Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Extending social protection and risk management systems effectively to rural populations is often a challenge for government institutions in many developing countries. The High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition has recognized in its 2012 report the importance of involving non-state actors, including rural organizations, in the formulation and execution of social protection systems.

Rural organisations contribute to extending social protection to the rural poor in several ways by:

1. performing agreed tasks through participatory mechanisms within national social protection systems;
2. developing collective practices of risk management and mutual assistance for their members.

FAO has launched a global study on good practices in harnessing the role of rural organizations in social protection, to document cases and compile an “Inventory of practices” on the current and potential role of rural organisations in social protection.

To share findings on this issue, the FSN Forum has organized a webinar held on 25 November 2015.

Examples from two cases identified through the study were presented to the participants by Igor Vinci, Rural Institutions and Social Protection Consultant. The aim was to draw viable recommendations on the role of rural organizations in social protection, by collecting valuable conclusions of the case analysis.

The webinar attracted over 50 experts and development practitioners in the fields of social protection, rural development and rural services, who came together with members of rural and civil society sharing findings and discussing the preliminary results of the study.

The feedback provided by the participants during the webinar will feed into the analytical section of the inventory and thusto contribute to the official report.

The recording of the session is available following the link: http://fao.adobeconnect.com/p5l1yh7bh6i

Further background information on this activity is available here: www.fao.org/fsnforum/news/webinar-role-rural-organisations-social-protection

The underlying concept is further described in this article on Local Solutions to Social Protection: the role of rural organizations.

For any additional information on this activity contact:

May Hani, Policy Officer (Institutions and rural services), FAO: [email protected]

Igor Vinci, Rural Institutions and Social Protection Consultant: [email protected]

FSN Forum Team

The FSN Forum hosted a presentation of the book “Street Food. Culture, Economy, Health and Governance” in FAO, 9 December 2014. This book provides a comprehensive perspective on street food, on its immense cultural diversity and economic significance both in developing and developed countries. Stefano Marras, editor of the publication, presented an overview of the research hereby included and gave a snapshot on street food issues and challenges across Latin America, Asia and Africa.

Please find an interview with Stefano Marras by Max Blanck of the FSN Forum.

Monitoring commitment and capacity to act on food insecurity and malnutrition: the Food Security Commitment and Capacity Profile methodology

There is a global consensus that strong political commitment by Governments and development partners is key to the elimination of hunger and malnutrition. It is against this background that FAO has developed a methodology to assess and track efforts of national stakeholders to act on food insecurity and malnutrition: the Food Security Commitment and Capacity Profile (FSCCP) ( http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3998e.pdf ).

The methodology provides a tool that helps stakeholders to:

1. Carry out a systematic assessment of political commitment and capacity of countries to act on food insecurity and malnutrition;

2. Engage in evidence-based policy dialogue, planning and prioritization of investments in food security and nutrition; and

3. Monitor performance over time;

The methodology has been applied since 2013 in the context of FAO’s corporate Results Framework (http://www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/030/mk234ea1.pdf) for planning and monitoring progress of efforts to reduce hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.

The food security commitment and capacity country profile is designed as a balanced score card which provides a concise view of countries’ commitments and institutional capacities in terms of four key dimensions of the enabling environment, namely:

i. Policies, programmes and legal frameworks: i.e. the country has comprehensive policies/ strategies and investment programmes (based on evidence, addressing underlying causes of food insecurity and adopting a twin-track approach) that are supported by a legal framework;

ii. Human and financial resources: i.e. policies/strategies, programmes and legislation that are translated into effective action through the allocation of the necessary financial and human resources and solid administrative capacity of governments;

iii. Governance, coordination mechanisms and partnerships: i.e. the government regards food security and nutrition as an interdisciplinary priority by setting up a high level inter-ministerial unit responsible for the design, implementation and coordination of food security and nutrition responses, while ensuring accountability through its support to independent human rights institutions that provide people with means to file violations of the right to food. Furthermore, a government that takes on a lead role in managing partnerships and coordinated action across a broad range of actors and sectors involved in food security and nutrition at national/decentralized levels, creating space for civil society participation;

iv. Evidenced-based decision-making: i.e. decision-making on food security and nutrition that draws on evidence generated from functional information systems that make it possible to monitor trends; track and map actions; and assess impact in a manner that is timely and comprehensive, allowing for lessons learned to be fed back into the policy process.

For each of these four dimensions, the methodology paper outlines:

1. A set of core indicators and associated qualifiers;

2. The approach to producing a score for each of the qualifiers and indicators;

3. Details on the sources of the required data and information.

4. A survey instrument and secondary data collection tools.

Apart from helping FAO to measure the outcome of its work on food security and nutrition, it is expected that the country profiles will also stimulate debate on how to improve the enabling environment for food security and nutrition and promote more systematic learning and sharing of experiences.

It would be interesting to hear from the experiences of other agencies and sectors that are monitoring political commitment.

U.S. leadership in the global movement to scale up nutrition has led to increased investments in U.S. health, food security, and nutrition programs.

We need to assess nutrition resources available to U.S. Government agencies, to implementing partners, and to country governments and civil society.  Do they have sufficient technical capacity in nutrition to “scale up” programs? How well-equipped is the U.S. government to support country-led efforts and help sustain their momentum and progress?  How can we further build our capacity?

An approach to nutrition that crosses government departments, bureaus, and offices will help strengthen U.S. programs and use our nutrition dollars as effectively as possible. Strengthened leadership and capacity helps ensure better coodination and accountability for results. Harmonized program strategy, budgets, guidance on implementation, and implementation on the ground will maximize the impact of our work on the critical problem of global malnutrition.

Speakers:

Robert Clay, Deputy Administrator, Global Health Bureau, USAID

Karin Lapping, Senior Director-Nutrition, Save the Children US

Leslie Elder, Senior Nutrition Specialist, Human Development Network, the World Bank

Moderated by:

George Ingram, Co-chair, Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network

Monday, November 5, 2012

12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

(lunch provided)

Bread for the World Institute

425 3rd Street SW, Suite 1200 (12th floor)

Washington, DC 20024

Metro: Federal Center (Blue/Orange lines)

Please RSVP to: [email protected]