FAO IN THE CARIBBEANHunger : More than a Bread and Butter Issue

FAO IN THE CARIBBEANFood Insecurity in the Caribbean:Governance, Policy Issues and Priorities

Table of Contents

1. Governance and Food and Nutrition Security(FNS)

2. Caribbean – Food and Nutrition Insecurity challenges

3. Achieving FNS – Programmatic Approaches

4. Policy and Governance issues for Increasing FNS

Food and Nutrition Insecurity as a Governance Issue

Importance of Governance

“ Good Governance is perhaps the single most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting development” Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, HDR, 2002

Importance of Governance

We are going to create conditions in which all people in our country can eat decently three times a day, every day, without needing gifts from anyone. Brazil cannot continue living with such inequality. We must defeat hunger, poverty and social exclusion. Our war is not to kill anyone – it is to save lives.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Inaugural address, January 1, 2003.

Governance

No universally accepted definition of “good/democratic governance” but broad agreement that the key components are:

A process of decision-making and implementation; it holds a meaning broader than “government”; it articulates how interests are accommodated and power is exercised in society; it includes formal and informal rules

The quality dimensions of governance include: accountability, participation, transparency and the respect of the rule of law.

Governance and Parliaments In 1995 the Inter-Parliamentary Union assembled

experts from various regions and disciplines to develop an international standard on democracy. Building on this work, the Universal Declaration on Democracy was adopted in 1997.

Democracy is based on two core principles: participation and accountability. Everyone has the right to participate in the management of public affairs. Likewise, everyone has the right to access information on government activities, to petition government and to seek redress through impartial administrative and judicial mechanisms.

Governance

Governance describes the institutions, rules, norms through which policies are developed and implemented and through which accountability is enforced. (UNESCO, 2009)

Governance and Food Security

A Right -- A Covenant – A Commitment• 1948 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25: 1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

• 1966: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 11: 1. – The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free consent.

• 2004: The FAO COUNCIL adopted the Right to Food Guidelines to support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security based on the International Covenant.

•2006 – Brazil: The Food Security and Nutrition Act – created SISAN & CONSEA, emphasizing synergies between the Ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture and Labour.

• 2007 – Colombia : National Food Security Policy - based on the ReSA Food Security Network Programme, promoted social and community participation and organization, institutionalizing food security and nutrition (civil society)

• 2009 - El Salvador: National Council on Food Security - founded in 2010, along with the formulation of the National Food Security and Nutrition Policy (a programme of comprehensive nutritional care at the community level, for expectant mothers, infants and children under the age of two).

• 2009 – Nicaragua: Law of Food Security, Nutrition and Food Sovereignty passed, and an inclusive fair trade market created.

Governance and Food SecurityNational Commitments

• 2005 – Latin America and the Caribbean Zero Hunger Programme; Salvador de Bahia Declaration (2008) – commitment by 33 countries in the region to the FAO Anti-Hunger Programme

• 2008 – Parliamentary Meeting on the Right to Food (Guatemala)

• 2009 – Parliamentary Zero Hunger Front (Panamá)

• 2010 – First Parliamentary Zero Hunger Forum (Brazil)

• 2010 – Food and Nutrition Security Policy (CARICOM countries)

• 2011 – Second Parliamentary Zero Hunger Forum (Bogota) • 2011 - Parliamentary Zero Hunger Front (Dominican Republic Chapter, 43 deputies and 6 senators). Strong participation in the fsn process.

Regional Commitments

Governance and Food Security

Food and Nutrition Insecurity in the Caribbean

Food Security : a technical

concept based on the needs of

the beneficiaries

Food Sovereignty :

A political concept that

implies that each nation define its

own policy

The Right to Food :

A legal concept based on human

rightsNutrition

Food Security : Concepts

“Food security, at the individual, household, national, regional and global levels, exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”

Grains, fruits, oils, meat, dairy products and vegetablesWorld Food Summit, Rome (1996)

Food Security – A Definition

CAUSES OF FOOD AND NUTRITION INSECURITY

Climate change /Resilience Policy

Greater impact and more frequent occurrence of natural disasters

Loss of assets and reduced productivity

Food Import PolicyEconomic Development

Policy

Reduced economic growth

Displacement of Local Products

Unemployment and lower incomes (from jobs and remittances)

Changes in the patterns of food

consumption

Food insecurity and undernutrition

Martínez R, 2009. ECLAC/WFP. Study on Food Security in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Food insecurity in the Caribbean

Food insecurity is about much more than agriculture and food

Some of the Big Issues:

Economic growth: Space left by decline of sugar and bananas

Food import bill: US$ 4 billion plus

Climate change and food supply

Nutrition and Food Demand Choices

Youth and rural development

Food insecurity in the Caribbean

Food insecurity is about much more than agriculture and food

Some of the Big questions:

Loss of Export Income Issue

Loss of domestic production base/import bill issue

Vulnerability/Instability issue – 2% GDP impact

Underrnutrition and Obesity issue

Rural area/agricultural sector demograpic issue

Annex 1: Value of banana and plantain exports from Caribbean Countries (US$) 2000-2012 (Figures below represent millions)

YEAR Belize Dominica Jamaica St. LuciaSt. Vincent &

The Grenadines Total2000 18.90 12.65 22.89 21.37 18.01 942001 21.40 8.47 18.27 33.25 13.11 952002 16.78 8.34 17.55 21.77 14.92 792003 26.28 5.90 18.85 15.88 3.41 702004 26.18 7.41 12.70 20.85 11.88 792005 21.35 7.14 4.69 15.40 10.24 592006 25.29 7.60 13.41 17.54 9.07 732007 20.74 5.23 9.22 14.91 9.25 592008 33.36 5.52 0.038 21.17 4.22 642009 33.35 4.76 0.024 23.07 3.97 652010 38.28 2.71 0.001 11.97 3.02 562011 31.68 0.37 0.062 4.66 0.35 372012 47.44 0.43 0.11 4.40 2.74 55

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 -

500,000,000

1,000,000,000

1,500,000,000

2,000,000,000

2,500,000,000

3,000,000,000

Trend of Total Food Imports by Year – Selected Countries CARICOM

CARICOM MDCs LDCs

PREVALENCE OF UNDERNOURISHMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN (percentage)

1990-19922000-20022010-2012

Caribbean 28.5 21.8 17.8Antigua and Barbuda 18.5 43.6 20.5Bahamas (the) 11.3 6.3 7.2Barbados < 5 < 5 < 5Belize 9.2 7.2 6.8Cuba 11.5 < 5 < 5Dominica < 5 < 5 < 5Dominican Republic (the) 30.4 21.9 15.4Grenada 17.3 29.0 17.9Guyana 19.7 8.0 5.1Haiti 63.5 54.8 44.5Jamaica 9.0 6.7 8.7Netherlands Antilles 9.8 < 5 < 5Saint Kitts and Nevis 15.8 18.9 14.0Saint Lucia 11.9 11.8 14.6Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 19.2 10.6 < 5Trinidad and Tobago 13.6 13.5 9.3Suriname 17.7 18.0 11.4

(Percentage)10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Antigua and Barbuda

Bahamas (the)

Barbados

Belize

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic (the)

Grenada

Guyana

Haiti

Jamaica

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

Suriname

Caribbean

1990-1992 2000-2002 2010-2012

Highest Female (15yr+) Overwt/Obesity in the world (WHO 2011)

Rank Country %

1 Nauru 82

2 Tonga 81

3 Micronesia

79

4 Cook Is. 73

5 Samoa 72

6 Niue 70

7 Kuwait 67

Rank Country %

8 Barbados 63

9 Palau 62

10 Trinidad 61

11 Dominica 60

12 Egypt 59

13 USA 55

14 Jamaica 53

Prevalence of Overwt / Obesity in the Caribbean in > 30 years old

23

16

25

7 8

2016 15 14 12 11 10 10

1

5755 54

4643

3430 29 27

25 24 23 2219

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Bar

bado

s

Trin

idad

and

Tob

ago

Dom

inic

a

Jam

aica

Sai

nt L

ucia

Bah

amas

Sai

nt K

itts

and

Nev

is

Ant

igua

and

Bar

buda

Gre

nada

Sai

nt V

ince

nt a

nd th

eG

rena

dine

s Bel

ize

Sur

inam

e

Guy

ana

Hai

ti

Pre

vale

nce

of O

besi

ty

Males

Females

Source: WHO Global Infobase 2011

Average value of food production in the Caribbean($ per capita)

100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Antigua and Barbuda

Bahamas (the)

Barbados

Belize

Cuba

Dominica

Dominican Republic (the)

Grenada

Guyana

Haiti

Jamaica

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Trinidad and Tobago

Suriname

1990-1992 2000-2002 2008-2010

Consequence of hunger and malnutrition

• Reduced capacity to learn Reduced physical activity

• Poor resistance to diseases• Low educational

achievements• School desertion• Low productivity and family

incomes• Negative impact on

community and national development

Achieving Food and Nutrition Security

Governance and Food Security

4 Pillars - Availability, Access, Stability and Utilization

2 Tracks – Twin Track Approach

5 Principles

AVAILABILITY

ACCESS

STABILITY

UTILIZATION

I II III IV

1980s 1990s 2000s 20141970s

Domestic production

(GR-HYV)

Capacity to import

Reserves

Food aid

Income per capita and income distribution

Access to assets

Markets and infrastructure

Climate change

Policy changes (WTO/SAP)

Security and political stability

Food safety

Access to health care

and sanitation services

Proper nutritional practices

The Four Pillars of Food Security

Track 1: Rural development and productivity enhancement

Availability Access Stability Utilization

Improving productivity and production capacity, esp. of small-scale farmers

Investing in rural markets and infrastructure

Enhancing urban food supplies

Improving the functioning of input and output markets

Promoting income-earning opportunities

Enhancing access to assets

Facilitating the creation of rural non-farm enterprises

Improving the functioning of rural financial systems and labour markets

Improving transition and sequencing of emergency rehabilitation-development efforts

Facilitating diversification

Reducing production variability (irrigation, water harvesting, pest control, etc.)

Monitoring production and consumption short falls

Improving access to credit and saving services

Food handling and storage infrastructure

Food safety regulations and institutions

Safe drinking water and sanitation

Improved Food Choices

The Twin Track Approach -- Track 1

Track 2: Direct and immediate access to food

Availability Access Stability Utilization

Food aid

Market information

Transport and communication

School meals

Food for work programmes

Cash transfers

Community and extended family structures

Emergency food relief

Safety nets/Social Protection systems

Nutrition interventions and education programmes

The Twin Track Approach – Track 2

Five Rome Principles for Sustainable Global Food Security

(Adopted by the World Summit on Food Security in November 2009)

Principle 1Invest in country-owned plans, channelling resources to well- designed and results-based programmes and partnerships. Principle 2Foster strategic coordination at national, regional and global level to improve governance, promote better allocation of resources, avoid duplication of efforts and identify response-gaps.Principle 3Strive for a comprehensive twin-track approach to food security. Principle 4Ensure a strong role for the multilateral systems by sustained improvements in efficiency, responsiveness, coordination and effectiveness of multilateral institutions.Principle 5Ensure sustained and substantial commitment by all partners to investment in food security, with necessary resources in a timely and reliable fashion, across multi-year plans and programmes.

The United Nations Secretary-General encourages all partners to scale up their efforts to turn the vision of an end to hunger into reality.

The United Nations ZeroHunger Challenge

Grow Share Protect

Policy and Governance Issues for Increasing FNS in the Caribbean

Caribbean agricultural and food security policy

Five Pillars

1. Food and Nutrition Security

2. Production (trade) value chains

3. Sustainable development of natural resources

4. Rural modernization and youth programmes

5. Agricultural knowledge and information system

THE FOUR OBJECTIVES OF THE CARICOM FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION POLICY

1. Food availability – production, commercialization, safety and quality

2. Food access – vulnerable, affordable3. Food utilization/ nutritional adequacy

– nutrition status and NCDs4. Stability of food supply – natural and

socioeconomic crises

ZHC – FAO Caribbean1.Economic expansion and diversification of the

agricultural sector – increase domestic agricultural production

2. Improvements in the nutrition and health status of the population - FBDGs

3. Expansion in the social protection system and improvements in the management and efficiency of its operations -- SMP

4. Expansion of pro-poor employment and income generating opportunities – Demand/Youth Capacity

5. Good governance and management of hunger and poverty programmes – greater transparency and accountability in the delivery of public services

Policy Issues

•Food Policy and Health Policy

•Import Policy and Local Production Policy

•Land Use Policy and Inclusion Policy

Good governance for food securityClear,

participatory and responsive

planning, decision-making

and implementation across the four food security

pillarsEfficient, effective,

transparent and accountable institutions

Respect for the rule of law

Equality and fairness in

managing and allocating

resources and in service delivery

Coherent and coordinated

policies, institutions

and actions.

Improved Governance in Practice – what is needed ?

-a need for new  public policy platforms based on shared visioning and inclusive governance

-more proactive state and citizen participation and partnerships  

-new development approaches, new collaborations based on and capitalizing existing best practices to accelerate re-shaping  future Caribbean

- Parliamentarians cooperating and collaborating nationally, regionally and globally to achieve national and local goals.

FAO stands ready to be a Partner in this Process

More decentralized

More participatory

More responsive and results

driven

Final Message

“I am a Parliamentarian myself, I have always been one. I think that a Minister is entitled to disregard expert advice. What he is not entitled to do is to pretend that he is acting upon it, when, in fact he is acting contrary to it.”

Sir Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister, House of Commons, May 7th 1947

Thanks for your attention

Let’s work together and improve governance at all levels