THE GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY
CRISISTOKYO : 26-27OCTOBER 2009
DAVID NABARRO
COORDINATOR UN SYSTEM HIGH LEVELTASK FORCE ON THE GLOBAL FOOD
SECURITY CRISISCONTENT OFPRESENTATION
Current situation
 High Level Task Force on the Global
Food Crisis (HLTF) – structure,mandate, programme of work, activities,
support mechanism (HLTF Secretariat,Coordination Network, Senior SteeringGroup) High Level Meetings and Food Security:
Outcomes
 Challenges and Way Forward

CURRENT SITUATION

SUMMARY
Food and nutrition systems have been in crisis long
before food prices shot up in 2008
Climate Change and Economic Contraction are
making the situation worse High levels of malnutrition, growing hunger Increasing numbers unable to realize their right tofood, access the food they need when they need it Production, processing and distribution systems notserving interests of small-scale producers
 Differences between price paid to producer and paidby consumers
 Volatility in prices and variations in supplies
Progress towards the MDGs is compromised

Food price spike, 2007-08

Source: J. von Braun; Data from FAO 2009.

The food crisis is not overMaize

RiceSource: FAO 2009.

Main reasons for price volatility•

Income and population growth•

Energy and biofuels•

Slow agricultural growth•

Speculation and financial crisis

The financial crisis and therecession add to food insecurity•

Less capital available today and in the future for theagriculture•

More debt specially for small holders which had alreadyinvested in the expansion of their production•

Shift of attention of policies for agriculture and reduction of
public investment•

Reduction of employment and wages of low skill workers•

Reduction of remittances
Source: von Braun 2009.

Climate change will challenge future foodproduction
Climate change impact on average crop yields

NCAR A2a

Source: G. Nelson (IFPRI) 2009.

The number of hungry people inthe developing world is rising>1 bil.

(in million)

WFS target

Data source: FAO 2006, 2008, 2009.

Land acquisition: in search of foodsecurity
2006–09

Source: von Braun and Meinzen-Dick 2009,
with data compiled from media reports.

The High Level Task Force on
Global Food Security (HLTF)

HTLF STRUCTURE
High Level Task Force is a time-limited UNsystem entity established at the end of April
2008 by the UN Chief Executive Board in Bern(UN system Top Management)
Includes FAO, WFP, IFAD, World Bank, IMF,UNICEF, UNDP, WTO, UNCTAD and 13 other
UN entities (Funds, Programmes,Departments); ILO just joined
UN Secretary General as Chair: FAO Director
General as Vice Chair
One Coordinator and Secretariat

HLTF MANDATE
••
•••

•

Avoid creating new bureaucratic and intergovernmental layers
Provide concerted support to National Authorities
Link with Regional political entities, Banks, EconomicCommissions
Focus on reducing vulnerability by:
1) Enabling access to food - improving nutrition, social
protection and food systems (taking account of life-cyclevulnerabilities),2) Improving availability of food - emphasis on small scaleagriculture3) Making markets and systems for trading foods function in theinterests of poor people
Promote concerted action with a focus on MDG 1 and theneeds of poor people
Bridge short and longer term responses, humanitarian anddevelopment assistanceHLTF MANIFESTO:COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
The HLTF developed the CFA
as a means for organizingcollective actions in pursuitof immediate and longer
terms outcomes, to be taken
forward by different
stakeholders working inpartnership (not limited to theHLTF membership) under theleadership of nationalauthorities.

COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FORACTIONOBJECTIVE
Improve access to food andnutrition support and take
immediate steps to increase
food availability
OUTCOMES
Meet immediate needs ofvulnerable populations
 Emergency food assistance,
nutrition interventions andsafety nets enhanced andmade more accessible
 Smallholder farmer foodproduction boosted
 Trade and tax policy adjusted
 Macro-economic implications
managedOBJECTIVE
Strengthen food and nutrition
security in the longer-run byaddressing the underlying
factors driving the food crisis
OUTCOMES
Building longer term resilience andcontributing to global food andnutrition security
 Social protection systems
expanded Smallholder farmer foodproduction growthsustained International food markets
improved
 International biofuelconsensus developed

THE HLTF WORK PROGRAMME: WAYS IN
WHICH THE HLTF MAKES A DIFFERENCE

1 Support realization of CFA outcomes incountries: HLTF will respond both tocountry needs, and requests from national
authorities to stimulate more effective
country level action through better
coordination

WAYS IN WHICH THE HLTF
DIFFERENCE

MAKES A

2 Advocate for increase allocationsof national and development resources:
resources needed for urgent action andlong term investment based on the need for
all to enjoy the right to food and nutrition
and to reduce vulnerability

WAYS IN WHICH THE HLTF MAKES ADIFFERENCE
3 Inspire a broader engagement infood security for all: encourage the full
involvement of many hundreds ofstakeholders at community, national,regionl and global levels in a concerted
movement for food security

WAYS IN WHICH THE HLTF MAKES ADIFFERENCE
4 Ensure accountability: assessachievements, review progress,
demonstrate results, adjust activities thatare sub-optimal and present reports thatare analytical and usefulHLTF ORGANIZATIONThe HLTF Senior Steering Group (SSG) – madeup of working level staff from HLTF member
agencies - has a central role in supporting thecoordinator and steering the Network
The HLTF Coordination Team has been
established with the coordinator and around 10 staffbased in Geneva, New York, Washington and Rome(principal hub).
The HLTF Coordination Network is being initiated(with 100 – 200 members) engaging civil society,NGOs and private sector

High Level Meetings and Food
Security: OutcomesG8 – L’AQUILA INITIATIVE ON
FOOD SECURITY: JULY 8 – 10 2009
Builds the Hokkaido Toyako Summit, Madrid Meeting, G20
Focuses on Production, Access and Utilization – acomprehensive approach, both short and long-term
Recognizes importance of Agriculture as a means for resilience,
economic growth and development
Pays attention to vulnerabilities: young children and womenCommits to support national efforts to improve food security,
regional initiatives and co-ordinated international response
Engages producers, civil society, private sector (value chain)
Commits at least $20 billion

L’AQUILA INITIATIVE ON FOOD
SECURITY: 5 PRINCIPLES
support country-led processes;
ensure a comprehensive approach to foodsecurity;
strategically coordinate assistance;
support a strong role for multilateral institutions;andsustain a robust commitment of financial
resources, including $20 billion in resources
pledged at the G8 Summit.

PARTNERSHIPS
Concept of country and regional partnerships, and an
overarching Global Partnership for Agriculture, Food Security
and Nutrition evolved since 2008 – championed by G8 & EU
Increased interest in nutritional security as partnership goal
Should be inclusive, build on existing activities, encourage
broad participation in policy, application of science, mobilizationof funds, implementation of priority actions
The spirit of Global Partnership has been reflected in 2009:
revistalized Rome-based Committee on Food Security being
seen as an important element of the Global Partnership

COORDINATED FINANCIALASSISTANCE
There is a need to improve procedures for funding foodassistance, smallholder production and social protection.
Present system is fragmentedOptions include: Better coordination of funds provided through existing funding
channels (World Bank, IFAD, WFP, FAO, regional banks,
Bilateral donors and Foundations) so that they respond tocountry needs in an integrated way that reflects the Accra
agenda for Action.
 Establishing novel funding mechanisms that pool donor
resources and react in a predictable way to country needs

CHALLENGES AND WAY
FORWARDCHALLENGE 1Sustaining the comprehensive approach in a way that links
efforts to improve food production and availability, to ensurethat all are able to access the food they need (and enjoy theirright to food), and to increase the likelihood that they can utilize(and be adequately nourished) by the food that they eat.
 need for a shared analytical perspective on the issues being
faced and on the options for response (analyzed fromtechnical, institutional and political perspectives) within eachcountry and region
 need for a revision of the CFA as a basis for the HLTF’sanalysis, engagement and action – in close cooperation with
the CFS’ strategic work

CHALLENGE 2
Ensuring effective support for country-led actions that
improve food and nutrition security and include (a)joint investment planning, (b) coordinated stewardship(c) mutual accountability and (d) predictability and trustat national, regional and global levels
 a role for HLTF entities at the interface between
national authorities and other country-level
stakeholders, regional mechanisms, multilateralbanks and global intergovernmental arrangements
 need for prompt action by donors and for theiraccountability systems squared with the principles ofcountry ownership and leadership

CHALLENGE 3
Advancing efforts to engage a broad rangeof public sector, business and civil society
partners in this process at all levels,
ensuring that global arrangements forpartnering contribute to more effective action
and outcomes at local and national levels; partners are able to engage in ways that ensure

the participation of stakeholders from local,
national and regional levels and that theirinterests are fully taken into account in discourse
about “global governance”

CHALLENGE 4
Ensuring a coherent and synergized multilateralcontribution by the different elements of the multilateralsystem – working together at all levels while maintaining
respect for diverse mandates; ensuring that synergy resultsin more effective outcomes without establishing additional
bureaucracy Work for a better understanding of the roles, comparativeadvantage and interagency working arrangements
among different entities represented within the HLTF (asa part of the revision of the CFA, perhaps) Single communication from heads of HLTF entities totheir country representatives stressing the importance ofeffective joint working – synergy, coherence andpartnerships at country level

CHALLENGE 5
Tracking progress, and communicating bothintentions and results at country, regionaland global levels
 Focus primarily on tracking the work of theHLTF entities so as to demonstrate how
their individual and collective contributions
add value Establish coherent and comprehensible
message boards that can be well used byall

THOUGHTS ON COORDINATIONWORKING TOGETHER EFFECTIVELY:
1 The move from control to empowerment: Staying
separate (with our individual mandates) but workingtogether; being both strategic and opportunistic at thesame time (“stropism”); sharing credit for what isachieved; taking joint responsibility for actions (andbeing accountable, together, for lack of success).
2 Bring institutions together behind politicalleadership: Subscribing to one overarching set ofpolicies, aligning institutions in support of the policies;
ensuring effective and joined-up action to realize thepolicies; focusing on (and securing) results

WORKING TOGETHER EFFECTIVELY:
3 Stimulate deeper political leadership through socialmovements: Encouraging a broad understanding of theissues; seeking opportunities for action; always being
eager to achieve; stimulating partnerships and networks
that result in wide-ranging participation.
4 Make coordination work: Move from (a) ritual
meetings, to (b) exchanges – and matrices – describing
who does what and where; to (c) working in harmony andnot undermining each other; to (d) working in synergy – thewhole being better than the sum of the parts - to (e) unity
when all are part of a coherent, single operation.

THANK YOU

www.un-foodsecurity.org