Fifty-first plenary session of the Committee on World Food Security
The fifty-first plenary session (CFS 51) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) was held in a hybrid format from 23 to 27 October 2023 at FAO Headquarters in Rome and was adjourned while discussing food security related to conflicts. The plenary will reconvene on 25 November 2023 to conclude the discussions and adopt the final report.
High-level representatives of governments, United Nations (UN) bodies, civil society organizations, private sector associations, research centers, financial institutions and other stakeholders joined the event to promote food security and nutrition for all.
Detailed information, including statements and videos of the sessions, can be found on the CFS 51 webpage.
“Effective international solidarity is essential to transform food systems for all people through massive investments, through innovations, science and technology, through building sustainable food systems in harmony with nature.” – António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations
“The Policy Recommendations along with the Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment give me a strong hope that breakthrough solutions are on the horizon.” – Dennis Francis, President, UN General Assembly
“In a polarized world, food can be a unifying force for good, so let’s all work together – governments, the private sector, civil society and the science community to find creative solutions needed to end hunger.” – Cindy McCain, Executive Director, UN World Food Programme
“Among all causes of hunger and malnutrition, war, violence and terrorism are the worst and the easiest to prevent. […] It is unacceptable to use hunger or food deprivation as a weapon. It is unacceptable to hinder full access of the most vulnerable people to humanitarian aid.” – Gabriel Ferrero, Chairperson, Committee on World Food Security
Strengthening Coordinated Policy Responses to the Food Crisis – the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023
The session started with a presentation of the 2023 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report. Followed by a keynote intervention on promoting and protecting people’s right to food, the Committee engaged in a High-Level debate on coordinated policy responses to the global food crisis and on advancing food systems transformation for the achievement of food security and nutrition and the right to adequate food.
“[According to SOFI 2023] most of the areas that are affected today, and the crisis countries are because of conflict, slowdowns, downturns and, of course, of climate change. […] We need to find ways in which we can create and integrate humanitarian development and peacebuilding policies.” – Máximo Torero, Chief Economist, FAO
Global 'Interlinkages' Dialogues
The session reflected on the interconnectedness of food security and nutrition with other global issues and processes, including the 2023 UN SDG Summit, the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment 2023, the 2024 Summit of the Future, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) 27 and COP 28, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP 15.
The event featured country experiences, good practices and challenges and reflected on ongoing efforts covering the wide range of approaches and initiatives from different stakeholders at all levels.
Voluntary Guidelines on Gender Equality and Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment endorsed
“We, the rural women and girls of the world, believe that these voluntary guidelines will allow us to lead a more dignified life in order to continue nourishing the world.” – Luz Haro Guanga, Executive Secretary, Network of Rural Women of Latin America and the Caribbean and Principal Member of Network of Municipalities for Gender Equality, Ecuador
“The guidelines will be extremely useful in supporting national strategies for women’s and girls’ empowerment and to protect their rights, especially the rights to land and tenure security, to adequate food and nutrition and to a life free of all forms of violence, discrimination and harmful practices.” – Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations
“The guidelines spotlight the need to address the root causes of gender inequalities including through legal and policy frameworks, institutional arrangements, national plans, partnerships and investment. They remind us that supporting the rights and empowerment of all women and girls is also one of the most effective ways to improve food security and nutrition outcomes for all.” – Paula Narváez, President, UN Economic and Social Council
Policy Recommendations on Data and Analysis Tools endorsed
“Now, more than ever, enhancing the availability, accessibility, use and impact of food security and nutrition data needs to be prioritized. Such improvements are critical to improve global and local initiatives, inform decision-making and public policies, and hasten efforts to eliminate hunger and food insecurity, and improve nutrition.” – Francesca Perucci, Director of Policy and Partnerships, Open Data Watch
CFS strategic direction towards 2030
The CFS Multi-Year Programme of Work 2024-2027 was endorsed by the Committee. This document, which is the result of a year-round process, defines the CFS objectives and expected outcomes for the next quadrennium, as well as ways to achieve them.
“I am pleased to see that the Committee’s new work plan lays out a promising agenda that puts the right to food at the center of efforts to transform agrifood systems.” – QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
“We stand ready to promote the uptake of the key policies being endorsed today and to collaborate with all partners, particularly our sister Rome Based Agencies on the implementation of the new programme of work.” – Alvaro Lario, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development
Addressing multiple dimensions of inequalities
Food is a fundamental human right and inequalities in food security and nutrition undermine this right. Bhavani Shankar, HLPE-FSN drafting team leader, presented the report on "Reducing inequalities for food security and nutrition". CFS stakeholders provided feedback and inputs on the content of the report in view of the CFS policy convergence process.
The HLPE-FSN report highlights the socioeconomic, legal and practical imperatives for addressing inequalities. "By embracing its findings and recommendations, we can foster equitable and inclusive food systems", Shankar explained. More information is available here.
Monitoring CFS Policy Recommendations on Price Volatility and Food Security and on Social Protection
The CFS 51 Monitoring Event reflected on the CFS Policy Recommendations on Price Volatility and Food Security (endorsed in 2011, CFS 37) and Social Protection for Food Security and Nutrition (endorsed in 2012, CFS 39),with participating stakeholders sharing examples of their practical application. The session held in two segments aimed to assess progress, exchange knowledge, and strengthen global collaboration of key CFS stakeholders in addressing food security and nutrition challenges.
“Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) at its core was intended to increase market transparency and country dialogue and provide a context for good decision-making. Through improvements in market information and dialogue, it supports better policy decisions for both exporting and importing countries.” – Seth Meyer, Chair, Agricultural Market Information System
"The recommendations by the HLPE-FSN report on Social Protection for Food Security and Nutrition are relevant today as they were 10 years ago. They call for national social protections systems that reach the most vulnerable, that are rooted in resilience and that are framed in a rights-based approach. We have internalized those recommendations to operationalize sustainable, cross-sectoral social protections programmes and systems." – David Kaatrud, Director of Programme, Humanitarian and Development Division, UN World Food Programme
Special event on the Right to Food
The Special Event featured a constructive dialogue among a range of stakeholders focusing on the interlinkages between Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food and the evolving global food security and nutrition context. Different countries and constituencies reflected on good practices and challenges met on the right to adequate food in the context of the current food crisis.
“The right to food is not a privilege. It is a fundamental human right that belongs to each and every one of us. It is a call to coordinated action that transcends borders, ideologies and backgrounds. It is a promise we must keep to future generations." – Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, urged delegates to commit themselves to forging a path of progress, equality, and dignity through their daily choices and positions, recognizing the pivotal role they may play in shaping global food security and nutrition.
“Hunger and famine are always the result of political failures.” – Michael Fakhri, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food
Election of the new CFS Chairperson
H.E. Nosipho Nausca-Jean Jezile, Permanent Representative to the UN Agencies in Rome of the Republic of South Africa, has been elected as the new CFS Chairperson. Her mandate will start as soon as the fifty-first plenary session is concluded.
Side events
To enrich and complement the CFS 51 plenary, partners and stakeholders had the opportunity to highlight their work by organizing side events. 36 side events were held on the margins of the CFS 51 from 23 to 27 October on diverse topics critical to food security and nutrition including urbanization, inequality, data, the right to food, uptake and implementation, youth, gender, climate change, finance, land rights and water among others. More information is available here.
CFS 51 exhibition: fostering dialogue and raising awareness
An exhibition during CFS 51 facilitated dialogue and awareness around issues emerging from the work of the CFS with its constituencies — as Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples' Mechanism, Private Sector Mechanism, including Indigenous People, Family Farmers and other stakeholders, like Parliamentarians and local Governments — promoting the partnership with FAO, WFP and IFAD on the uptake and implementation of CFS policy guidance at regional and national level.
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