Dear Sirs,
Greetings.
At the outset, let me compliment the HLPE e-consultant initiative and inviting our participation. Thanks for sharing the exhaustive outcome of the Draft V0. A detailed perusal speaks volumes of the efforts by the expert teams engaged in this unique exercise.
Infact, in the present context of the global concern on the epidemic Corona Virus and the challenged chinese food chain as its root cause, makes this report more relevant. Given the administered compliance with food security as advocated in the draft report, such eventualities can certainly be prevented. Observing the prescribed nutritional care essentially across the food chain should develop the immunity for the sections of deprived population. This even calls for fixing accountability on the respective sources for the non-compliance, enforced by an authoritative global body.
Please permit me to share a few thoughts herein on the exhaustive Draft V0 report. These emerge out of the experiential sharing, given my long term professional engagements with the food and agricultural sector in developing economies both in Asia ( India ) and Africa ( West, Central and North Eastern provinces). Official engagements have particularly been with the grassroots levels, besides discharging various policy making level responsibilities.
Referring to the Agenda 2030, the 4 Pillars, followed by the 9 dimensions as enumerated are quite relevant and exhaustive, particularly advocating the sustainability of the initiative. Nevertheless, considering the mission’s noble objectives, may I suggest that at least two of the following aspects deserve to be additional pillars to be incorporated. The rest will be additional dimensions to be considered for inclusion in the policy paper.
The possible titles for each of the narratives proposed are also indicated below the respective aspects justified.
1. Spreading the awareness of the better food standards across the population, particularly those at the bottom of the pyramid should be given utmost priority attention. Raising their aspirational levels, not just meeting the subsistence levels, but enabling them with sumptuously sufficient nutritional food supplies as their ‘fundamental right’ at the grassroot levels. This should be an very important dimension of implementation approaches. Political willingness and response from the governance will certainly follow.
AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS
2. Food systems, across the globe should strictly adopt the Food and Agriculture Value Chains in totality and avoid the prevailing fragmented value chains. This ensures equitable sharing of the revenues across the stakeholders in value chain, reciprocating their responsible contributions. The value chain covers the backward integration as well as forward, which ensures their contributions and engagements in the value chain remain sustainable.
SUSTAINABLE FOOD VALUE CHAINS
3. Localisation and Affordability of the technology interventions is hugely important, both in respect of the domain as well as ICT / mechanical innovations being advocated to the masses. The risk of adaptations of these interventions should be owned by the promoters (public or private sector) rather than the producers / stake holders in the food value chains. While Ease-of-Farming is important, the concern is also keep it safer, affordable and risk free adaptations. This will encourage more adaptations, while the promoters will remain cautious in advocating only the proven technology innovations.
TECHNOLOGY LOCALISATION & AFFORDABILITY
4. Mobilisation of investments in to food chains, and access to affordable finances, both equity participation as well as debt financing, across the food chains remains highly pertinent to implement the food security and nutritional aspects. Transformations will result only if the investments are inclusive, which should be an important policy advocacy across the nations, irrespective of their production levels.
ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE INCLUSIVE FINANCIAL RESOURCES
5. Inclusive financing programs for the food and agriculture operation as well as the new adaptations should be supported by a matured Risk Sharing Mechanism, wherein institutional lending support will certainly result. Live illustration is NIRSAL / AGRA concepts, widely implemented in African continent. Incidentally, let me offer to provide adaptable schematic programs, wherein a Corpus Fund will sustain these programs, having finalized this program for Nigeria in Africa.
INCENTIVISED RISK SHARING MECHANISM
6.Enforcing Crop Diversification, particularly in the context of optimum natural resource utilization & adopting climate control mechanism owing to exploitations, may even have to be mandatory.
ADAPTABLE CROP DIVERSIFICATION
7.Agriculture, being a primary sector in any developing economy, remains largely as a informal sector, unlike the formal structure as prevailing in other sectors in the economy. The prevailing ‘Informal’ setup, proving its sustainability over decades, should be recognised and necessary policy level support needs to extended. This takes care of the Small & Marginal holdings, wherein the grassroots level producers require the support for aggregation & collectivization of both the inputs as well as the output produced.
STRENGTHENING DYNAMIC INFORMAL SECTOR
I am sure these narratives are worth favorable considerations, for incorporation in the final document as appropriate, to be adopted by your esteemed organisation. At least, two of the narrations, particularly Item 1 - Awareness Campaigns & Item 4 - dealing with Access to Affordable Inclusive Finances are worth considering as the additional pillars under the proposed program.
Kindly feel free to revert for any further dialogue on these aspects or otherwise. It will also be an opportunity for me to be associated, particularly in finalizing these matters and also, taking it forward for implementation .
A pdf version of the above narratives is also enclosed for ready reference, which please acknowledge.
Warm Regards
Ashok Meda
Ashok Kumar Meda
Senior Consultant
Centre of Excellence - FPOs
Dept of Horticulture & University of Horticultural Sciences
Government of Karnataka
Bengaluru
India
(Former Senior Banking Advisor, Institutional & Government Advisory, ING Bank / FMO, Amsterdam - Netherlands )
Ashok Kumar Meda