david nabarro. grupo de alto nivel para la crisis mundial de alimentos de naciones unidas

8/3/2019 DAVID NABARRO. Grupo de Alto Nivel para la Crisis Mundial de Alimentos de Naciones Unidas.

1/5

Food security and access to resources partnering with farmers

by Dr. David Nabarro, Special Representative of the UNSG on Food Security and

Nutrition, Coordinator of the UNSG High Level Task Force on Global Food

Security

1 Good morning everybody. I am delighted by the theme you chose for your

conference: Family farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth It

emphasizes some key and wellconnected aspects of challenges for food and

nutrition security. The core question for all of us is how to increase availability of

food in ways that enable peoplecentered food systems to be resilient to current

climate and ecological shocks. You are focusing on what needs to be done

intensify agriculture and boost food production in a sustainable way and how to

do it farmercentered partnerships with smallholderfarmers, womenfarmers

and young farmers at the forefront.

2 Since 2008 I have seen a growing movement for smallholder or family

farming at the heart of efforts to ensure food and nutrition security for all.

This movement is built on multiple interconnections and partnerships andinvolves an ever increasing number of stakeholders.

It analyses the causes of food and nutrition insecurity from a perspective ofpeoples right to food, and works through multiple linkages with a range of

agendas. These include the management of ecosystems, sustainable use of

scarce natural resources, respect for the land, adaptation to changing

climates, functioning markets and fairer trading systems at local, national

and international levels, and robust systems for social protection and

empowerment.

The movement puts people their food and nutrition security at thecentre of all our actions.

Those within the movement are untied in their belief that smallholderfarmers, smallscale food processors and local agribusiness are at the heart

of the solution to food insecurity.


2/5

The movement is committed to catalyzing concerted and focused action bygovernments, international and regional organizations, civil society,

farmers organizations, research institutions, the private sector,

communities and individuals.

It has been referred to by some as "The Global Partnership for Agriculture,Food Security and Nutrition".

3 I have watched the evolution of this movement during the last three years.

In 2008 I was appointed coordinator of the UN system's High Level Task Force on

Food Security. Chaired by the SecretaryGeneral Ban Kimoon and with Director

General of FAO as Vice Chair, this mechanism brings together 22 UN agencies and

multilateral bodies. They work under one overarching strategy the

Comprehensive Framework for Action. This was first developed in 2008 and wasupdated in the light of experience in 2010.

5 This Comprehensive Framework has been our common point of departure

within the UN system. This Framework helps different members of the Task Force

to work in synergy as they contribute to food and nutrition security. It helps them

respond to the immediate needs of hungry people and support longterm efforts.

It helps them anchor their individual mandates into a wider framework for action.

Our Framework for Action looks at farmers as positive agents of change and key

contributors in ensuring food and nutrition security for all, poverty reduction andoverall sustainable growth.

6 Through the CFA we contribute to the wider movement on food and

nutrition security.

The CFA is the basis for our participation in the reformed Committee onWorld Food Security (CFS) with its its High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE):

the CFS is developing a Global Strategic Framework which will be endorsed

by its membership and become the overarching strategic guidancemechanism for us all.

The CFA was the basis for the UN systems involvement in the G8 LAquilaFood Security Initiative (AFSI) and the Global Agriculture and Food Security

Programme (GAFSP).


3/5

The comprehensive approach to food security is also at the heart of thecountryled Scale Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement.

The comprehensive approach and the importance of partnerships based onsustainable smallholder agriculture is at the core of the World EconomicForum (WEF) New Vision for Agriculture.

We have seen similar emphases in regional initiatives like theComprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and

many national investment strategies for food security.

7 What are the common characteristics of these many initiatives? What do

we learn from our participation to wider food and nutrition movement? What dowe hear from farmers organizations as we want to strengthen wider food

security partnerships?

8 I will highlight three features that seem to recur regularly when farmers,

governments and other stakeholders consider how they want to advance their

efforts for sustainable smallholder agriculture. Access to Land and Water are at

the centre of discussions: they are central in food security debates. Smallscale

food producers cannot contribute fully in response to todays food security

challenges unless they have predictable access to land, water and other essentialassets.

7 First: Food and nutrition security has four dimensions: availability, access,

utilization and stability. Access to land/water and security of tenure by farmers,

indigenous peoples, pastoralists, traditional fisherfolks and other vulnerable

groups is relevant to all dimensions of food security. In my interactions with

different stakeholders including with farmers organizations such as ROPPA,

AFA, SACAU, PAFFO, COPROFAM the importance of these linkages has

consistently been emphasized. Security of tenure contributes to food availability. It serves as an incentive

for farmers to mount a response when food supplies are insufficient. It

enables them to make risky investments.


4/5

Access to land including the commons also improves food accessibilityas it functions as a safety net in times of crisis or when prices are more

volatile.

In addition, land security can improve agrobiodiversity and be used toproduce food needed for a nutritious diet and can thus enhance nutrition contributing to better utilization of food.

Stability of food production by smallscale producers will also depend onthe way ecosystems are managed and access to natural resources is

governed including their tenure. The Voluntary Guidelines for

Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests to be

negotiated in forthcoming days will support better tenure governance as

irreplaceable ingredient in the food equation.

8 Second: as nations reinvest in agriculture and food security, they depend on

the full, free, active and meaningful participation by smallholders in policy making

and implementation.

Policies need to respond to the specific food and environmental productionpotential of family farming as some countries have started to do. Indeed

as we talk in Nicaragua the Central American Agriculture Council (CAC) is

holding a regional meeting to help design and implement family farmingpolicies in the region.

Meaningful participation by women, young people, fisher folks, indigenousand forest peoples is crucial. Their involvement is invaluable as the policies

affect their livelihoods, and they are critical contributors to food and

nutrition security, healthy ecosystems and communities that can sustain

resilient livelihoods.

They need to be enabled to communicate their concerns (including accessto land and water) and to be sure that they are understood and taken into

account in policymaking.


5/5

They need special attention if they are to be able to influence policydecisions that are made. Their organizations and traditional institutions

need to be strengthened.

9 Third: States have the primary responsibility for ensuring food and nutritionsecurity and access to resources. Governments are in the driving seat in the

development of policies. Increasingly they are expected to do this in an inclusive

way with participation of a multiplicity of actors. Sometimes they need help to do

this.

Initiatives to encourage partnerships around family farming as your FamilyFarming Campaign aims to do will help shape the principles of policy

making and implementation at global and local level.

Your campaign will buttress action and mobilize different forces toencourage progress. As you translate principles into action and expedite

implementation at country level, inclusive partnerships will help build and

maintain momentum.

As your Campaign moves ahead and advocates for an UN International Yearof Family Farming it will grow and become ever more wideranging. Your

success will depend on the inclusiveness, depth and breadth of the

partnerships you are able to catalyze.

10 In conclusion, having farmers are the centre is the only way to go.

Partnering with farmers and agricultural labourers, rural women and vulnerable is

key. Their interests must be at the centre of policymaking and implementation.

This means hearing their concerns and aspirations as they contribute to the goal

of universal access to sufficient and nutritious food in a sustainable environment.

This is the goal of smallholder farmers and their organizations. It is the

objective of the High Level Task Force, chaired by the United Nations Secretary

General. That is why I am delighted to be sharing my thoughts with you today. Ilook forward to hearing to the results of your discussions. Thanks for the

opportunity to be with you. I wish you a fruitful continuation of your meeting and

a successful Campaign.

david nabarro. grupo de alto nivel para la crisis mundial de alimentos de naciones unidas

Documents