Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Dear Forum members,

Thank you very much for your valuable thoughts on the implementation of the Right to Food Guidelines since their adoption in 2004. As the comments showed, we could celebrate some success stories at country level with more countries subscribing to the right to food in their policies, laws and programmes. But the mission is not accomplished yet; food insecurity and malnutrition remain serious challenges in many countries. We shall therefore not tire to promote the right to food and to use the Right to Food Guidelines as our main tool.

What is the next step for us? The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) agreed that at its 41st Session in October 2014, a session will be included on a ten year retrospective on progress made in implementing the Right to Food Guidelines. Your responses to the four questions posed on the Forum will be reflected in a synthesis report that will feed the CFS discussion.

Thanks again for your insights!

FAO

Right to Food Team

Au Niger, on ne pense pas à choisir ce qu'on doit manger, car "ventre afamé n'a point d'oreille " comme le dit le proverbe. De ce fait on ne pas parler du droit à l'alimentation. Cela fait presque une décenie que presque chaque année l'insécurité alimentaire revient, du fait des aléas climatiques.

Merci

Mme Noura Fatchima Djibrilla, ACFM Niger

Dear friends at FSN,

After reading the documentation posted, I would like to contribute the attached commentary to the e-consultation.

I apologize for it being a bit lengthy since I go into details.

I also apologize for the devil's advocate tone the comment may have in some places. My overall intention is nevertheless constructive.

Warm regards,

Claudio

Dear all,

Please find below a photo related to my earlier contribution to this online discussion. The attached is a recently (this week) taken photograph of a grocery shop of one very remote hill district of western Nepal, namely, Jumla, and the shop full of junk food, gives us a message of how markets and privatization influence food habit ..... this is a serious challenge in regard to implementation of RTF guidelines. The photo has been sent to me by Shova Shakya and I thought I should share with you all.

Regards

Kanchan

Effectiveness of the Right to Food guidelines :

Were the first ten years of implementation of the Right to Food Guidelines a success? Or were you disappointed? Is the glass half full or have empty?

The Right to Food guidelines remained partially successful in accommodating interests of the poor, women and children, which however faced challenge of maintaining the vital link to nutritional aspect of food. Moreover, supply of fast, packet food items (wai wai packet noodles, oil fried salty cheap but low quality imported snacks, etc.) was very active from business circle, leading to developing harmful food consumption practices in my country, widely covering the rural areas too. Most of the mothers in semi urban, urban and rural small head quarter areas took rest in such unhealthy food items by thinking it as a fashion of modern packet food, food of privileged social status and less time consuming (as the kinds eat them directly from the packets). In Nepal previously roasted maize and soybean seeds were very common and popular snacks for all family members, but now children prefer packets of market introduced foreign snacks replacing the healthier food. Thus I have doubts on the effectiveness of RTF guidelines in promoting genuine rights to food by the common mass, specifically by the most vulnerable groups, the children. The glass can be said to be empty in nutritional aspect while 49% of the children under 5 are stunting.

Looking at the last ten years, what are success stories of the progressive realization of the right to food? And what are the biggest challenges?

Very few people know about their right to food. The RTF guidelines have not been sufficiently and locally distributed. The various farmers’ federations and associations and professionals know about the guidelines and those who attend global farmers forums know about such policy guidelines, but the common people have not yet been aware about their right to food. It is a pity that FAO and IFAD, despite having implemented some significant food security projects, could not raise t he expected level of awareness and advocacy among right holders communities to access food right. Hence the success stories could be described as implementation of specific food security projects including improved food production, introduction of diversification of food production, specifically concept and practice of home gardens, vegetables (seasonal and off seasonal), commercialization of improved crops and vegetables, establishment of market channels for excess produce, capacity building of leader farmers (including women lead farmers), introducing measures of Cash and voucher for work programs along with food for work programs in order to enable the farmers make choices to buy local food and supplements on their own choices.  

The biggest challenge is the existing superstitions regarding traditional intra-household food distribution systems, where despite having food, the concept of women as the “last eaters”, pregnant women suffer from anemic due to lack of nutrient values in their food and not having adequate food. This leads to birth of weak child. There are efforts done by UN agencies, e.g., FAO, WFP and UNICEF in partnership with Government Health sector and in partnership with national and local NGOs. However coordination among all stakeholders need to be strengthened and need to be more strategic to adopt guidelines on RTF.

How can the Right to Food Guidelines be used better to accelerate the realization of the right to food? What would be the role of the Committee on World Food Security?

Member states need to build partnership with relevant local institutions, develop awareness and do dissemination of the guidelines in local languages. Regular monitoring of implementation needed which should be informed to public widely through various locally adaptable means and mechanisms. The CWFS can play a strategic role to provide instructions to member states, organize multi-stakeholders’ inter-state sharing forums, review, monitor and reward the most successful actions on ground.

We are often criticized for doing advocacy only: Where is the evidence that a human rights based approach leads to better outcomes? What’s your answer to this challenging question?

In Timor Leste, the Right to Food Network, a team of local youths is active in establishing their claims to participate and own the process of public decisions regarding food security measures. The National Food security policy is gender responsive, inclusive of local indigenous knowledge and food habits, consisting of traditional food items, such as, cassava, sweet potatoes, baked fish, besides inclusion of youths’ interests. The government has a policy of ensuring that all feasts organized by government agencies must use traditional food, made of roots. The FTR group there keep advocating for human rights based food policy. Contact Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries (MAFF) in Timor Leste for more information.

National food security policies must follow RTF guidelines at all levels and in all steps.

1. Were the first ten years of implementation of the Right to Food Guidelines a success? Or were you disappointed? Is the glass half full or have empty?

The food industry has made highly visible pledges to curtail children's food marketing, sell fewer unhealthy products in schools, and label foods in responsible ways. Ceding regulation to industry carries opportunities but is highly risky. In some industries (e.g., tobacco), self-regulation has been an abject failure, but in others (e.g., forestry and marine fisheries), it has been more successful.

2. Looking at the last ten years, what are success stories of the progressive realization of the right to food? And what are the biggest challenges?

• (a) Success stories of the progressive realization of the right to food: I find following success story on right to food from Brazil:

Four out of ten Brazilian Indians live in extreme poverty, and more than half of indigenous children are anemic. The goal of the Joint Programme (entitled “MDGs beyond averages: Promoting Food Security and Nutrition for Indigenous Children in Brazil”) was to support the government in its efforts to improve the food security and nutritional status of indigenous children in the regions of Dourados and Alto Rio Solimões. The programme focused on two objectives:

• Promoting access to public programmes and services, with the aim of reducing cases of malnutrition and the infant mortality rate; and
• Promoting the sustainability of production and access to food by strengthening local productive systems that rely on and respect the food and economic culture of the target communities.

The initiatives focused on children; however, emphasis was also placed on women, since child malnutrition can only be addressed effectively if the mother-child unit is taken into account. All initiatives relied on full participation from the communities and public agents. Crosscutting actions were undertaken to empower indigenous communities, leaders and organizations and to strengthen public capacities. Some of the achievements of the Programme were:

• Activities with the potential to become pilot programmes were carried out to support breastfeeding and supplementary feeding.
• Knowledge was shared among indigenous and non-indigenous peoples regarding health rights and culture.
• The nutrition surveillance system was strengthened.

1. Challenges: Soaring world food prices, the increasing competition of biofuel production with food production, and the growing awareness of the impacts of climate change have put the world food problem squarely back on the global development agenda. This is therefore a rare opportunity to mobilize human rights, and the right to adequate food in particular, as the guiding framework for policies and action. Nonetheless political leadership all over the world is still locked in patterns of action that have led to persistent and growing world hunger, with too much emphasis on technological fixes, on “breadbasket” areas to feed the poor, and treating food as a commodity little different from other traded commodities.

3. How can the Right to Food Guidelines be used better to accelerate the realization of the right to food? What would be the role of the Committee on World Food Security?

National governments, as appropriate and in consultation with relevant stakeholders and pursuant to their national laws, should consider adopting a national human-rights based strategy for the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security as part of an overarching national development strategy, including poverty reduction strategies, where they exist. The elaboration of these strategies should begin with a careful assessment of:

• existing national legislation, policy and administrative measures;
• current programmes;
• existing constraints; and
• availability of existing resources.

Furthermore, the national governments should formulate the measures necessary to remedy any weakness, and propose an agenda for change and the means for its implementation and evaluation. These strategies could include objectives, targets, benchmarks and time frames; and actions to formulate policies, identify and mobilize resources, define institutional mechanisms, allocate responsibilities, coordinate the activities of different actors, and provide for monitoring mechanisms. As appropriate, such strategies could address all aspects of the food system, including the production, processing, distribution, marketing and consumption of safe food. They could also address access to resources and to markets as well as parallel measures in other fields. These strategies should, in particular, address the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, as well as special situations such as natural disasters and emergencies.

4. We are often criticized for doing advocacy only: Where is the evidence that human rights based approach leads to better outcomes? What’s your answer to this challenging question?

Food security is a part of the human right obligations by the states. From this angle, it means for instance the adoption of a national strategy to ensure food and nutrition security for all, without any discrimination, and the formulation of policies and corresponding benchmarks. It should also identify the resources available to meet the objectives and the most cost-effective way of using them.

The right to food offers a coherent framework with which to address critical dimensions in the fight against hunger. It emphasizes human rights principles such as participation, non-discrimination, transparency and empowerment, and provides mechanisms for increased accountability and the rule of law. It is States’ primary obligation, individually and through international co-operation, to take necessary measures to meet the vital food needs of their people, especially of vulnerable groups and households. In this respect, a peaceful, stable and enabling political, social and economic environment at national and international levels is fundamental for states to ensure adequate priority for food security and poverty eradication.

Food is globally mostly produced by private producers and delivered in market economy. States don´t have any obligation to deliver food free of charge, but it must create a judicial and policy environment that enables right to adequate food without any discrimination and using all available resources. The land rights itself are a civil law issue, but equal access to land of men and women and all minorities is a human rights affair.

Food security is a complex issue and cannot be tackled without a holistic approach. Several policies such as trade, agriculture, environment and energy have an influence on food security, and this underlines the importance of policy coherence: These policies should be in compliance and support the objectives of development policy or at least not work against it.

Dr. Santosh Kumar Mishra (Ph. D.), Technical Assistant, Population Education Resource Centre (PERC), Department of Continuing and Adult Education and Extension Work, S. N. D. T. Women's University, Patkar Hall Building, First Floor, Room. No.: 03, 1, Nathibai Thackerey Road, Mumbai - 400020, Maharashtra, India (http://sndt.ac.in/). Email: [email protected]   Tel.: +91-022-22066892 (O) +91–022–28090363 (R) +09224380445 (M)

Dear members of Right to Food Team and FSN forum

I have some insights on the Right to Food issue. I would like to share the insights with you in response to some questions asked by the Right to Food Team.  

Right to Food Guidelines and Increasing Threat of Extinction of Some Human Races  

1.      Implementation success of the Right to Food Guidelines: A dilemma

Understanding the success of the Right to food guidelines is a complex subject. Literatures provide evidences that governments of many countries started working to increase food production since mid1900s. The policy is based on a dual principle: the state responsibility and people’s right. Many factors have been driving them to act on it. The governments also signed many international treaties related to human rights before introducing the Right to Food Guidelines by FAO council. Many principles or terms of the treaties require addressing basic needs including food. Other socioeconomic changes not targeted directly on the food issue are also contributing people access to food despite weak or counterproductive national policies on increasing food. For example in Nepal, the lands used in food production are increasingly used in non-agricultural activities in many areas, even critically food deficit areas. The national and international policies (e.g. protected area management and global carbon emission offsetting) have been hampering the land uses in food production. Consequently indigenous food production systems and environment have been spoiled. Abandonment of private lands from farming is increasing in many districts. Agricultural productivity is increasingly very slowly. Statistics show the increasing of agricultural products imports are exponential in trends. Based on these evidences the food production in the country may have decreased. Statistical figures of government agencies, manipulated for some reasons, however, may not support the argument. However, people’s access to food is increasing. Their access to food increased mainly by increasing remittances, local income opportunities, and transportation and market services. It is very difficult to argue that the Right to Food Guidelines created the favourable environments. However, the situation would be worse if the state and funding agencies had not have supported in increasing agricultural productivities.

The important of right to food is still there. Some people are still passively accepting misery and seasonal starvation. Food crises problem is frequently experienced in some districts. Moreover the import dependent country has some degree of risk of resulting humanitarian food crises because there is a probability of out-breaking and persisting a serious level of international political and economic crisis for long period. Government cannot handle the technical and social complexities building up with ongoing changes in societies, and secure the people’s right to adequate food to that condition. It may not be wise thinking to expect effective international support in deep international crises conditions. Despite some room, I have not seen any specific policy measures from both state and supporting actors to address the long term issue of right to food as suggested in the Right to food Guidelines.

Were you disappointed?

I have seen a very disappointing case. You claimed that both state and international agencies including FAO have shown commitment in achieving people’s right to food but I have seen that they are also destroying the food sources and threatening existence of some powerless ethnic groups for the benefit of affluent people. I would like to present the case of hunter gatherers (often termed tribal groups) related ethnic groups who have adapted and lived on naturally produced food with high fiber, low fat and carbohydrates, and rich in mineral (e.g. iron, zinc, calcium and potassium) elements. They have much shorter period of exposure to the foods with high energy and intensive or commercial production systems than that of many other sedentary societies. As a result they are intolerant in some or addictive to some other foods produced in intensive agricultural system and industrial processing. According to evolutionary genetic theory, some genes of the indigenous ethnic groups store food energy for longer period than the genes of nontribal and or other sedentary societies. The people carrying the genetic property become able to adapt and survive in food scarcity condition and other environmental stresses. The genes on the other hand increase obesity and related disease to the group in high energy food condition. The nutritional deficiency problem has made the health condition of the tribal people worse. Same quantity of energy food can result obesity in tribal groups than non-tribal groups. The genes The phenomena is a strong explanation  to be higher prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes cases in the indigenous groups than other ethnicities in developed countries  such as Australia, New Zealand and the USA. The indigenous groups seems to be addicted on the high energy foods. Most probably they have deficiency of the nutritional elements to meet their body needs. Official statistics show that the difference of average lifespan between the indigenous and non-indigenous people living in same political zone and facilities is noticeably high such as over 10 years in Australia (ABS 2009). In essence the indigenous human races are special need groups in terms of nutritional requirement. 

The nutritional need condition of the hunter gatherers are further difference than the indigenous groups in the developed countries. They have not passed their forest based life even one generation. Their natural food sources have been now managed to meet interests and needs of non-tribal groups who are used to eating high energy foods over 12000 years.  The food resources of the forest based people are suppressed or destroyed. Some resources are criminalized in uses. As a result they are facing food shortage in their territories. Inadequate access to naturally grown food has caused them to depend on high energy, processed and input intensive foods including chemical/pesticide contaminated ones. Any payment given to the vulnerable groups is not sufficient to afford healthy food. They are depended on poor quality food which are not safe from their health perspective. The policies of the agencies, thus, have forced to live the fresh water fish (the tribal groups) into salt water. The new foods (even some grain) toxicats their health and the under-nutrition further weakens their immune system. Consequently their susceptible to many diseases increased and ability to cope environmental stresses in their natural/ poor living condition decreased. The food problems have adverse health effect particularly on conceiving of women, healthy borne of baby and survival of the people to the age of reproduction and full potential life period. As a result their population growth has been potentially stagnated to declined leading to extinction.

For example, ten indigenous ethnic groups are reported at threat of extinction based on their dwindling growth and smaller size of population. The ethnic groups include Raji, Kusunda, Raute, Kushbadiya, Bankariya, Suri, Kisan, Meche, Lepcha and Hayu. They are the most powerless people in socio-political system. Some of them (e.g. Raute, Kusunda, and Bankariya) are still inhabited in forest. They shun farming and live mainly on wild foods including tubers. The other groups have also meagre of private land. There are also some other recently nomadic ethnic groups such as Chepang. All the resource poor groups used to complement the private land resources by common property resources including forest and community pasturelands to sustain their livelihoods.  Therefore these ethnic communities have been demanding with government for greater and secured access to their local forest resources. Please read details of the ethnic groups and their relationships with forest in the following references.

a.        People in Nepal. http://www.bochi-bochitrek.com/nepal/people-in-nepal.html. Downloaded on 13-07-2014.

b.      B The Local Environmental, Economic and Social Tragedies of Managing Community Forests for Global Environment Conservation: A Critical Evaluation. The Open Journal of Forestry. 4(1):58-69.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojf.2014.41010

Their food resources are non-timber products of forests which are encroached and destroyed by mainstream societies. International interventions on national forest policies further worsened the supplies. They advised and funded for industrial model of forestry which suppressed or occupied the places for production of non-timber products with food importance. Recently conventional model of protected area and Reduced carbon Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) programare introduced and promoted in the name of protecting the planate. By goal or nature the programmes destroy environment of producing non-timber forest products which require moderately open space in forest for production. It takes many years and generations to make the tribal groups well adapted to the high energy foods of non-tribal groups. Access to forest resources would make notable differences in their lives. The issue of the groups are little cared in both national and international policies and imposing the regressive policies against their welfare of the people. Thus the risk of extinction of the dwindling ethnic groups has been increased. There are adequate scientific bases to justify that these national and international policies diverting their livelihood based resources for offsetting carbon emission of affluent societies and polluted industries, supplying timber of urban users and quenching wild thrust of rich people are genocide against the dwindling ethnic groups. 

The policy problem of indigenous communities is not only in Nepal but also in other countries such as India, Indonesia, Papua Genuine and Congo. The policies are imposed by not only national governments but in the advice and support of the members in FAO council including funding agencies (e.g. Norway, USAID, AUSAID, DFID/UK and Swiss Agencies), working for Right to food. The World Bank programme is most pervasive and deadly. Some scholars and leaders of indigenous people are attempted to draw international attention on this critical issue. Why is the committee for the Right to Food bypassing it? Is it not an important issue for the committee? I believe formation of the committee is meaningless for the dwindling ethnic groups.

Is the glass half full or have empty?

I could not know whether the glass half full or have empty because the size or edge (horizon) of the glass is beyond my sight. However, I found that the subject of right on living means including food is a socially contracted reality. People in powerful position define demarcate boundary of the glass and determine whether half full or have empty based on their own values and interests. People with little power should accept the value imposed by the powerful groups. I also found that the definition and application also vary with societies and time. This may be a pessimistic view.  

What would be the role of the Committee on World Food Security?

I believe information is a powerful tool. The Committee should look the problem of people’s right to food and its solutions constructively. The focus should be on people on critical need. Based on my knowledge the information produced by the committee are poorly communicated so these are poorly reached to or used by policy decision makers.  The committee should improve the strategies of collecting and communicating the information. The right to food is also a humanitarian problem so open and proactive advocacy practices should be promoted at national and international level. I see funding agencies are drivers of the bad policies in many institutional weak countries. The committee should do direct and open talk to the funding agencies (bilateral and multilateral). 

Thanks for patiently reading my opinions.

Kind Regards

Bhubaneswor Dhakal

Estimados Colegas.  Me da mucho gusto nuevamente establecer contacto con Ustedes, a traves de este medio.

Al leer el nombre del foro "renovar el compromiso" me ha llamado la atención hacer la revisión correspondiente y al encontrar las interesantes 4 preguntas que se proponen,  me hace todavía más interesante el poder compartir con Ustedes, algunas ideas desde la perspectiva del caso de mi País (Guatemala).

Hace también casi 10 años que se realizó en Guatemala una validación de la metodología del derecho a la alimentación con la participación de la mayoría de Países de la Región.  Lo hicimos en el INCAP (Instituo de Nutrición de Centro América y Panamá).  Me tocó ser parte del equipo facilitador del taller regional como consultor independiente y recuerdo muy bien que  quienes participaron en esa oportunidad, vieron con mucho interés (algunos pocos con escepticismo) dicha iniciativa.

Han transcurrido 10 años y considero válido, el poder hacer esta reflexión que no pretende para nada ser considerada como la única y verdadera apreciación.  Lejos estoy de atreverme a tal desafío.  Pero si creo que es bueno echar una mirada en retrospectiva y tratar de visualizar  los logros y me gustaría enfocarme haciendo una "mixtura" entre la pregunta 1 y  4.

En el caso de Guatemala, hablar de un exito en la implementación del derecho a la alimentación, sería extremadamente aventurado decir que sí.  Actualmente vivimos con casi el 50% de desnutrición crónica, con más del 25% de desnutrición global y con alrededor del 5% de desnuturición aguda en menores de 5 años.  Por estas razones, entre otras por supuesto, sería "imprudente" comentar que la implementación del derecho a la alimentación es una realidad exitosa en Guatemala.

Por supuesto que iniciativas en la legistlación actual del País se  han incorporado, como ejemplos se pueden indicar: Iniciativa del Derecho a la Alimentación, se ha creado una Secretaría de Seguridad Alimentaria Nutricional, existen observatorios de la SAN,  programa Hambre Cero, así como otras legislaciones y que al final poco contribuyen a la disminución del hambre, la pobreza y la desnutrición por supuesto.  Lo cual querría decir que probablemente no es solo cuestión de leyes ni de legislación, aunque es importante contar con ellas.

He escuchado en un par de ocasiones, la crítica a FAO, acerca de su limitado rol en los Países en cuanto a su "advocay casi que exclusivo".  Pensaría que la pregunta podría ser.  Realmente la presencica más biligerante de FAO en los Países, sería la solución?.  Tampoco estoy seguro de eso.  Pero si considero que el nivel de incidencia es escaso y que probablemente no se hagan todos los esfuerzos todavía para lograr generar un verdadero interés en la práctica por parte de los gobiernos de turno para entrarle con seriedad al derecho a la alimentación.  Este vacío de autoridad por parte de FAO probablemente toparía también con los interéses propios de funcionarios en los gobiernos y la galopante corrupción que no ayuda a colocar el tema de la alimentación y nutrición en la prioridad de las agendas.

Considero que sería interesante diseñar un protocolo de investigación tipo "estudios de caso" para conocer la experiencia de Países que han logrado superar la barrera de la corrupción en los gobiernos de turno y que han logrado crear una concienca más solida en los funcionarios para lograr integrar las acciones interinstitucionales por el bien de la niñez.  He leído de algunos Países que han logrado avanzar de manera importante respecto al tema y creo que sí sería valioso contar con la documentación que comparta "qué se ha hecho y cómo se ha hecho" para superar esas barreras que limitan, hacer el uso efectivo de la legislación vigente unido a la verdadera voluntad política.

Por otra parte, la necesidad de alinear a otros actores sociales (inicitativa privada, cooperación externa, iglesias, entre otros), en la misma línea de un plan genuino de gobierno, me parece que todavía es para el caso de Guatemala, un punto pendiente de desarrollar.

Saludos afectuosos y "hasta la victoria siempre"

Victor Puac 

Vraiment c'est un succès pour un ensemble de pays à travers un panier de stratégies et programmes qui sont axés sur la disponibilité des produits alimentaires et l'accès (pouvoir d'achat des ménages). La qualité et la quantité des produits alimentaires constituent des priorités stratégiques pour l'ensemble de pays.

La réduction de gaspillage des produits alimentaires et l'encouragement des banques des aliments constituent un axe important pour renforcer les efforts pour réduire la faim dans le monde.  

Quel serait le rôle de la commission de la sécurité alimentaire mondiale? faire un suivi de l'état alimentaire dans le monde notamment dans les pays pauvres et bien focalisés sur le suivi des prix des produits alimentaires notamment les produits de base et sans oublier les circuits de commercialisation de ces produits. Le plus important c'est de faire des rapports des situations des besoins en produits alimentaires. Ces idées sont encadrées par les textes des nations unies et du droit d'Homme dans ce domaine.