Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Re: What are the barriers and opportunities for scientists and other knowledge holders to contribute to informing policy for more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems?

 

I will start with barriers:

  1. One of the most significant barriers is the need for vital interest by authorities to acquire knowledge and skills to inform policy. This scenario is particularly evident in developing economies where every policy implementation is viewed through a political lens, as those in the offices question how an apparent policy enhances their political chances. 
  2. The second barrier is the need for sufficient funding for such policies to be rolled out. Developing countries usually depend heavily on external financing. However, this funding is sometimes inadequate. In other instances, this funding is delayed because of various reasons on the funder's side. Moreover, such funding in recent times has been affected by such occurrences as the coronavirus, Russia-Ukraine War, and climate change, which all have been destructive to the global economy.
  3. Some policies appear good from a global perspective but need a robust campaign, lobbying, and negotiations to boost uptake in the developing world, followed by financial, technical, and other logistical support. For example, it is a commonplace that climate change is real and poses a substantial risk to human existence. However, in the developing world, this is taken as a hoax, or something unreal, particularly at the grassroots. Changing this outlook needs a more aggressive approach to inform the communities of the apparent danger, which is different now.

Opportunities:

  1. The world is substantially interconnected thanks to the technology that has enhanced this connectivity. Social media, radio, TV, and other channels should all be used to influence knowledge uptake and policy design and implementation. It is easy to learn of the tsunami or tornado which has hit the US in a matter of hours, floods that have hit Germany and other countries in the EU, or floods in Madagascar in a matter of hours.
  2. Research indicates that the global literacy rate currently stands at 87%, up from 12% in 1820. Most developed countries have achieved a 99% literacy rate. In the developing world, such as Africa, in 2021, 67.4 percent of people aged 15 years and above in Africa were able to read and write a simple statement and understand it. Given these facts, this should be an opportunity for policymakers and knowledge creators to inform the communities of the policies and knowledge as and when the need arises.
  3. "From promoting the development of democratic institutions to establishing peace between warring nations, the UN supports economic and social development and the promotion and protection of human rights." Thus, the UN and its specialized agencies should be given more powers and mandates to promote peace and security, particularly in developing regions like Africa, where peace and security are still contentious issues. In most countries where the two still need to be included, policymaking and implementation are stagnant, whereas knowledge creation and uptake are stalled.