Food security on the global agenda

Transcription

1 1 Foredrag Fiskerifaglig forum, 18. sept 2012 Utviklingsminister Heikki Holmås Food security on the global agenda The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. However, 15 years later, in 2010, the world reached for the first time, a billion people that did not have enough food to secure their most basic needs. Let me clear on this: This is a serious violation on human rights and is completely unacceptable. The reasons for this intolerable situation are of course many and complex. There is no quick fix. Let me mention low food crop productivity, poor access to markets, changing of food habits, high oil prices, limited rights for women and farmers, speculation in the food commodity market and climate changes. And the list of reasons for this unbearable situation does not end here. On top of this the world got a serious wakeup call in At the same time as the financial crises unfolded, food prices peaked to all time high. Record prices on the most basic food commodities such as wheat, maize and rice triggered food related riots and conflicts many places in the world. Since then, the food prices have continued to be higher and more unstable than we were used to before The new situation in terms of high and unstable food prices is being actualized just now. This is due to continued worsening of cereal crop prospects over the past two months. FAO reports on unfavorable weather conditions in a number of major producing regions such as the United States and the countries surrounding the Black Sea. This has led to a sharp cut in FAO s world production forecast. And we see the result in the FAO Food Price Index with food commodity prices tangent to the ones in RIO+20 When the world met at the Rio+20, in June, the global critical food situation was part of forming the stage. Food security was high up on the agenda, and was addressed and outlined in the formal outcome of the conference The Future We Want. The Rio+20 was a historic opportunity to define pathways to a sustainable future for mankind. Even though the formal result from the conference was to some extent meager, there were still some interesting turns and results. With reference to the challenges the world faces on food security, let me mention three interesting outcomes from the Rio +20: 1) ZERO Hunger

2 2 The UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon launched a new initiative at the Rio+20: the Zero Hunger Challenge. Ban Ki-Moon called on leaders, business and civil society to step up efforts to end hunger. With a reference to the 1 billion people that still go to bed hungry each day he put food security as a top priority on the UN agenda. The United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon stated the grim fact: "We can't rest while so many people are hungry in the world while there is enough food for all," and "Somehow this food is not distributed equally or fairly. Some people are living in prosperity while marginalised people are hungry. We know this has to change." The initiative aims to make sure that everyone in the world has access to enough nutritious food all year round. There is no doubt that the benefits are plenty ending hunger will contribute to peace and stability; poverty reduction; and better nutrition for all. Ban Ki-moon continued by praising the previous efforts of the Brazilian government to reduce poverty and hunger through its Fome Zero programme, launched in The initiative has lifted millions of people out of poverty by supporting local farmers and community kitchens and introducing social welfare policies such as the Bolsa Familia scheme. This is the proof that societies can reduce hunger using local food and a powerful combination of civil society action and strong political leadership. Brazil has shown the world that there is a way out of hunger. What gives further hope, is that the man who designed the Brazilian programme, Graziano da Silva, is now director general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN. In my talks with Graziano in August we agreed that food security is priority number one for the FAO. It is also good news that the three Rome based multilateral organizations, the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the FAO is now cooperating better to combat hunger and to work for food security. All of these three organizations along with, Unicef, the World Bank and Bioversity International is supporting the UN Zero Hunger campaign. At the launch of the Zero Hunger initiative, Mahamadou Issoufou, the president of Niger, which is experiencing severe drought and facing food shortages, said the problems and challenges his country faces is many and complex. But he emphasized that we should, as the Chinese proverb says, not give the people fish, but rather teach them how to fish." I will come back to this point later in my speech. 2) Fish is food Without doubt, food security is a global top priority. To meet this goal of ending hunger in the world, all good forces must unite. All food sources must be utilized. In a sustainable manner. Let me now state the obvious fact for you sitting in this room: Fish and sustainable management of our oceans are part of the solution on how to end hunger and malnutrition.

3 3 This fact was properly addressed at the Rio+20 and clearly linked our oceans and fish with food security and nutrition. On the simple fact that fish is food, I dare to say that the world reached a new awareness at Rio+20. That fish is a healthy and crucial part of a nutritious diet for as many as 1 billion people. An awareness in that our oceans are vital food baskets that need to be secured for future generations. This awareness materialized in text where fish is clearly linked with food security in the approved outcome document for Rio+20, entitled The Future We Want. A happening that underlines this important point is the initiative the Global Partnerships for Oceans. 3) Global Partnerships for Oceans This was launched by the World Bank at a side event under the Rio+20. The latest report tells that more than 100 governments, international organizations, civil society groups, and private sector interests have committed to address the threats to the health, productivity and resilience of the world s oceans. In my speech at the side event when this partnership initiative was launched I emphasized three things: 1) We use the oceans as our litter bin. Around 80 per cent of marine pollution is caused by land-based activities. We must therefore address this on-shore. It is critical that this initiative enforces UNEPs already on-going Global Program of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA). Particularly focusing on reversing the continued trend of increased marine litter, wastewater/sewage and nutrient pollution. 2) Our oceans are the largest unexplored territory on Earth. We know way too little about marine space and environment. And that there is large knowledge gaps in our understanding of the interplay between oceans and climate. 3) Responsible harvesting of the oceans is threatened by overfishing. This has great impact on the income and future access to food resources in developing countries. Global Partnerships for Oceans should therefore support regional cooperation between interested Governments and civil society to promote responsible fisheries. And as you all know, to overcome the problem of overfishing it is an absolute necessity to combat Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing (IUU) and fisheries crime. IUU continues to deplete fish stocks, deprive states of natural resources and income, and undermine livelihoods of coastal communities. I had also the pleasure of announcing that Norway will support this initiative, Global Partnerships for Oceans, with USD 2 million in its initial year.

4 4 Our ambition with regard to this Program is to actively engage in the outline process. We have a close and constructive dialogue with the World Bank on these matters. The program will build on three pillars; fisheries, pollution and biodiversity/habitat. I am confident that this program has the prospect to fill an important role in the future work to manage and protect our Oceans. It is crucial though, that the program develops within existing framework with regards to international law and organisations. In our dialogue with the World Bank we/i will stress that an important success factor is that the program is wary of the mandate of other organizations, draw, build on and enforce their work, and to avoid overlap and unhealthy competition. I will also underline the importance that this program should draw on valuable Norwegian expertise and experience on how to develop relevant management in developing countries. Norwegian development Cause as all of you here are well familiar with, Norway has a longstanding cooperation with developing countries in the fisheries sector. Already in 1952, at a time when Norway still received Marshall Aid from the US, Norway was the first country, apart from the US and previous colonial powers, to provide funds for development cooperation. This was a cooperation with India about fisheries development in Kerala. Lots have been said about the outcome of this project. But as with everything that you do for the first time, there is plenty to learn. I will say that we have come a long way since this first attempt. And the best example on the willingness to learn is the well-known Nansen Programme. Or also officially: Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management Nansen Project. From 1975 until today, Norway has assisted more than 65 countries with partly mapping of resources, partly resources management and competence building in fisheries management. The programme is managed by FAO and FAO listed this project as one of its success stories in I am confident that the Nansen project will continue to learn and change as new knowledge is developed. Because, as in this project as with everything else we do, the importance of listening to the recipient countries is a growing necessity and demand. No one wants to go back to the days were developing countries more or less were told what to do. With reference to this, we see now that the development assistance has changed over the years. Firstly, our focus changed from technology transfer directly to the productive sector to technical assistance in sustainable fisheries management. Today, the focus are now in line with the Chinese proverb that was quoted by the President of Niger in relation to the launching of the Zero Hunger; Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

5 5 This means that the main model used by Norway for technical assistance and cooperation with developing countries is institutional cooperation, where Norwegian institutions enter into cooperation with their sister institutions in the developing countries. Three years ago we had an Evaluation of Norwegian Development Co-operation in the Fisheries Sector, which was very positive to this approach. Most importantly this type of assistance secures recipient ownership. This means that Norwegian institutions involved have the same mandate in Norway, that is, as the institutions they cooperate with. Their input is thus directly relevant. As the same institutions - and the same people are working together over a number of years, personal trust and confidence develops as well. This approach gives the invaluable feeling of mastering, of a strengthened self-confidence. I think this is an important point the advisers have an important role in proposing, suggesting and supporting, but should not take over as the doers. Future work in fish related development work So, what now: The world needs more food. BUT - we must also be conscious that another main reason for people starving is a consequence of a deficiency on just distribution of resources. To fight IUU fishing is an important task with reference to this last point. Calculations show that Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fisheries constitute for about USD 1 billion, every year! in Sub-Saharan Africa. One billion dollars that African countries could have used for schools, health care, energy Money is flowing from the poor to the rich, seriously hampering investment and growth in developing countries. Both of these two main points will be addressed in the new Strategy on Food security in a climate perspective. A strategy that my government will soon launch. In the period 2013 to 2015 we will increase our efforts to secure food security and an increased small scale agricultural productivity in developing countries. Fish will be part of this strategy. Together with the already on going work on forests and energy, this will constitute for the joint Norwegian commitment within climate and development. The Strategy is the outcome of what was notified in the Report to the Storting, nr 14 Towards greener development. Further, we must secure that the long tradition of Norway engaging in global matters related to oceans and fisheries continues. Many initiatives, both globally and national, are on the table for fighting hunger and for securing healthy and productive oceans. Norway will and should play a role in how these initiatives develop and contribute. It is my wish that we continue the cooperation between the development and fisheries sectors. That we continue the already excellent work that many of you are doing in promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture worldwide. In this work, this Forum is a key to make sure that important issues are lifted and critical questions are asked. I therefore thank you for the inquiry you sent my ministry on how to bring the development work within fisheries forward.

6 6 In line with this, The Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affaires and my own, have initiated a dialog on how to bring this work and cooperation within the fisheries and ocean matters ahead. We will hurry slowly to make sure that all the good efforts are carried on. The questions we will ask are how can we work even smarter and more coherent across sectors? How can we prioritize our work for the best outcome? These issues are presently being discussed in my ministry. I would very much like to hear the viewpoints of this audience. Finally, let me end at the same place as I started. One billion people do not have access to food for their most basic needs. Fish is part of the solution. Fish is part of our strategy on food security in a climate perspective. And fish will be part of a closer and smarter cooperation between all engaged parties that will work for healthy oceans that we depend on as our future food basket. Thank you for your attention! Check against delivery