prof dr. claudia sanchez bajo, ph.d university of winnipeg
TRANSCRIPT
*
* Commonly, the concept of food security is defined as including both physical and economic access to food that meets people's dietary needs as well as their food preferences. In many countries, health problems related to dietary excess are an ever increasing threat, In fact, malnutrion and foodborne diarrhea are become double burden.
* Food security is built on three pillars:
1. Food availability: sufficient quantities of food available on a consistent basis.
2. Food access: having sufficient resources to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet.
3. Food use: appropriate use based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care, as well as adequate water and sanitation.
* Source: http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story028/en/
Food security exists “when all
people at all times have
access to sufficient, safe,
nutritious food to maintain a
healthy and active life,” a
definition from the World
Food Summit in 1996
Food Security in the Current Context
*MDGs had limited success by 2015 against global poverty, including the lack of food security that would help to halve poverty and hunger (MDG1) (Kokotsis, 2011)
*Volatile prices of agricultural commodities (both staple food and representing a significant share of GDP and the largest employer in many LDCs) are the norm in liberalized global commodity markets. (Supachai Panitchpakdi, 2009)
* In 2007 and 2008, volatility prices led to food crises, one of the key factors behind the ‘Arab Spring’. Food insecurity breeds unrest and conflict. (Lagi et al., 2011)
*For all the above reasons, to which rising energy prices, demand for biofuels, climate change, market speculation, changes in dietary patterns, and under-investment in the agricultural sector can be added (McGill 2013), international agriculture agreements are crucial to a country's security at large.
* It is now clear that food security is not a single issue but a complex one needing a comprehensive approach. Community resilience related to food security comes to the fore.
“The price hike in a number of commodities put a heavy burden
on many developing countries that rely on imports of food and
energy commodities, and contributed to food crises in numerous
countries in 2007-2008.
The high cost in terms of human suffering dictates the urgency
of taking action to ensure food security… Since the second half
of 2008, prices have again been falling, which threatens to
jeopardize the development agenda of many exporting
developing countries that are normally dependent on one or two
primary commodities for income.
History shows that periods of high and low price fluctuations are
typical occurrences in commodity markets, whether the long-
term trend is upwards or downwards. “
Source: Statements by Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-
General of UNCTAD (2008-2009), Multi-Year Expert Meeting on
Commodities and Development, Geneva, 6 April 2009
Food security has had an impact at the Doha Round of international trade
negotiations and led to the creation of a specific UN Committee: Concern
about food security has led a group of World Trade Organization (WTO)
member states to recommend that current negotiations on agricultural
agreements allow developing countries to re-evaluate and raise tariffs on key
products to protect national food security and employment. They argue that
WTO agreements, by pushing for the liberalization of crucial markets, are
threatening the food security of whole communities.
The UN has set a High Level Task Force, an international and
intergovernmental platform: the Committee on World Food Security (CFS),
for reviewing policies concerning world food. It is the most inclusive
international and intergovernmental platform for all relevant stakeholders to
work together to ensure food security and nutrition (http://un-
foodsecurity.org/)
This High Level Task Force has produced many documents calling the attention
to the significance and critical role that cooperatives play in food security:
nodes 1366, 1284, 1249, 1341, see Chambo 2009 on Africa, etc.
Cooperatives are not mentioned in McGIll 2013 Conference on Food Security
But the first three priorities recognize that empowerment of small-scale farmers,
cooperation, aggregation and sustainability are key to the solution.
This becomes clear when looking at those working on the terrain: small scale and
family farmers and women, seen in next slides.
“7. Key Messages
Empowering small - scale farmers to address food insecurity can be a complex and
challenging task which requires leadership and cooperation across a wide range of
partners;
there are 500 million smallholder farms, which account for one third of all
humanity if immediate families are included. Smallholder farmers account for 60% of
global agriculture and 80% in developing countries; they also account for half the
world’s undernourished people, and the majority of those living in absolute poverty;
The growth in demand for food, coupled with expanding markets and breakthrough
technology, can be seen as an opportunity for farmers – particularly smallholders
with their currently very low yields and low technology adoption rates. Farmer
empowerment at a large scale requires technologies for sustainable productivity
growth, innovative ideas, social entrepreneurship and methods of aggregation.”
(Source: McGill Conference 2013, Proceedings)
If we look at the UN Comprehensive Framework for Action, 2011, page 12,
cooperatives are not mentioned but they are the most important business model,
both as enterprise and as organization, responding to small farmers needs and
aspirations. Obviously, they are not and should not be the only one.
“SSUES TO BE HIGHLIGHTED
Smallholders, particularly women, at the center of actions
Increased focus on resilience of household livelihoods
More and better investments
Open and well-functioning markets and trade
PROCESS
Multistakeholder and multisectoral partnerships
Sustained political commitment and good governance
Country leadership with regional support
Accountability for results”
Source: http://un-foodsecurity.org/sites/default/files/SUMMARY_UCFA_EN.pdf
*
* Those who appear to
support cooperatives, when
not coming from within the
cooperative movement or a
social movement, must sign
a public document that they
do not intent now or ever
control the cooperative
business or buy the
member’s land.
*Cooperatives have their own standards, as included in the ILO Recommendation 193
*They must be autonomous from other entities and governments
*But can establish partnerships with others
* In multi-stakeholder coops, one stakeholder can be the local government
In 2012, the UN High Level Task Force did acknowledge cooperatives role in
Food and Nutrition Security, page 2, that had three points on:
1) Governments
2) Stakeholders
3) Social protection schemes
On point 2) « Success also depends on all stakeholders – especially the least
resilient – being able to influence the policy choices that affect their
livelihoods. To this end, it is important to strengthen the capacities of
producer organizations (including cooperatives) and increase their access to
markets and services. “
On point 3) cooperatives and credit unions have been a key factor in
overcoming poverty in Germany, Quebec, etc. This point has not been
considered by the UN.
Source: http://un-
foodsecurity.org/sites/default/files/HLTFSustainableAgricultureFoodSystems.
Observing the regions with least hunger in the world, and the second
map with the most important agricultural cooperatives in the world,
We can hypothesize that cooperatives form part of systems that are
least related to hunger (except in the case of India)
Map agricultural coops at the International
Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec, 2012
(1) Agricultural cooperatives
“provide small-scale food producers with what may be their best chance to compete in
global markets”
“ cooperatives can help small- and medium-scale farmers and fishermen add value to
their production and gain access to wider markets.”
“Cooperatives follow core values and principles that are critical to doing business in an
equitable manner, that seeks to empower and benefits its members and the community it
is inserted in”.
“Specially relevant in poor rural communities, where joining forces is central to
promoting sustainable local development”.
“Whether in the UK, Brazil, Kenya, Thailand, or Nepal, cooperatives help to generate
employment, boost national economies and reduce poverty. This, in turn, helps to
improve food security.”
The FAO is “committed to fostering the growth of agricultural cooperatives around the
world… to develop approaches, guidelines, methodologies and training tools on
organizational development and policy.”
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Director-General, (2012)
(2) Cooperatives also:
Provide credit and insurance, and mutual guarantees
Recreate an entire chain of production and distribution, as Ardelaine
Allow farmers to become primer exporters, as in Holambra in Brazil and Amul with the
milk in India.
Cooperatives promote gender equity in rural areas, as in argan oil women cooperatives in
Morocco.
Are marketing tools that with time can turn into power houses if well managed and
counting with strong members’ control.
Provide with a business model that is sustainable and resilient to crises.
Note however that not all cooperatives may have the same values concerning the
environment, some take a position for fertilizers and pesticides, others for organic
farming and clean energy sources. Some are subsidized (in the North) while others are
not (in the South). Some look to liberalization policies, others support local products and
purchasing.
Ardelaine in France
recreating a wool chain where wool had no
value
Rebuilding the local economy:
Today with museums, a publishing house, a
social integration enterprise in the urban
area, tourism, a restaurant with local food…
Video in French, at the reception of an award
From Credit Cooperatif
http://vimeo.com/49999103
In rural Morocco, argan oil women cooperatives
are changing gender roles and rights:
“Women have traditionally not gone out to work, but the soaring
demand for Argan oil has changed that.
Dozens of cooperatives across the south west of the country now
produce the profitable oil which is used in cooking and cosmetics,
and it has made many women there the main breadwinners at
home.
Their success is encouraging other women to set up businesses of
their own. Simon Atkinson reports.”
See BBC video at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16460127
The story of AMUL dairy cooperative in India
Founded by Dr. Verghese Kurien in 1946 in Gujarat, India
Amul started the “white revolution,” that has led India to be
one of the largest milk producer in the world, collecting
milks from 15 million farmers every day from 144,246 village
cooperative societies in India. In April 2013, from the sales
turnover report shows that Amul is about US $3.7 billion1.
1 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com last access on 21 May
2013
“Operation Flood”(OF) 1970-1996, Amul made possible for dairy farmers to own
and operate milk production in urban areas of India:
1. Improved their financial well-being
2. Contributed to the improvement of the infrastructure of rural areas that
were involved .
3. The success of the Operation Flood management model led to its application
to other commodities, like fruits and vegetables.
By cutting out the need for middlemen in procuring and selling milk:
1. the Amul cooperatives reduce seasonal price variations
2. farmers to enjoy the results of their labor instead of surrendering most of
the profit to corrupt and exploitative middlemen.
3. Became a pro-poor program that made the distribution of incremental
income from milk among rural milk-producing households more equitable.
Women:
Have special incentives to encourage participation of women in governance of
the cooperatives.
In Holland, FloraHolland is the world’s largest auction organization (video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slf_XNroXS8) , owned by the 5.000
growers of the co-operative, who determine the direction of the
company. Members come together twice a year during the General
Members’ Meeting (ALV).
In Sao Paulo, Brazil, there is an internationally recognized floral
cooperative. The flower sector has seen rapid growth within the last ten
years, with an estimated market value of two billion dollars in the case
of Veiling Holambra‘.
Three Dutch immigrant families started Veiling Holambra as a dairy farm
cooperative in 1948, but did not have much luck in this field. Soon they
began raising flowers. By 1989 Veiling Flores e Plantas was the name
given to this flower cooperative.
In Brazil too, the electronic on site auction is an incredible system that
allows for transparent free pricing : See video in English
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDI2DDwDJ3s
Veiling Holambra and FloraHolland: the power of
innovation and cooperation
Cooperatives thrive
1. where they work in networks,
2. hey have support organizations that share resources (knowledge,
training, research, insurance and mutual guarantees, etc) creating a
system of cross-checks and balances, and last but not least,
3. there is constant education and training, with transparent flows of
information that allows for active participation of members in the
governance of their cooperative , cooperative network, consortia or
group.
4. building multi-stakeholder governance to revive the local economy.
5. There is a clear legal framework that allows for a learning process to
build trust and accountability, avoiding misuse of the business model.
6. Cooperatives have specific governance challenges that need careful
thought and support, as they must be democratic, accountable and
dynamic with a long term vision.
Association of Family Farmers
AFA local members are either a cooperative, association or non-formal group
or cluster of farmers.
Members are of different stage of development – survival stage (advocacy to
secure entitlement of land they till, making the land productive to ensure HH
food security), productivity (SA, productivity enhancement: farm
diversification) and growth stage (they engage in enterprise and participate
in specific industry value chain).
Local member-organizations already in the growth stage – directly engage in
enterprise
training on enterprise and business planning, seed production
technology, biological pesticides. Examples: Indonesia, Philippines
Cooperative in Mindoro (Philippines) doing processing of calamansi to
add value to raw calamansi and seaweeds to optimize profits of farmers and
the cooperative as well.
Processing of paddy rice into milled rice by the Cooperative in API
Members in Indonesia and PAKISAMA in the Philippines
*
*Small scale farmers’
cooperative engaged in
sustainable agriculture
production, processing, and
marketing & distribution
* Local cooperatives extended
technical training support and
production loan/credit to support
members for their production
requirements (capital and inputs)
* Establish processing facilities to add
value to farm produce and sell as
processed product (Mindoro,
PAKISAMA Member)
* Source: AFA, Assoc. of family farmers
*
*Served as consolidators of
farmers’ produce and directly
link to market/marketing
organization who distributed
goods to institutional,
industrial and retail markets
e.g. case of Pecuaria
(Philippines) and Boyolali
(Indonesia)
*Farmers’ group/association
initiated to organize “Savings
and credit group” which
facilitated savings for
emergency needs, building-up
own capital for future
investment opportunities/plan
*Developed Tools for
cooperative
*Source: Idem
Bibliography
Chambo, S A (2009) Agricultural Co-operatives: Role in Food Security and Rural Development, Moshi
University College of Co-operative and Business Studies, Moshi, Tanzania,
https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/egms/docs/2009/cooperatives/Chambo.pdf
Kokotsis (2011) Priorities for Cooperative Action: What the G20 can do for Food Security and Agricultural
Development, G8 and G20 Research Group, Enhancing Development Effectiveness through New Partnerships
ILO R193 - Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (No. 193)
http://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:R193
Lagi,M., Bertrand, K. and Bar-Yam, Y (2011) The Food Crises and Political Instability in North Africa and the
Middle East New England Complex Systems Institute , Cambridge,
http://necsi.edu/research/social/food_crises.pdf
McGill (2013) Conference on Food Security 2013, http://www.mcgill.ca/globalfoodsecurity/
McGill (2013) Conference on Food Security 2013, Proceedings,
http://www.mcgill.ca/globalfoodsecurity/sites/mcgill.ca.globalfoodsecurity/files/mcgill_global_food_securit
y_conference_proceedings_2013.pdf
UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Director-General, (2012) José Graziano da Silva on Agricultural
cooperatives can help end global hunger, says UN food agency, 2 November 2012, http://www.un-
foodsecurity.org/node/1366
UN Global Food Security, 2012, Food and Nutrition Security for All through Sustainable Agriculture and Food
Systems, Note from the United Nations System High Level Task Force on Global Food Security, March,
http://un-foodsecurity.org/sites/default/files/HLTFSustainableAgricultureFoodSystems.pdf
WHO definition of Food Security at http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story028/en/