I thank the UNSCN for this innovation. The challenges I see in Nigeria on food security and malnutrition are; lack of large scale farming and mechanization, diseases and pest, which makes food unavailable and expensive and the lack of education nutrition to the masses.
The UN should partner with stakeholders in the country to facilitate the following:
Sensitization of the masses on effect of malnutrition and importance of eating right by involving the media, health workers and schools.
Support for young people who are into agriculture in order to operate large scale farming. For example; I see a lot of graduate and undergraduate student in my school that are into farming using the school land.
Agricultural institutes and schools should be actively involved in the area of research, extension services, and viable seeds of different plant species should be made available and affordable.
The UN Decade of Action should collaborate with the Government in order to provide land for people willing to go into agriculture, such land will be monitored to ensure that agricultural activities is actually taking place on them.
The bodies the UN Decade of Action can partner with in order to facilitate and monitor the project includes: Agricultural research institutes (Nigeria have a lot of them), Nutrition and health centres, schools, media houses, financial institutions and the government.
39.Diana Lee-Smith, Mazingira Institute, Kenya
It is necessary to develop a more accurate definition of "food system" and then a typology of food systems in order to ensure sound evidence and future policies. The original thinking on food systems implicitly used the industrial model of food supply and distribution, whereas the majority of food consumed in places like sub-Saharan Africa is produced on small farms. In order to compare and analyze the range of food systems found globally, the analytical categories of farming systems have to be merged with food systems thinking and a typology developed that will make it possible to classify the types actually found around the world. Once these systems can be classified they can then be measured and compared according to a variety of variables. The changes going on in the transformation of food systems (often referred to in the literature and discussions) can then be more accurately assessed, and more useful data presented for policy analysis.
Currently, there is much discussion about the "supermarketization" of food systems in areas such as Africa, but less is presented and understood about small farm subsistence food systems as they transition into market food systems and what variables are key to understanding the impacts of different agriculture policies on food access and nutrition for different populations. I believe this question will open up new categories and a classification of food systems that will help illuminate what is happening to populations living and working in different climatic and farming systems, as well as under different conditions of economic develoment, infrastructure and urbanization.
40. Ana Vasconcellos, FNDE, Brazil
I consider necessary the formation of a global network of nutrition protection in order to articulate civil society, researchers and experts to foster debate on the regulation of food and water market. Industry and supermarkets are managed by global companies, but the civil society network is not as organized and not focused on regulatory aspects. You can no longer rely solely on the participation of civil society in the CODEX Alimentarius, where their positions are limited by the interests of countries and companies that act there in an associated way.
You need to expand your network and build a global agenda protection nutrition, the environment and life. Decisions and resolutions of this forum should be the subject of worldwide publicity and guidance to nutrition policies of countries in the aspects of food produced according to health and environmental justice.Reactions and possible agreements resulting from this process should be monitored with a view to social progress resulting from improved nutrition of people and environmental recovery of the planet. You need to expand your network and build a global agenda protection nutrition, the environment and life.
Decisions and resolutions of this forum should be the subject of worldwide publicity and guidance to nutrition policies of countries in the aspects of food produced according to health and environmental justice.
Reactions and possible agreements resulting from this process should be monitored with a view to social progress resulting from improved nutrition of people and environmental recovery of the planet.
41.Saul Lopez, Venezuelan society of agronomists, Venezuela
Original contribution in Spanish
En Venezuela, la evolución de las políticas agropecuarias ha sido determinada por un fuerte sesgo antiagrícola con el control de tipo de cambio, control de precio, baja provisión de infraestructura rural y servicios agropecuarios de calidad enmarcadas en una economía de capitalismo rentístico que se ha acentuado en los últimos años. Lo que ha redundado en que haya una dependencia del 97 % de la renta petrolera en nuestra economía, que en el contexto mundial con la caída de los precios del petróleo ha afectado la disponibilidad de alimentos, debido a la falta de divisas para importar los alimentos necesarios para satisfacer a la población. Sin embargo, no es únicamente un problema de disponibilidad de alimentos, sino de acceso, estabilidad y utilización que son las otras dimensiones de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional.El entorno de la crisis alimentaria incluye; altos niveles de escasez de alimentos (promedio de 80 %, datos del BCV), una inflación acumulada de alimentos de 2430 % (BCV,2015), tensión social con más de 350 saqueos registrados (Observatorio de conflictividad social, 2016), crisis institucional y finalmente el hambre. A pesar de las circunstancias desfavorables, tenemos altas expectativas sobre las acciones nutricionales concretas en el próximo decenio 2016-2025, considerando que al establecer este programa en el país se dará un salto importante al desarrollo agroalimentario, donde los pilares fundamentales serán: la equidad social, sostenibilidad ambiental y viabilidad económica considerando la planificación estratégica, la investigación e integración de los actores políticos y sociales. En el programa deben estar contempladas las actividades de educación alimentaria, formación de personal que sean agentes multiplicadores de la información en las zonas más vulnerables en cuanto a seguridad alimentaria se refiere, promover leyes que protejan a los consumidores y mejorar la calidad e inocuidad de los alimentos.
Los sectores privados deben involucrarse en las acciones nutricionales para tener una población más sana y se puede realizar planteando a las empresas de alimentos disminuir algunos impuestos, o garantizar adquirir cierta cantidad de mercancía para los comedores escolares, si mejoran la composición nutricional de los alimentos. Finalmente es importante sumar a otras organizaciones, fundaciones, observatorios, entre otros, que realicen un trabajo académico y social de relevancia en los distintos países para que puedan ser apoyados y formados por la UNSCN. En Venezuela el gobierno no está permitiendo la apertura del canal humanitario, ni acciones de organismo internacionales como WFP o Hunger Free que ayuden a mejorar las condciones de inseguridad alimentaria y nutricional que es muy grave. Acá es donde los contactos con las ONG y Fundaciones son claves en la prosecución de los programas y acciones.
English translation
In Venezuela, the evolution of agricultural policies has been determined by a strong anti-agricultural bias characterised by the exchange rate and price control, the reduced provision of rural infrastructure and low-quality agricultural services framed in a rental capitalism economy, progressively intensified in recent years. As a result, the Venezuelan economy has a 97% dependence on oil revenues. In the global context of oil prices decline, this reliance has affected food availability due to the lack of foreign currency required to import food products satisfying the population demand. However, food availability is not the only problem: the other dimensions of food and nutrition security (access, utilization and stability) are also an issue. Some of the features of our food crisis: high levels of food shortages (80% average according to the Central Bank of Venezuela), a cumulative food inflation rate of 2430% (Central Bank of Venezuela, 2015), social tension with more than 350 recorded lootings (Observatory of Social Unrest, 2016), institutional crisis and hunger. Despite these unfavourable circumstances, we expect a lot from the specific nutritional actions in the next decade 2016-2025. By implementing this programme in Venezuela, agricultural development will take an important step forward based on the following key pillars: social equity, environmental sustainability and economic viability taking into account strategic planning, research and integration of political and social actors. The programme must feature nutritional education activities, train the staff to ensure information is disseminated in the most vulnerable areas in terms of food security, promote laws to protect the consumers, and improve food quality and food safety.
The private sector should get involved in nutritional interventions with the aim of improving the health of the population. To do so, tax reduction or the guaranteed purchase of a fixed amount of food for school canteens can be proposed to food businesses, provided they improve the nutritional composition of their products. Finally, it is important to involve other organizations, foundations and observatories, among others, undertaking a relevant academic and social work in different countries so that they can be supported and trained by the UNSCN. In Venezuela the government is preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as interventions of international organizations like WFP or Hunger Free that would help to improve the serious food and nutrition insecurity situation. To do so, networking with NGOs and Foundations is key in pursuing these programmes and actions.
