German comments to e-consultation of HLPE on "Nutrition and Food Systems
An adequate nutrition is the basis for achieving a sustainable development and in this regard reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Looking on the interlinked problems of hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, properly designed food systems can contribute to solve these issues holistically by providing the basis for healthy sustainable diets.
From our perspective it needs especially trans- and interdisciplinary research and a forum where all stakeholders come together for implementing the recommendations of the Second International Conference on Nutrition. Therefore we call for a revitalization of the United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition. It should provide coherent strategic and technical guidance on nutrition and should serve as a repository and exchange platform for knowledge on nutrition (i.a. through its Annual Sessions and Working Groups).
The HLPE report would add value to our current evidence-base if it is action- and solution-oriented and focuses on the question:
How can the healthy choice become the easy choice everywhere?
It should describe key factors of agri-food systems that contribute to the improvement of the nutritional status and health of a population in the long term by improving the underlying determinants of adequate nutrition. In particular the availability, affordability and consumption of food that meets people’s nutrition needs should be increased. How can we achieve this? At the same time, according to the ‘do-no-harm-principle’ of the right to food unintended negative nutritional consequences on health and care along the value chain should be minimized (e.g. raising prevalence of malaria through irrigation systems; reduction in women´s time available for child care). The objective should be to eradicate all forms of malnutrition and to achieve in the end healthy sustainable diets.
In our view, four key elements should be considered by the HLPE report to enable people to achieve an adequate nutrition:
- Diversification
- Processing (Supply chains)
- Women Empowerment
- Nutrition Education
Beside staples like rice, maize and wheat, an adequate nutrition also needs vegetables, fruit, legumes, oils and animal-based foods. What science-based approaches exist for increasing diversification both in what is produced and in what is actually consumed? Moreover, food should be convenient to prepare and have a long shelf life without losing its nutritional value. What challenges arise from these requirements in respect of processing, supply chains and preparation? How can we ensure that food is nutritionally beneficial, safe and affordable, whether consumers are eating at home or out of home? What impact does the increasing level of urbanisation have on the key elements to enable people to achieve an adequate nutrition? (see also: GFFA 2016: How to feed our cities? - Agriculture and rural areas in an era of urbanisation http://www.gffa-berlin.de/en/ )
To make food systems work for nutrition, empowerment of women as well as knowledge about nutrition within the whole food system are key cross-cutting factors. Women account for the majority of the agricultural workforce in developing countries and emerging economies. They are also responsible for the nutrition of children and families. They have to contend with a very high workload and their own nutrition is often neglected. What possibilities exist to strengthen women in their roles and thus ensure better nutrition for everybody?
Nutritional knowledge and skills regarding existing foods, their production, storage, processing and preparation are essential for achieving an adequate nutrition. This is true for any actor within the whole food system. What form must nutrition education take to ensure that the knowledge acquired is put into practice?
Improving nutrition requires a holistic approach taking into account multiple sectors and all relevant actors in this field to design cross-sectoral policies and programs. How can these look like? To answer this question, HLPE should include case studies. Moreover on the global level a revitalization of the United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition is crucial to have a permanent mechanism for guiding toward a world without malnutrition in all its forms.
Important work has already been done and should be considered by the HLPE, e.g.:
- UNSCN News 2013 “Changing food systems for better nutrition”,
- UNSCN Policy Briefs e.g. “Investments for a Healthy Food System”;
- “Key recommendations on improving nutrition through agriculture and food systems” of FAO http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/74018245-8bc9-4932-97ab-14fe8e9b496c/
- “Designing Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Investments: Checklist and guidance for programme formulation” of FAO
- “Programme Lessons for Integrating Nutrition Education and Agriculture for Improved Young Child Feeding” of FAO
- Worldbank 2013 “Improving nutrition through multisectoral approaches. Agriculture and Rural Development https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/16953/751030BRI0Impr00Box374299B00PUBLIC0.pdf?sequence=1
- IFPRI 2012 “Reshaping agriculture for nutrition and health” Fan S, Pandya-Lorch R, editors. International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC. http://ebrary.ifpri.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15738coll2/id/126825/rec/1
- Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) 2016: "How to feed our cities? - Agriculture and rural areas in an era of urbanisation" Communiqué 8th Berlin Agriculture Ministers´ Summit 2016, 16 January 2016. http://www.gffa-berlin.de/en/
We also want to use the opportunity to announce the twelfth conference "Policies against Hunger" of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture which will take place at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin from 22 to 24 June 2016 under the heading: Sowing the seeds for nutrition: What food systems do we need?
Angelina Balz