This FAO evidence platform provides evidence and tools to support governments and stakeholders in the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition (VGFSyN) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).
To find relevant documents for a VGFSyN recommendation, select a focus area from the left menu and the sub-focus area of your interest. You will be redirected to a page listing all relevant VGFSyN recommendations. Select a recommendation to access the links to the relevant online documents
Focus Area VII
Resilient food systems in humanitarian contexts
This focus area highlights the importance of linking food security and nutrition during humanitarian crises with long-term strategies in accordance with international humanitarian law, universally agreed human rights instruments, and national legislation and strengthening the continuum of the humanitarian response and development, particularly local development, efforts and ensuring coordination among all actors. It provides guidance on: protecting the most vulnerable to malnutrition in humanitarian contexts; improving the quality of food and nutrition assistance; and ensuring food systems are resilient in humanitarian contexts.
3.7.2 Improving the quality of food and nutrition assistance
The four digit numbering of each recommendation follows the numbering in the VGFSyN, whereby the first digit represents the chapter 3 of the document that includes the 105 recommendations, the second digit the focus area, the third digit the sub-focus
area and the letter the specific recommendation.
-
Recommendation 3.7.2.a
Governments, all parties involved in conflicts, disasters including those induced by climate change, epidemics and pandemics, and food assistance, including intergovernmental organizations, should underline and support that food security and nutrition assessments and analyses include appropriate safeguards for the identification and management of potential conflicts of interests, are undertaken throughout a crisis to inform food assistance and nutrition response as well as any components of the local food system requiring rehabilitation or improvement.
-
Recommendation 3.7.2.b
Governments should acknowledge nutrition as an essential need and humanitarian assistance should aim to meet and monitor nutritional requirements of the affected population, particularly the most vulnerable to malnutrition. Any food items provided should be fit for purpose, of appropriate nutritional quality and quantity, be safe and acceptable. Food should conform to the food standards of the host country’s government, in accordance with paragraph 41 of the [Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition] VGFSyN.
-
Recommendation 3.7.2.c
Governments and intergovernmental organizations should support social protection mechanisms and programmes to prevent and manage wasting, that include, safe, nutritious and, where possible, locally produced food, and that achieve adequate coverage during times of crisis. Food fortification can play a complementary role in humanitarian contexts and should be evidence-based, and context-specific. Social protection mechanisms should be in support of local markets and accessibility of nutritious food in the longer term.
-
Recommendation 3.7.2.d
Governments should implement policies on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) in emergencies including the protection of optimal breastfeeding practices and, together with intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, and should support the promotion, coordination and implementation of such policies on IYCF practices, and promoted during humanitarian crises.
-
Recommendation 3.7.2.e
Governments and intergovernmental organizations should support, when implementing cash and voucher assistance, that the minimum expenditure basket and transfer value promotes, nutritious and safe food, if possible, sustainably produced, that is preferably locally, or regionally procured and sufficient to provide a healthy diet for all stages of the lifecycle consulting existing guidance from [World Food Programme] WFP and other [United Nations] UN relevant intergovernmental organizations. Such assistance programmes should include safeguards for the identification and management of potential conflicts of interest.