Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Consultations, moderated by the FSN Forum with thematic facilitators, aim to capture the widest possible audience and provide a public platform for transparent and open sharing of ideas and information. They are launched to gather input for policy processes but can also be organized to collect feedback to help facilitators validate and support their technical work. Consultations usually take place over three to six weeks and are complemented with background materials that inform the exchange. For each consultation, a proceedings document containing all contributions received is made available on the Forum website. Forum members receive regular updates on the latest comments and feedback from the facilitator(s). The FSN Forum team then prepares an impartial, analytical summary of all contributions received. The results of the consultations generally feed into policy documents, such as CFS Voluntary Guidelines and global and regional policy frameworks related to the SDGs. 

Calls for submissions are open invitations for well-structured feedback. Participants are asked to complete a template form that provides guidance for the preparation of the contribution. Calls for submissions allow participants to share their experiences, best practices and recommendations on a specific theme and to learn from others, while they also enable facilitators to analyse case studies in a well-documented and comprehensive manner. Participants’ input feeds into stocktaking and monitoring and evaluation exercises undertaken by FAO or external partners, providing them with valuable information and insight for further action. Calls for submissions usually remain online for several months to allow participants to share complete and insightful contributions. The submissions are compiled in a proceedings document, and the most interesting cases are included in technical reports.

Online surveys collect specific feedback for projects, programmes and policy processes. They range from quick polls to detailed questionnaires, and allow for the collection of quantitative and/or qualitative information. Surveys can be directed at the entire FSN Forum community or towards a specific audience. The survey results are analysed and published on the FSN Forum website. Throughout the process, all personal information and data are treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Webinars and workshops can be stand-alone activities or complement online consultations and calls for submissions. They provide those interested in a specific topic with an opportunity for live engagement with experts from outside as well as within the FSN Forum community. Bringing together professionals from either geographical or thematic areas in direct and face-to-face environments facilitates an engaging and interactive exchange of knowledge and perspectives. Webinars and workshops contribute to capacity development of individuals and institutions and inform global, regional and national policy processes. The recordings and proceedings of these activities are available on the dedicated web pages.