SADC Vulnerability Assessment Workshop
The SADC Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Sector Development Unit (FANR-SDU) held a High-Level Technical Consultation to discuss vulnerability assessment in the context of food security monitoring and analysis in the region. The Technical Consultation, held in Kariba (Zimbabwe) from 25 to 28 September, attracted over 100 national, regional and international technical specialists interested in vulnerability assessment and related early warning and food information system activities. The basic purpose of the Consultation was to promote more efficient use of food security information and scarce human and financial resources to improve policy formulation, programming, and targeting of interventions. The workshop identified and discussed major issues related to the strengths and weaknesses of current practices and identified opportunities for enhanced technical and institutional collaboration. Discussions focussed around three major themes: (i) strengthening institutional frameworks and capacity; (ii) vulnerability assessment methods and tools; and (iii) vulnerability assessment products and their uses.
It was agreed that greater collaboration at national and international levels would lead to stronger institutional co-ordinating mechanisms and partnerships, as well as more harmonised methods and techniques leading to more appropriate products and use of comprehensive food security information. The need to strengthen capacity was also clearly highlighted, and SADC-FANR was expected to play a lead role in identifying resources for this purpose. It was also agreed that SADC-FANR should continue to keep member states informed of new developments in vulnerability assessment.
The Asia Pacific Network for Food and Nutrition - 2nd Expert Consultation on FIVIMS
Following last year's Consultation in Sri Lanka (see FIVIMS News, Vol.2 No.1), the 2nd Expert Consultation of the Asia and Pacific Network for Food and Nutrition focused on the challenges and constraints that the countries face in establishing a FIVIMS. The meeting took place in Bangkok from 21 -24 November 2000 at the FAO regional office for Asia and the Pacific and brought together 19 FIVIMS focal points and/or nutritionist from 12 South Asian countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam). A status report with regard to the implementation of FIVIMS and identification of future action was prepared by each country team and presented during the meeting.
One of the key constraints identified at the meeting was the lack of commitment to FIVIMS both from Government institutions as well as from international organisations. The Consultation therefore recommended continuing advocacy activities at national and international level to ensure awareness of the FIVIMS programme. The Consultation also recommended strengthening efforts of collaborations between international organisations to ensure that their programmes are complementary. For example, clarity is sought in the relationship of FIVIMS and WFP's VAM system, and FAO's National Plan of Action on Nutrition.
FIVIMS Seminar for FAO-ES Officers
As briefly mentioned in the co-ordinator's report, this meeting was held at FAO head office December 1-2. The aim of the meeting was two-fold - to share current information and developments related to FIVIMS with officers in the field and to gather and then build on their field experiences with FIVIMS to make the initiative more responsive and aware of the national level issues and problems facing FIVIMS implementation.
Regional officers reported on their priority action areas for FIVIMS activities for 2001 at the conclusion of the workshop. The importance of FIVIMS to the agency and its links to regular programme actions was successfully highlighted.
The workshop was seen as successful and could form a basis for future meetings, either within FAO or with the other IAWG members. There was great value in building links between those working closely with national FIVIMS activities and focal points and those dealing more with the international/IAWG co-ordinating side.
The documentation for the meeting, including the presentations given, is available in zipped format from the Secretariat. Please contact the Secretariat for a copy of these documents if you are interested.
