Promoting CARICOM Food and Nutrition Security CARICOM Regional Food and Nutrition Security Explained VI working Group Meeting (GT2025) of the Hunger Free Latin America and the Caribbean Initiative International Convention Centre, Turkeyen EBD 13-14 July 2012
Global Context The world is facing and unprecedented confluence of pressures Growing affluent global population, Rising poverty levels Limited resources (water, energy,& land) Obesity, undernourishment, and chronic diseases
CARICOM Mandate The Thirty-Fourth Meeting of COTED (Agriculture) in October 2010 endorsed and approved the Regional Food and Nutrition Security Policy and agreed that the next step in the process would be the preparation of an Action Programme/Plan using the same modality Technical Working Group (TWG) employed to formulate the Regional Food and Nutrition Security Policy.
Formulation Process Policy has been prepared in an innovative way, through a participatory process. The Regional Technical Working Group(TWG) Comprising diverse stakeholders from various ministries, international organizations and civil society
Overarching Goal and Objective of the RFNSP The two major objectives are to: 1. Reduce hunger especially in the vulnerable groups by increasing access to affordable, nutritious, safe and quality food. 2. Shifting to sustainable food production systems where the producers receive adequate remuneration for their products enabling them to have an adequate standard of living.
The Policy Adheres to the principles of the Right to Food Convention. Links National and Regional Policies The policy was adopted as the sole, comprehensive and integrated framework for actions to achieve the objectives of adequate availability, access, utilisation and stability of food supplies throughout the Region.
The Policy The RFNSP has also been accepted by CARICOM s international development partners as the framework to guide their interventions in the field of Food and Nutrition Security in the Region
The RNSP Established 4 Goals Food Availability - Promote the sustainable production, processing, preparation, commercialization and consumption of safe, affordable, nutritious, high quality Caribbean food commodities/products. Food Access - Ensure regular access of Caribbean households, especially the poor and vulnerable, to sufficient quantities of safe, affordable, quality food at all times
Goals (con t) Food Utilization/Nutritional Adequacy - Improve the nutritional status of the Caribbean population, particularly with respect to NCDs including diabetes, hypertension, overweight and obesity. Stability of Food Supply - Improve the resilience of the region s national communities and households to natural and socio-economic crises Information and early warning systems, disaster preparedness and management, and adaptation to climate change issues.
The CARICOM Regional Food and Nutrition Security Action Plan In approving the RFNSP, COTED agreed that the next step in the process would be the preparation of an Action Plan, giving priority to the following areas identified by Member States: Promotion of increased availability of regionally produced quality nutritious food (looking at the whole supply chain from farmer to consumer) at remunerative market prices so as to increase production, productivity and returns to farmers;
PRIORITIES Identification and mapping of vulnerable groups (who are the food insecure, why are they food insecure and where are they located?) with special emphasis on women, children, the elderly and the physically and mentally handicapped, and establishment of a national and regional database of this information;
PRIORITIES (Cont d) Removal of non-tariff barriers to trade (SPS-TBT barriers) that increase marketing costs and hinder access to and distribution of food within the Region, as well as the development of strategies to address regional transportation so as to reduce distribution costs and improve the movement of food commodities across the Region;
PRIORITIES (cont d) Promotion of healthy Caribbean diets and optimal nutrition, especially at all stages of the education system, to reduce Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), obesity and malnutrition; Building of resilience to the recurring threats to food security bearing in mind that the Region is prone to the risks posed by climate change and natural disasters, through the establishment of a Regional Information and Early Warning System for Food and Nutrition Security, the construction of risk profiles for the Region s main crops in support of emergency preparedness, agricultural risk management and crop insurance.
The RFNSP in the wider context. The RFNSP is the first pillar of the Community Agricultural Policy (CAP).
THE RFNSAP Next Steps Recommended Steps for implementation in Member States Step 1. Establish or strengthen a multi sectoral government mechanism on food and nutrition policy
THE RFNSAP Next Steps Step 2. Revise current food and nutrition action plans and sectoral policies Step 3. Prioritise the implementation of specific actions. Step 4. Operationalize the Action Plan through a combination of policies, regulatory frameworks (legislation, regulations, etc,) fiscal and other measures
THE RFNSAP Next Steps Step 5. Establish dialogue and partnerships with all stakeholders Step 6. Allocate resources Step 7. Monitor implementation and accountability
National Perspective Four countries that have made significant strides in the development and implementation of their National Food and Nutrition security Policies. Guyana Belize Haiti Jamaica
The Guyana Experience Parliament of Guyana in July 2008 directed the development of a comprehensive coherent national response to the food security crisis facing the country. The Ministry of Agriculture had been spearheading the National Food and Nutrition Security Initiative
Collaboration and Inclusion During the drafting process facilitators from all the relevant Ministries (MOE, MOH, MO Human and Social Services, Min of Amerindian Affairs, Ministry of Trade and MOF) along with the private sector, civil society representatives and international organization such as FAO and IICA, formed the NTWG and actively participated in the writing process.
The Jamaica Experience Jamaica is now moving towards the completion of its NFNSP utilizing the same participatory approach.
Conclusion Public-Private partnership must be undertaken resources, budget and legal authority must be put in place
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