Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

I still remember most of the faces and names, when in doubt, I take another look at the group phot0.

The availability of information and communication technologies has helped in linking individuals and groups thousands of miles apart, but face-to-face interaction is still tops! 

The workshop on Policy Dialogies on the design, implementation and monitoring of Food Security and Nutrition policies and process was another prove. I have in the past interacted with many practitioners via the FSN online Forum, but a workshop  with the individuals from different parts of the world helped me "put real faces to the names" My guess is that future deliberations will take a new angle for the better. Thanks to the FSN Forum Team.

The workshop was enriching at the personal level as well: provided a rare chance to receive detailed information from the presenters on activities in the different FAO regions. At some point it was conforting to learn that whatever part of the world, we are faced with almost similar challenges and opportunities when it comes to engaging stakeholders and key decision-makers - building partnerships.

However, there is still need for further deliberations and experience-sharing on how best to engage with the private sector as a partner in this "common good."

There is also need for more success stories on harmonization of policies (global, regional, national levels) in support of realities on the ground, especially by family farmers. 

Many of the FAO regional programs mentioned school food and nutrition programs as part of their areas of focus. Drawing on documented experiences from some parts of the Global North on failure of some school feeding programs, one would want to know our approach so as to avoid "reinventing the wheel."  Could the inclusion of policies on diversity be of help? For example on the the need for students, parents and local communities to be consulted and participate in the definition of what constitutes "food" for school programs? One way could be through a policy in support of "eating local" - taste and familiarity being part of what makes people consume certain foods, subsequently avoid or reduce food waste.

To conclude my input, I would like to reiterate an issue I raised at the workshop: how to bring in North America as a region within the FAO regions of focus? We already have many individuals who participate in the FSN Forum discussions, but not on food and nutrition security issues specific to the Region - for example the rising cases of malnutrition, overweight, obesity, food waste.

To kick-start discussions related to food security issues in North America, I am developing a concept and willing to moderate a FSN Forum discussion on food and nutritonal security of immigrants in the Global North, especially now. I will hold further consultations with the FSN Forum Team on the idea.

Merry Christmas - to all those who celebrate the season.

Happy Holidays to the rest.

Regards,

Eileen

Bonjour à tous,

C'est avec beaucoup de plaisir que je lis ce message qui me replonge dans l'ambiance conviviale qui a régné entre nous à Rome.

Toutes mes félicitations à l'équipe d'organisation qui a réellement une mission aussi gigantesque. Je suis revenu sain et sauf à l'Université d'Agriculture de Kétou (Bénin) où j'interviens depuis lundi dans les jurys de soutenance de mémoires des étudiants. Je ne manquerai donc pas de faire mes commentaires sur les différentes communications dans le délai indiqué.

Merci.

============================

Dr. Ir. Emile N. HOUNGBO

Agroéconomiste & Spécialiste du Développement Durable

Expert en "Analyse des projets et de la pauvreté"

Université d'Agriculture de Kétou

Chef du Département d'Economie et de Sociologie Rurales

05 BP 774 Cotonou (Republic of Benin)

Chers Participants

Merci pour les échanges enrichissants que nous avons eu au cours de ces deux jours d'atelier, les sujets de discussion étaients très pertinents.

Je pense que l'idée d'avoir des points focaux  au niveau des pays et au sein des principales organisations régionale est très bonne, car ces personnes serviront de lien entre le forum et ces structures qui sont responsables de la conception et de la mise en oeuvre des politiques de sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle.

merci

1. There is no doubt that FSN has grown and expanded rapidly since its creation as a policy improvement platform at Global,Regional and Nationals

2.Going forward from 2015 ,FSN can engage more and define more of that engagement with stakeholders at Global.,Regional and National levels to ensure that specific Food and Nutrition Security decision are not seen to be working but are visibly and tangibly contributing to realities of impacts they are set to achieve

3.FSN has demonstrated its abilities to serve as a tool of policy and decision making in terms of bridging the gaps and knowledge of stakeholders .Therefore ,National level effort should be intensified through information sharing with policy makers .INGOs,Intergovernmental institutions like ECOWAS for West Africa,CARECOM,SADC,AFDB etc

4. National Alliances and other regional bodies in West Africa will continue to play an active role in this process's

Thank You

Raymond Enoch

NAAHM Nigeria

Dear Participants,

A special thanks to Emile and Sangeetha for posting online additional thoughts on yesterday’s working group session.

Our time in the workshop is limited and I can see there are many ideas and a great wealth of knowledge in all of you. We will have the Open Forum session this afternoon where you will have a chance to ask questions or make additional comments.

Please do also take advantage of this space to add anything that went missed or overlooked during the workshop sessions.

See you later!

Renata

The Group that discussed food security and nutrition policies in the regional & sub-regional context had many vital contributions for the FSN Forum, and this I felt would be good to put down here since these are bound to expand the FSN Forum role in public policy dialogue.

The following are main pointers for FSN Forum consideration and suitable action:

• Firstly, it was widely agreed that FSN Forum has a larger role to play in the pre-formulation and formulation stage, and a much smaller one in implementation and M&E.
• FSN Forum has always been a facilitator providing conducive ground for wholesome and intellectual discussion. This is very successful, but somehow the process stops once the discussion is analysed and summarised.
• For policy influence and impact, FSN Forum needs not just to have focussed discussion around hot topics / issues with its members (primarily scientific experts), but encourage dialogue among Govts / Donors / policy influencers and then bring the two groups together. This process will bring ownership and strong commitment from the policymaker side.
• Pre-analysis of food and nutrition policies can form valuable baseline for policy-level dialogue and a post analysis looking at policy impact as a result of FSN Forum discussion will address the evaluation need for FSN Forum.
• Connecting with other UN organisation, particularly those with children and women as focus - these are vulnerable population for nutrition, encouraging their participation and agenda in policy-level dialogue. Their endorsement on final summaries / policy document will add credibility and help showcase a wholesome deal for Govts.
• Publish FSN Forum and partner of stakeholder policy process as practice papers, and encourage partners to share widely. This is will encourage citations, and ease the recommendation process.
• Policy advocacy is a role FSN Forum can do because of the huge network
• Capacity strengthening for partners to push the policy agenda once the FSN Forum dialogue has yielded concrete output.
• Sharing of good practices / success stories /failures / etc. by getting in voices from around the world
• Connecting with country / regional / and other global networks working to address undernutrition through farming systems / agriculture route and sharing these networks with partners to help boost the effort toward policy agenda.
• to have media as a vital stakeholder in the policy process dialogue. We will need for policy advocacy and periodic propaganda. Besides, constant pressure from the media keeps the fire lit, and works for many regions to drive public opinion and parliamentary debate
• connect FAO country office / regional office staff with partners to better regional facilitation ‎and stronger policy impact

La définition des politiques pour la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle est d'un grand intéret, notamment pour l'Afrique subsaharienne qui regorge encore d'un taux de sous-alimentation et de malnutrition élevé. Le FSN Forum devra désormais influencer plus amplement le processus de gestion de la situation. En effet, le succès d'une politique pour la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle dépendra non seulement de la manière dont elle est mise en oeuvre, mais aussi et surtout de la manière dont elle est élaborée. Encore faudrait-il que le plus grand nombre des acteurs, notamment les décideurs, soient conscients de la nécessité d'une telle politique. D'où, l'importance du FSN Forum qui doit agir à 3 niveaux:

1) Susciter l'élaboration de ces politiques;

2) Veiller à l'élaboration de bonnes politiques;

3) Suivre la mise en oeuvre de ces politiques.

Au premier niveau, le FSN Forum devra travailler à obtenir une bonne motivation des acteurs, surtout les autorités politiques et décideurs, à lutter plus efficacement contre l'insécurité alimentaire. C'est de cette motivation que jaillira l'idée de politique. Le FSN Forum pourrait à cet effet emprunter la démarche que je qualifie de "démarche ICCE = Information, Connaissance, Croyance, Engagement". La démarche consistera donc à agir sur ces 4 éléments relatifs à la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle: porter la bonne information, améliorer la connaissance à ce sujet, convaincre de la petinence d'une politique et motiver à s'engager. La bonne communication a donc un role important à jouer à ce niveau.

Au 2e niveau, le FSN Forum devra aider à ce que les 2 phases de l'élaboration d'une bonne politique soient rigoureusement suivies: la pré-formulation (ou identification), la formulation (analyse de faisabilité et planification). Il sera nécessaire ici qu'aucune raison n'amène à escamoter aucune étape de ces 2 phases. Un appui en ressources financières et humaines pourrait donc etre nécessaire. Car, la qualité du document de politique qui sera obtenu dépend de la rigueur suivie dans la démarche. Aussi, le FSN Forum doit-il veiller à ce que le travail soit conduit par une équipe pluridisciplaire de personnes averties en la matière et le plus que possible dégagées spécialement pour cela. Car, il est à éviter que l'élaboration d'une politique soit gérée comme une activité accessoire. Une mutualisation des ressources humaines entre régions ou pays pourrait accroitre les chances de réussite des politiques élaborées. Car, le FSN Forum constitue déjà un réseau d'où l'on peut puiser des valeurs pour aider et appuyer au besoin, et l'expériences des uns doit servir pour la réussite des autres. 

Au 3e niveau, le FSN Forum travaillera à ce que les actions planifiées soient efficacement mises en oeuvre. Ceci suggère de veiller au respect de la planification établie et d'assurer des suivi-évaluations externes et des évaluations participatives à mi-parcours pour éviter que le pire ne soit observé très tardivement, c'est-à-dire que des mesures correctives nécessaires soient prises à temps. Ceci nécessiterait aussi des moyens humains et financiers que le FSN Forum pourrait aider à mobiliser.