Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

This member contributed to:

    • Ms. Claudia Tonnini

      Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the UN Organizations in Rome
      Germany

      Committee on World Food Security (CFS): HLPE 3rd Note on Critical, emerging and enduring issues - Preliminary V0 draft for CFS Bureau information

      Here: GER (Germany) position on the HLPE Note

      GER thanks the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) for preparing and sharing the Preliminary V0 draft HLPE 3rd Note on Critical, emerging and enduring issues. We highly welcome the opportunity to provide input through the consultation process.

      As stated in the consultation process on identifying topics for the HLPE Report 2024, we agree on the relevance and urgency of all proposed themes. However, in the light of current challenges, the two topics “Conflicts and the fragility of food systems” and “Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases challenging FSN” particularly stand out in our view. As the world is currently facing a worsening global food security crisis, increased efforts are needed to address the root causes and main drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition worldwide, including poverty, inequalities, climate change, biodiversity loss, forced migration and conflicts. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic recession had demonstrated the profound impact infectious diseases can have on global food security and nutrition. Following up on the GER position on possible themes for the HLPE report 2024, we suggest that the importance of strengthening the resilience of food systems to pandemics and health crises is also considered as part of the HLPE’s proposal on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Against the background described, we believe that also the topic “Building resilient supply chains for FSN” is of great importance and timeliness. For Germany, the aspect of sustainability in those supply chains is an important factor. In conclusion, in our view, the topics “Urban and peri-urban food systems”, “Revitalizing climate policies for FSN”, “Recognizing the role and rights of food system workers” and “Building a meaningful interface for diverse knowledges and practices for FSN” are also useful starting points. In order to avoid duplication, we recommend building on existing CFS policy products, where possible.

      In addition to the excellent suggestions already made, we suggest to consider the following proposal, as noted in the GER position from 31 January 2022(1): To support the uptake of CFS policy products consideration could be given towards a separate workstream to an in-depth internal debate on enhanced efforts by the CFS and its stakeholders to increase global awareness and use of all CFS Voluntary Guidelines and Policy Recommendations.

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      (1)GER initial input on the “Open Guiding Questions” within the Group of Friends of the CFS Chair– Implications of the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) on CFS

    • Ms. Claudia Tonnini

      Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the UN Organizations in Rome
      Germany

      Germany's (GER) position on the HLPE consultation

      GER thanks the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) for preparing and sharing the Topic Note regarding upcoming CFS workstream on inequalities. We highly welcome the opportunity to contribute at an early stage through the online consultation.

      We welcome that the workstream addresses the important issue of reducing inequalities for food security and nutrition. Among other things, high inequality limits development opportunities and the realization of human rights like the right to adequate food. Reducing inequality is therefore one of the key tasks we face in the future.

      In this context and with regard to the questions of the consultation process, we emphasize that meaningful gender and youth mainstreaming approaches can contribute to social justice. Moreover, we highlight the importance of giving representation to youth and women representatives in all their diversity, meaning that particularly representatives from all geographic, social and ethnic groups are represented, most importantly the most marginalized. Hereby, forms of intersectional discrimination and exclusion need to be considered and sufficient enabling and preparatory information opportunities need to be given to achieve meaningful gender and youth participation. One key factor hereby is the use of forms of feedback loops with previous participants, in order to assess the success and satisfaction of the way their participation was managed and to continually improve the processes. Furthermore, especially the process to choose who will represent gender and youth diversity from an entire society should be conducted transparently.

    • Ms. Claudia Tonnini

      Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the UN Organizations in Rome
      Germany

      CFS Policy Recommendations on Data collection and analysis tools for food security and nutrition

      Here: GER position on the e-consultation on the V0 draft of the corresponding HLPE Report

      General remarks

      We thank the CFS and HLPE for submitting the V0 draft of the report “Data collection and analysis tools for food security and nutrition” and for the possibility to provide input. We welcome that the CFS addresses the issue of data and data processing, especially in the context of food security and nutrition. We emphasise that data collection needs to be considered in a way that it can be used for policy making from the outset. In this context, the Complex Risk Analytics Fund (CRAF'd) is an important multilateral instrument that aims to support a stronger data ecosystem and build shared capacity to use data to better anticipate, prevent and respond to complex risks in fragile and crisis-affected areas.

      With regard to the distributed V0 draft of the HLPE Report we would like to suggest that it could be more goal-oriented in terms of how improved data collection and analysis can contribute to the overall goal of improved food security and nutrition, considering the following aspects related to the current structure of the report:

      • Identify priority data gaps and analyse existing initiatives in terms of their distinct added value.
      • Focus on how capacities at the national and international level could be strategically improved – particularly, more work regarding the international level is needed.
      • Particularly consider initiatives, technologies and other solutions that could make a significant impact for food security and nutrition globally.
      • Focus not on what an ideal governance would look like but particularly on how key aspects of data governance could be strengthened strategically.

      Remarks with regard to the individual chapters of the report:

      Chapter One

      • The conceptual framework is well-developed in order to capture the relevant gaps and overlaps of information at different levels.
      • However, additional dimensions could be added to this analysis regarding the quality of existing information.

      Chapter Two

      • Regarding the list of existing initiatives, specification in terms of the selection of criteria is necessary. Rather than being complete, the list could include the most relevant initiatives.
      • Besides, criteria could be developed to determine the distinct added value of existing initiatives. This could be based on question such as: Who elevates primary data and what is the geographical scope? Who has capacities to analyse data? Ultimately, this analysis could contribute to the identification of priority gaps in data collection and analysis.
      • Moreover, it would be helpful if the report came back to visualize at which level there are crucial gaps or overlaps of information.
      • In addition, it should discuss missing pieces for strategic decision-making, not only at the national, but also at the global level (e.g. regarding what we really know about hunger and all other forms of malnutrition and which kind of information is needed).
      • Finally, the establishment and the objectives of the FAO’s International Platform for Digital Food and Agriculture should be considered.

      Chapter Three

      • This chapter provides a thorough and sound analysis of many pressing challenges for data collection and analysis. While it is true that national level capacity is probably the principal challenge for improving global data on food security and nutrition, at the same time, the international level constraints in terms of, for example, lack of coherent indicators and comparable data deserve more attention.
      • Chapter 3.3 could further discuss issues around ownership of national statistical system as well as challenges and opportunities for integrating data from different sectors. In this regard it could also address incentives for governments to improve and make use of data for decision-making.

      Chapter Four

      • The relevance and potential of several of the mentioned technologies as well as future technological innovations is undisputed.
      • In the framework of this report, however, it would make sense to focus, firstly, on generally conducive framework conditions for policy makers to make better use of technological opportunities that could serve advancement of public goods and, secondly, focus on those specific technologies that have a clear relevance in terms of adaptability, geographical coverage etc. as well as potential to make a significant difference for food security and nutrition globally.

      Chapter Five

      • This chapter is particularly important and should be further developed in terms of opportunities and priorities for political engagement to improve data governance. It should detail how international governance mechanisms can provide incentives and put the right mechanisms in place to improve and develop global data and information systems strategically.
      • Chapter 5.6 could identify possible pathways on how data governance could be improved to make a difference in terms of food security and nutrition, rather than providing a list of ideal conditions needed to be in place for “good data governance”.

      Chapter Six

      • The proposed recommendations should not only be directed at single Member States but also at the global governance level in order to identify pathways to contribute to improving data collection and analysis collectively.
      See the attachments: