Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is facing key challenges including ending poverty and hunger as well as responding to climate change and the conservation of natural resources to avoid further degradation.

• How does/did the COVID-19 outbreak exacerbate the challenges faced by small-scale family farmers (SSFF)?

It has been found that both lives and livelihoods are at risk from the COVID-19 outbreak among small-scale family farmers (SSFF) in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. Though in some countries, the spread of the pandemic has been slowing down and cases are decreasing, in others, COVID-19 is resurging or continuing to spread quickly. This is still a global problem calling for a global response. All nations/regions in the NENA region are confronted with unfavourable food situation resulting from the COVID-19 crisis. The SSFF (small-scale family farmers) are faced with challenges they will continue facing in the years/decades to come. This is due mostly to a lack of access to food. As incomes fall, remittances are lost, and in some contexts, food prices rise. In countries already affected by high levels of acute food insecurity, it is no longer a food access issue alone, but increasingly a food production issue.

[Source: http://www.fao.org/2019-ncov/covid-19-crop-calendars/en/, accessed on August28, 2020.]

• And what are the main areas of interventions that could efficiently build SSFF resilience and ensure sustainable livelihood?

The global community, including the NENA region, is faced with the COVID-19 at a time when hunger or undernourishment keeps rising. According to the latest estimates published by the United Nations (UN), an additional 83 million people, and possibly as many as 132 million, may go hungry in 2020 as a result of the economic recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. This would be in addition to the 690 million people going hungry now. At the same time, 135 million people suffer from acute food insecurity and in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

In situations where people suffer from hunger or chronic undernourishment, it means that they are unable to meet their food requirements over a prolonged period. This has long-term implications for their future, and continues to present a setback to global efforts to reach Zero Hunger. When people experience crisis-level, acute food insecurity, it means they have limited access to food in the short-term due to sporadic, sudden crises that may put their lives and livelihoods at risk. However, if people facing crisis-level acute food insecurity get the assistance they need, they will not join the ranks of the hungry, and their situation will not become chronic.

Most importantly, although globally there is enough food for everyone, too many people are still suffering from hunger, the food systems are failing, and the pandemic is making things worse. According to the World Bank, the pandemic's economic impact could push about 100 million people into extreme poverty. Soaring unemployment rates, income losses and rising food costs are jeopardizing food access in developed and developing countries alike and will have long-term effects on food security for the SSFF. Furthermore, the pandemic may plunge national economies into recession, and countries ought to take urgent measures to mitigate the longer-term impacts on food systems and food security.

There is a serious concern that producers might not being able to plant this year, or not plant enough, as normally. If the policy makers do not help producers to plant this year, this will translate into a lack of food later this year and in 2021. This is one prominent area that requires intervention. Equally urgent is the compounding threat of the pandemic on existing crises - such as conflict, natural disasters, climate change, pests and animal diseases - that are already stressing the food systems and triggering food insecurity around the NENA region. Interventions in such areas will ensure sustainable livelihood.

[Source: http://www.fao.org/2019-ncov/covid-19-crop-calendars/en/, accessed on August28, 2020.]

• Can you share success examples in the region?

For the purpose of ensuring sustainable livelihood the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has successfully  implemented the “Climate Change and Adaptation Solutions for the Green Sectors of Selected Zones in the NENA Region” project with special focus on Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. The project used state-of-the art climate change projections, and the AquaCrop. The AquaCrop is the FAO’s model for crop yield response to water and climate change, to assess changes in yield of key crops in selected NENA countries under various climate scenarios. The aim of the intuitive was to provide evidence for a regional dialogue and strategic thinking about adaptation responses necessary for coping with the challenges of climate change, water scarcity and food security.

In the year 2017, the project resulted in a contribution to the Arab Climate Change Assessment Report, within the framework of the Regional Initiative for the Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Water Resources and Socio-Economic Vulnerability in the Arab Region (RICCAR). The RICCAR is implemented through a collaborative partnership involving the FAO and 10 other implementing partner organizations. Additionally, a regionally focused and forward looking technical report Climate Change and Adaptation Solutions for the Green Sectors in the Arab Region, currently under preparation, will be issued under this project.

While farmers are the direct beneficiaries of the project, scientists and research institutions also benefit from the ability to design their research strategies and programmes taking into consideration impacts of climate change. Evidence from the project can also be used by policymakers in the agriculture and water sectors to better plan and manage limited land and water resources available. While the project itself was focused on a selection of crops and countries, the methodology is easily scalable. The project nurtured strong cooperation and coordination with other international and regional organizations, such as the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), creating a positive impact on the quality of the reports produced, and also on FAO relations with its partners in the region.

[Source: http://www.fao.org/partnerships/stories/story/es/c/1180588/, Accessed on August 28, 2020.]

2) Sustainable transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems: In order to meet the needs of a growing population, it is essential to accelerate the transition toward more sustainable food systems with special consideration to the degradation of the already scarce natural resources and climate change impact in the NENA region.

• Can you give brief description of key CC impact factors on productivity of main farming systems in the region?

The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading at a fast pace in the Near East and North Africa region, albeit at slower pace than in other regions. As of 21 April, more than 40,000 people have been confirmed positive. Since the declaration by WHO of COVID-19 as a global pandemic on 11 March, governments of the Near East and North Africa region have imposed a series of measures to slow down the spread of the disease. This policy brief aims at assessing the potential impacts of COVID-19 and associated lockdown and social distancing on agriculture and food security in the region and proposing measures to mitigate the impacts on food security and nutrition with special attention to the most vulnerable segments of societies. NENA countries remain vulnerable to the multiple risks triggered by COVID-19. The NENA countries have differentiated exposure levels to the impact of COVID-19. While most countries may withstand the initial supply- and demand-side shocks associated with the COVID-19, a deepening of the global economic recession and prolonged period of disruption in the global and local supply chains may have considerable impacts on production, availability and access to food.

[Source: http://www.fao.org/3/ca8778en/CA8778EN.pdf, Accessed on August 28, 2020.]

• How can innovation and digital solutions accelerate such transition of the agi-food systems?

For producers, manufacturers and distributors, the heightened regulatory focus on the security and integrity of the food supply chain has placed additional emphasis on accurate record-keeping, transparent accountability and end-to-end traceability. To meet the needs of the modern regulatory landscape, food chain stakeholders require robust systems and tools to manage their quality control (QC), environmental monitoring and chain of custody data. Despite this, many businesses still handle this information using paper-based approaches or localized spreadsheets, which can compromise operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.

The fundamental flaw of these traditional data management approaches is their reliance on manual data entry and transcription steps, leaving information vulnerable to human error. To ensure the accuracy of data, some companies implement resource-intensive verification or review checks. However, these steps inevitably extend workflows and delay decision-making, ultimately holding up the release of products at a high cost to businesses. Moreover, as paper and spreadsheet-based data management systems must be updated by hand, they often serve merely as a record of past events and are unable to provide insight into ongoing activities. The time lag associated with recording and accessing supply chain information means that vital insight is typically unavailable until the end of a process, and data cannot be used to optimize operations in real-time.

Furthermore, using traditional data management approaches, gathering information in the event of an audit or food safety incident can be extremely challenging. Trawling through paperwork or requesting information contained in spreadsheets saved on local computers is time-consuming and resource-intensive. When it comes to establishing accountability for actions, these systems are often unable to provide a complete audit trail of events.

Given the limitations of traditional workflows, food supply chain stakeholders are increasingly seeking more robust data management solutions that will allow them to drive efficiency, while meeting the latest regulatory expectations. For many businesses, laboratory information management systems (LIMS) are proving to be a highly effective solution for collecting, storing and sharing their QC, environmental monitoring and chain of custody data.

One of the most significant advantages of managing data using LIMS is the way in which they bring together people, instruments, workflows and data in a single integrated system. When it comes to managing the receipt of raw materials, for example, LIMS can improve overall workflow visibility, and help to make processes faster and more efficient. By using barcodes, radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags or near-field communication, samples can be tracked by the system throughout various laboratory and storage locations. With LIMS tracking samples at every stage, ingredients and other materials can be automatically released into production as soon as the QC results have been authorized, streamlining processes and eliminating costly delays.

By storing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) used for raw material testing or QC centrally in a LIMS, worklists, protocols and instrument methods can be automatically downloaded directly to equipment. In this way, LIMS are able to eliminate time-consuming data entry steps, reducing the potential for human error and improving data integrity. When integrated with laboratory execution systems (LES), these solutions can even guide operators step-by-step through procedures, ensuring SOPs are executed consistently, and in a regulatory compliant manner. Not only can these integrated solutions improve the reliability and consistency of data by making sure tests are performed in a standardized way across multiple sites and testing teams, they can also boost operational efficiency by simplifying set-up procedures and accelerating the delivery of results. What’s more, because LIMS can provide a detailed audit trail of all user interactions within the system, this centralized approach to data management is a robust way of ensuring full traceability and accountability.

This high level of operational efficiency and usability also extends to the way in which data is processed, analysed and reported. LIMS platforms can support multi-level parameter review and can rapidly perform calculations and check results against specifications for relevant customers. In this way, LIMS can ensure pathogens, pesticides and veterinary drug residues are within specifications for specific markets. With all data stored centrally, certificates of analysis can be automatically delivered to enterprise resource planning (ERP) software or process information management systems (PIMS) to facilitate rapid decision-making and batch release. Furthermore, the sophisticated data analysis tools built into the most advanced LIMS software enable users to monitor the way in which instruments are used and how they are performing, helping businesses to manage their assets more efficiently. Using predictive algorithms to warn users when principal QC instruments are showing early signs of deterioration, the latest LIMS can help companies take preventative action before small issues turn into much bigger problems. As a result, these powerful tools can help to reduce unplanned maintenance, keep supply chains moving, and better maintain the quality and integrity of goods.

While LIMS are very effective at building more resilient supply chains and preventing food security issues, they also make responding to potential threats much faster, easier and more efficient. With real-time access to QC, environmental monitoring and chain of custody data, food contamination or adulteration issues can be detected early, triggering the prompt isolation of affected batches before they are released. And in the event of a recall or audit, batch traceability in modern LIMS enables the rapid retrieval of relevant results and metadata associated with suspect products through all stages of production. This allows the determination of affected batches and swift action to be taken, which can be instrumental in protecting consumer safety as well as brand value.

Increasingly, LIMS are helping businesses transform food security by bringing people, instruments and workflows into a single integrated system. By simplifying and automating processes, providing end-to-end visibility across the food supply chain, and protecting the integrity of data at every stage, these robust digital solutions are not only helping food supply chain stakeholders to ensure full compliance with the latest regulations; they are enabling businesses to operate more efficiently, too.

[Source: https://foodsafetytech.com/feature_article/the-digital-transformation-of-global-food-security/, Accessed on August 28, 2020.]

• How can the UNDFF provide tools and measures that help SSFF facing the climate and socioeconomic challenges?

While continuing to give priority to the health crisis, governments need to ensure that all of their populations have access to adequate food and that all the necessary measures are taken to keep food systems working safely and efficiently. The following actions may be considered as a part of a strategic COVID-19 food security action plan:

1. Countries in the region should play their role in ensuring that the global food supply chain is kept alive, through international advocacy, implementing appropriate tax policies, facilitating trade flows and monitoring food prices.
2. Ensure institutional coordination and consultation with all the food value chain actors while implementing health measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. More than ever, the COVID-19 crisis requires the inclusion of the private sector and civil society in public decision-making to ensure that decisions are inclusive, understood and shared and that everyone involved plays their role in keeping the local food supply chain functional, to identify bottlenecks and respond to needs in a timely way.
3. Protect those who have lost their jobs and vulnerable groups including farmers. Scaling up social protection measures, to the highest possible extent, is crucial to ensure the basic needs of vulnerable people who have lost their jobs because of lockdowns including the daily wage workers, and to avoid compounding the health crisis with food a security crisis.
4. Support smallholder producers and rural youth and promote innovation. The COVID-19 crisis and its containment measures are having an impact on all sectors of the economy, including smallholder farmers, who represent a vulnerable group and need urgent assistance in terms of access to markets, inputs and credit. Digitalization can be used to facilitate access to input and output markets and to financial support. Thus the crisis should be used to advance agriculture modernization and transformation. A range of innovation options is available and should be applied to support small-scale farmers under the emergency conditions to build stronger and more resilient farming communities. Countries should take this opportunity to accelerate the digitalization of agriculture.
5. Promote healthy diets during and after the pandemic. People affected by obesity, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are at high risk from COVID-19. This underlines the importance of healthy diet as a frontline defence for disease prevention. During the pandemic and lockdown directives to stay at home, the risks of eating unhealthily become higher. It is therefore essential that governments advise all segments of society to maintain a nutritious and healthy diet.
6. Support regional collective action to protect people affected by crises in the region. People in crisis situations depend crucially on humanitarian assistance for their food security and their survival. More than ever, regional collective action and solidarity are needed to support health systems in countries affected by conflict and to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on food security.

[Source: http://www.fao.org/3/ca8778en/CA8778EN.pdf, Accessed on August 28, 2020.]

3) Towards an inclusive and equitable growth: Improving the productivity and sustainability of small-scale family farmers alone will not be sufficient to achieve the UNDFF milestones or SDG goals in the NENA region. The engagement of adolescents and youth, women and individuals in vulnerable situations such as migrants, will be critical to long term, inclusive and equitable growth.

• Based on your experience, what are effective strategies, instruments or mechanisms to ensure adequate access to services, resources and social protection among marginalized or vulnerable groups, including in humanitarian contexts?

As a human right that is intrinsic to all, the international community recognizes the need to design and implement social protection systems according to the principle of social inclusion, underlying the particular need to include persons in the informal economy. Delivery systems should, therefore, be particularly attuned to the challenges and obstacles faced by vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and take special measures to protect these. Indeed, a “human rights-based approach” to social protection requires that States give special attention to those persons who belong to the most disadvantaged and marginalized groups in society. This entails guaranteeing non-discriminatory treatment as well as adopting proactive measures to enable those suffering from structural discrimination (for example, ethnic minorities or indigenous peoples) to enjoy their rights. Affirmative action and other proactive measures should aim at diminishing or eliminating conditions that give rise to or perpetuate discrimination, and at countering stigmas and prejudices.

Policy makers and sustainable development scientists recommends the use of a range of laws, policies and programmes, including special measures to tackle discrimination. The measures that States adopt should pay attention to the specific human rights problems that emerge with relation to, for example, gender, age, disability, migration and displacement. Of particular relevance in this context are the obligations imposed by:

1. the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW),
2. the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC),
3. the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and
4. the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and their Families.

Further, it is required that all national governments not only to ensure that women enjoy their right to social security on an equal basis to men, but also to undertake appropriate special measures so as to provide women with equal opportunities in public life, education, employment, health care, economic and social life, and marriage and family relations. In order to redress disadvantages associated with gender, both contributory and non-contributory social protection programmes should be made gender-sensitive. This means contributory programmes taking into account the factors that prevent women from making equal contributions, such as intermittent participation in the workforce on account of care responsibilities and unequal wage outcomes. Furthermore, non-contributory programmes should consider that women are more likely to live in poverty than men and often have sole responsibility for the care of children. In any case, States have obligations to take into account the whole range of women’s rights. Also, national governments must take appropriate measures to modify the social patterns that accord differential status to men and women and ensure the equality of women in rural areas as well.

From a human rights perspective, social protection programmes should also be child-sensitive in their design, implementation and evaluation. The CRC (the Preamble, Articles 2 and 23 in particular) emphasizes that the best interests of children should be respected at all times, and their special needs should be accommodated. A child-sensitive social protection programme is one which ensures the rights of the child, and takes into account all the factors that might place children in a vulnerable position. Programmes are required to factor in age- and gender-specific risks and vulnerabilities at each stage of the life course, especially considering the needs of families with children. Special provisions should be made for children without parental care and those who are marginalized within their families due to gender, disability, ethnicity, HIV/AIDS status or other markers of identity. To achieve these ends, it is necessary that intra-household dynamics be carefully considered, including the balance of power between men and women. A child-sensitive programme must also include the voices and opinions of children and youth, and their caregivers in design and implementation processes.

Persons with disabilities face various impediments to the enjoyment of their human rights, and thus social protection programmes must employ the utmost sensitivity with regard to their needs. Programmes must ensure their effective coverage and access to social protection benefits, support services as well as to information related to assistive technology and other facilities. Social protection programmes must incorporate the following principles:

1. respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons;
2. non-discrimination;
3. full and effective participation and inclusion in society;
4. respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity;
5. equality of opportunity;
6. accessibility; and
7. equality between men and women.

Lastly, various other characteristics, such as ethnicity, health status, sexual orientation or geographical location can also impede the equal enjoyment by some people of their economic, social and cultural rights, including their right to social security. Each of these characteristics must be taken into account when a social protection programme is designed and implemented. Inclusion of those who are disadvantaged and marginalized is the first step but it is not enough. The provision of quality social services needed by different groups is equally important. For example, building maternal health clinics in rural areas does not necessarily meet the state’s obligations if the services provided in those clinics are worse than in clinics elsewhere in the country or if they do not meet standards set in similar contexts.

[Source: https://socialprotection-humanrights.org/inclusion-of-vulnerable-groups/, accessed on August 28, 2020.]

• Despite the informality of the agriculture sector, any support for smallholder family farming can and should go hand in hand with the promotion of the Decent work Agenda. Family farmers are engaged in arduous and sometimes hazardous work to cut costs and compensate for the farm’s low productivity to an extent of involving children too, based on your experience please give three priority actions to enable decent employment for rural smallholders, youth and women and to eliminate child labour in family farming.

Three priority actions to enable decent employment for rural smallholders, youth and women and to eliminate child labour in family farming are outlined below:

1. Trade: Several countries in the region depend on agriculture for much of their export earnings. A high portion of such earnings from agriculture means that these countries are particularly exposed to any shocks emanating from global agricultural markets. Conversely, countries which export commodities, but are net food importers, could face a situation where dwindling revenues from the export of non-agricultural products undermines their ability to buy enough food on the international markets. Global economic forecasts suggest a sharp decline in overall economic activity, which, in turn, is a factor weighing on international commodity prices through a weaker import demand globally. Net agricultural importers would stand to benefit from lower import prices, easing possible contractions in purchasing power that may arise from internal economic recessions. Lower import prices could function as an automatic stabilizer for food security in low-income food-importing developing countries, allowing them to import food at lower prices. However, exchange rate swings may affect both the quantity and price of foods available to domestic consumers.
2. Tourism: The lockdown associated with COVID-19 since mid-March 2020 has led to a collapse in worldwide travel, including in most countries of the region. Travel bans in many countries and the temporary closure of associated business activities have led to an almost complete cessation of travel to and from the NENA countries. This has meant an immediate halt to all tourism, and uncertainty about the lockdown’s duration is translating into cancellations of bookings and a complete paralysis of the tourism industry. Local tourism is also affected by the lockdown imposed by governments in the NENA region. Box 3 analyses the impact of the reduction in tourism on regional food security.
3. Energy markets: Amid lower economic activity and decreasing demand because of COVID-19, crude oil prices have fallen sharply. While the extent and the depth of a possible economic contraction are still unknown, lower growth and reduced movements of goods and people are likely to take a particularly high toll on energy prices. Lower energy prices will have diverse impacts on the region’s agriculture and food markets.

On the agricultural output side, lower energy prices will reduce the amounts of agricultural feedstock used to produce biofuels. Typical feedstock products such as sugar cane and maize are likely to see the most pronounced contractions in demand and the most significant downward pressure on prices. However, this will benefit countries in the region overall since they are net importers of maize.

On the agricultural input side, lower energy costs will translate into reduced production costs, particularly in more capital-intensive farming in the region. Direct impacts include lower energy costs for all forms of mechanization, including the power needed to till fields, to irrigate and for transportation. Indirect impacts will be channelled through the lower cost of energy-intensive inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and electricity. These lower input costs would act as an automatic stabilizer for farm incomes and attenuate the direct impact of the COVID pandemic in general.

On the negative side, low energy prices will affect incomes and the economies of oil-export-dependent countries in the region (GCC countries, Algeria and the State of Libya mostly). The inevitable return of overseas workers from the GCC will be a double blow to many economies in the region. Remittances to the Middle East and North Africa region are projected to fall by 19.6 percent to USD47 billion in 2020, following the 2.6 percent growth seen in 2019. The anticipated decline is attributable to the global slowdown as well as the impact of lower oil prices in GCC countries. This may have a ripple effect on the economies and on food security in the region through their impact on employment, remittances, investment flows and aid.

[Source: http://www.fao.org/3/ca8778en/CA8778EN.pdf, Accessed on August 28, 2020.]

4) Enabling environment for the implementation of UNDFF: Building an enabling environment for the implementation of UNDFF regional action plan means that there are adequate resources and that governance and institutional arrangements are effective and inclusive.

• How do you define roles of Governments, development agencies, farmers’ organizations, civil society and private sector in implementing the UNDFF in the region?

After an intense campaign led by civil society, on 17 December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously and supported by 104 countries, adopted the Resolution (A/RES/72/239) declaring 2019-2028 as the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF). The UNDFF is a historic opportunity to stimulate the development of public policies and investments in favour of family farming from a holistic perspective, unlocking the transformative potential of family farmers and making a huge contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). It places family farmers at the centre of food systems, ensuring food security, improving livelihoods, better managing natural resources, protecting the environment, maintaining culture and achieving inclusive and sustainable development. The UN General Assembly designated FAO and IFAD to lead the implementation of the Decade, along with a range of other actors, including National Committees for Family Farming, other platforms for policy dialogue and family farming organizations.

Governments are the primary actors in the physical, social, and economic aspects of a nation’s food security, so any attempts to improve agriculture and food security outcomes must also consider the role of governance. It is a two-way relationship. Stable agriculture and food security systems can help to establish stable and transparent governments, which contribute to more inclusive and effective agriculture and food security systems. The intricate connections between agriculture, food security, and governance suggest that attempts to reduce chronic hunger must integrate all three elements. In particular, certain principles of governance (participation, accountability, transparency, effectiveness, and the rule of law) should be integral parts of programs for agriculture and food security. Such efforts could work across multi-sector actors and food systems, empowering all stakeholders to make changes to increase food security and reduce malnutrition. Explicit attention to governance and public policies pertaining to agriculture can also help governments realize their food security goals.

Efforts to integrate governance within food security work have recently gained traction as traditional approaches have failed to prevent the occurrence of global food crises. Such integration efforts have found support in instances where food security work coincides with other efforts to improve governance. After the food crisis of 2007 and 2008, it became apparent that food security required good governance at international, national, and local levels. Indeed, some analyses indicate that certain trends affecting governance on all levels (including globalization, the power of transnational corporations, and weak public regulation) are major drivers of food insecurity in the world.6, 7 The challenges are exacerbated by rising food demands across the globe, which have put further pressure on already-strained political systems.6 The effective coordination of governance, food security, and agriculture work is the key to addressing some of these large problems.

[Sources: (1) https://www.familyfarmingcampaign.org/en/que-es-el-decenio/, accessed on August 28, 2020), and (2) https://www.fhi360.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/resource-id-governance.pdf, accessed on August 28, 2020)]

• What are the bottlenecks –any of the above institutions may encounter in achieving the UNDFF implementation in the region and how to overcome them? E.g. in terms of policies, financial resources, technical capacities, etc.

Achieving the goals of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) in Near East and North Africa (NENA) region need co0ndideration of following three aspects:

1. Poor Governance: Poor governance can be a major driver of food insecurity. Most of the armed conflicts in the world take place in low income, food-deficit countries that depend on domestic agricultural production. Current policies and programs that address agriculture and food security are hindered by complex political processes and interactions between stakeholders (government, private sectors, and farmers) who have unequal power and access to resources. Agricultural systems are often harmed by conflict, poor institutional capacity, and the bad design and implementation of government policies. Most importantly, countries that do not adequately invest in agriculture are more likely to experience chronic food insecurity.
2. Good Governance: Good governance, on the other hand, supports the aims of agriculture and food security through multiple pathways. And a good system of governance must be able to respond to a food crisis and address the complex problems of food insecurity in order to eliminate hunger. The integration of governance allows programs to formulate food security strategies that respond to diverse and ever-changing needs by aligning objectives and actions across all levels of the government. In Brazil, for example, a new ministry coordinated food and nutrition goals as a national priority, which helped to improve food security throughout the country. At the local level, civil society organizations that work with the government can make valuable contributions to food security: (a) by forging better links between decision-makers and the affected population, (b) by facilitating the efforts of multi-sector actors with different levels of government, and (c) by providing resources and knowledge that may be lacking in government agencies. In this respect, integrated programs can address political and socioeconomic obstacles that prevent improvements to nutrition and food security. These programs can also incorporate the ideas of marginalized groups (including poor farmers and women) who are otherwise excluded from decision-making processes.
3. Integration: Integrating principles of good governance programming (e.g., accountability, citizens’ participation) to agriculture and nutrition interventions can also improve service delivery and enhance positive development outcomes. For example, the participation of farmers in the design of agricultural policies in a number of developing countries (such as Senegal, Bolivia, Brazil, and Niger) has led to inclusive agricultural policies that improved farmers’ access to agricultural and food value chains. In Niger, the Nigeriens Feed Nigeriens 3N initiative has invested in the infrastructure and services at 255 sites across the country to help agricultural producers improve their business performance. The services (which are tailored to the local agricultural and ecological contexts and to meet the needs of local populations) have successfully supported the decentralization of authority associated with food and nutritional security

Stable and effective agricultural systems and populations that have food security can also support the aims of governance, including greater civic participation and effective rule of law. Food-secure populations are more likely to participate in political processes, whereas food insecurity can increase grievances against institutions, hinder political participation, and contribute to outbreaks of armed conflict. Removing socio-political obstacles and enhancing food security improves the government’s responsiveness to its citizens (which increases the government’s legitimacy and stability) and strengthens the social contract between local stakeholders and their government. In turn, the empowerment of local stakeholders allows them to participate in policy development and to identify and implement local priorities. Such exchanges have seen positive outcomes in several parts of the world. For example, food security programs in Nepal have improved community relationships with the government and short-term jobs in agricultural programs promoted peace in Liberia. The relationship between food security and governance can be supportive or destructive. Afood-secure population can bolster stable governance, whereas a food-insecure population can destabilize governance.

[Source: https://www.fhi360.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/resource-id-governance.pdf, Accessed on August 28, 2020].

5) Partnerships: Partnerships associated with sustainable development initiatives can create synergies to address interconnected challenges that need to be addressed. With the aim to implement the UNDFF action plan in its seven pillars in the NENA region.

• How can innovative partnerships be built and established? And how/what existing initiatives would you propose to replicate or scale up?

In the new millennium, much of the funding for food security projects and programmes is passing through partnerships between different organizations. There are several types of partnerships, each with their own type of cross-sector collaboration: public-non-profit, public-private, private-non-profit, tripartite, and multi-stakeholder partnerships. Within these categories, again, one may find a wide variety of types of partnerships.

A widely-shared expectation is that such partnerships are among the most effective mechanisms to foster development, including in the particular area of food and nutrition security. For example, through partnership constructions the aim is to more effectively address the participation of new actors like emergent small farmers, resource sharing and learning at systemic levels. The assumption is that partnerships would improve food and nutrition security and the inclusiveness of food markets. However, the real impact on food security and food markets is still not clear. Most research is based on the management level of partnerships. The partnership mechanism should focus on knowledge development and sharing and deepening the knowledge in the following areas:

1. Generating impact on food and nutrition through partnerships. What socioeconomic and environmental impacts can such partnerships achieve? How can partnerships improve their impact and do more than just deliver outcomes? In this perspective, scaling-up and scaling-out are key.
2. Creating social impact by combining bottom-up and top-down approaches. This will, include a focus on inclusive partnerships and collaboration with local actors. Most partnerships are quite top-down – there is funding available and established organizations, businesses and institutes are forming partnerships to meet the goals of the proposal guidelines. However, local actors are often marginally involved. What is the best way to improve social impact by combining both approaches?
3. Effective partnership management. This involves creating mutual understanding, mutual respect, and focusing on joint problem-solving and partner relationship management. It is very practical and tries to bridge the different cultures within the partnership. There are already lots of lessons learned here which need to be incorporated in the knowledge agenda on cross-sector partnerships. These can also be used to establish a more bottom-up and participatory management structure within partnerships.

[Source: https://knowledge4food.net/theme/partnerships/, accessed on August 28, 2020.]