This time I will respond to the postings of the Belgian Food and Beverage Alliance and BASF, both, I would think, with an ‘axe to grind’ (or a vested interest?).
We all have, including most contributors, an ‘axe to grind’; but ours is in the public interest… We have in common that we are critical of, but not private sector bashers. We look at what is happening with conflicts of interest (CoI) in public private partnerships (PPPs), in free trade agreement (FTAs), in multistakeholder platforms (the latter praised and called for by the two postings I comment on)… and what is the common denominator? An increasing interference in public decision-making. That is not acceptable to us defenders of the public interest. Unless the multiple CoI issue is addressed face-on with no more ‘go-arounds’, PPPs, multistakeholder platforms and FTAs are to remain in quarantine.
To the Alliance, I further say that “behaviour change promoting change and raising awareness of the importance of good nutrition among all consumers through public education campaigns” over-and-over puts the responsibility on the individual when we all know that the advertising and price structure of ultra-processed foods is the real culprit of over-nutrition and associated NCDs that the industry wants us to ignore. Furthermore, claiming that “Experience has shown that collaborative multistakeholder actions represent not only one of the most cost-effective ways to address public health challenges, but are, in fact, the only way to tackle these global complex issues” is a gratuitous assertion not backed by facts. If you do not believe me, look at the SUN Initiative.
To our BASF colleague, I further say that claiming that “fortifying staple foods is one of the most cost-effective interventions to tackle hidden hunger” may be true but the key question is how sustainable (except for iodine), as opposed to community-based, food-based interventions together with stern economic disparity reduction measures resolving the problems of poverty. BASF also not only thinks that “promoting consumer awareness regarding nutrition” is key --see my comment above--, but also thinks “it can be done best by the (critical, they say) engagement of multiple stakeholders (in the said platforms?)” --see my comment above. Moreover, together with many, I do not see that “building local multi-stakeholder alliances can be supported by Fora such as UNSCN which can help strengthen private and public actors’ networks”. Well, this is not exactly the role of a UN body committed to the objectives of the Decade and is not “an important contribution to a sustainable improvement of nutrition that is cost-effective and scalable”. If you do not believe me, look at the ample literature on food sovereignty by La Via Campesina.
Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City
Dr. Claudio Schuftan