technologies to support countries’ goals in achieving food security and broader Sustainable Development Goals.

All the Rome-based Agencies showcased how they play a role in helping countries identify and document good practices, and how they are designing new tools to support these countries then share relevant practices with others.

All round Cooperation

RBAs are committed to working together.  Working to each of their strengths to facilitate increased flows of SSC.  The ,joint FAO-WFP Purchase from African for Africa initiative (PAA) programme, which connects local farmers to school meals, proves that every country, whether north or south, has something to offer. The participation of traditional donors or multilateral partners in the form of Triangular partners supporting South-South Cooperation has been crucial in achieving results.  Through this programme African countries are developing their own approach, inspired in Brazil, to secure the health and nutritional status of school children, while boosting the livelihoods of local farmers.

The agencies committed to doing more together, working to each of their strengths and mandate, through serving their country membership who are increasingly calling for SSTrC to help eliminate poverty and achieve zero hunger.