Foro Global sobre Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (Foro FSN)

Population growth will outstrip demand for an equable supply of food for all as the limit of arable land is reached. With people in hunger and death from malnutrition, the present food system does not reach all. The answer is not simply a better supply of the present system as it is questionable if the present system is fit for purpose. Mental ill-health and related brain disorder is now the leading burden of ill health. The paradigm governing food and agricultural policies has been dominated by the requirement for protein and calories for body growth. Although it was the evolution of the large brain which made us different from other animals no government has prioritized the nutritional needs of the brain which is largely made of specialized fats.

As an example of the misleading focus on protein, human milk has the least protein content of all large mammals. It is, however, rich in the essential fats needed to finalize brain development and growth.

The brain evolved in the sea 500 million years ago using marine nutrients, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) employed for its signaling systems and is still used and required today. There is robust evidence for the essentiality of DHA for brain growth and health. Naturally rich in the marine food web, there is little of it in the land-based, intensive food production system.

The falloff in fisheries and seafood intake is behind the escalation of mental ill-health and declining intelligence which if allowed to continue will be the greatest threat to the sustainability of humanity.

The marine food web is both rich in DHA and vital trace elements including iodine, the deficiency of which induces mental retardation. Currently, about 2 million are at risk to iodine deficiency disease.

Identified by the Declarations of Muscat, Oman in 2008 and Yoesu, Korea in 2012, there is a need to “save the oceans” by reversing the pollution of the rivers, lakes, estuaries, and oceans, restoring the man-made marine deserts, and developing mariculture starting around clean coastlines.

Mariculture not only provides brain-specific nutrients to stop the escalation of mental ill-health but also helps address ocean acidification and CO2-driven climate change by marine photosynthesis. We cannot grow any more rain forests but can do so with kelp forests which also provide food and fertilizer.

Precedence for this type of development is demonstrated by the Shiraishijima Island’s Marine Ranching Project in Okayama, Japan, which was started in 1991, has tripled fish production, added varieties of shellfish in an ecologically, sustainable manner. There are increasingly a number of other similar developments. The brain-specific nutrients need to be brought into food policy with the means of provision, developed on a global scale. This would arrest the fall in IQ, escalating mental ill-health and provide for brighter and healthier children.

Dear FAO,

Please find submission in the attachment below.

Thank you.

Based on my 32 years activity on development of small size farmers in rural areas, I severely believe the most important base of Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI) for improving food security and nutrition is as follows:

1. Creation of brilliant and optimist mentality among governmental competent authorities. They must accept and mind improving food security and nutrition in their countries (particularly poor developing countries).

2. Very well organised improvement of rural extension systems with emphasis on the transfer of new knowledge and result of research to small size farmers in the rural areas (in different subjects).               

Hamidreza Naderfard

Former national head expert of buffalo development in Iran

What are your experiences in the use and application of the CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI) for improving food security and nutrition?

Nutrition is in between the path way from agriculture to nutrition to health. Better nutrition is possible through the better management of food security that comes from the proper channels of food system, and food system is belonged to the network of agriculture. Therefore, it should be realised that food security should be well managed for the improvement of nutrition situation of the community / country.

Food security requires an effective food system that may be possible from different sectors like crops, livestock, fisheries, and agro forestry under the agriculture farming. Whatever the production is made higher from these sectors supports for better food security and better food security results better nutrition. 

In this regard, agriculture sector is fighting with various hindrances like climate change, price volatility, and government policy of the respective countries.  On the other hand, it requires the supply of the inputs like seed, fertilizer, water management, and labour as a regular process for agriculture farming. Further, considering the provision of investment as one of the principles of CFS requires high rate of investment in agriculture farming corresponding to food system since high rate of investment gives high rate of return and vice versa. In this respect, investment actually contributes in two ways – first, it can address the hindrances or problems facing by the agriculture sector as mentioned above, secondly the inputs for the agriculture farming can be managed from it. But the process of investment has been discriminated from the very beginning. The rich countries are becoming richer because of high rate of investment with ultra developed mechanisation in agriculture sector. The poor countries are lacking of amount resulting to poorer due to low purchasing power due to price volatility of the basic foods in the market. Even the manual farming is difficult for them due to lacking of investment. It is not possible to get return without enough investment. Therefore, the poor countries are facing the problems of food insecurity resulting to poor nutrition situation in the form of under nutrition resulting to health hazard. On the other hand the rich countries are accumulating the foods growing from their own land or importing the highly nutritious foods from other countries. But they also are facing the problems of nutrition in the form of over nutrition resulting to overweight and obesity because of intake of high calorie foods. 

Finally, investment must be done in agriculture with efficient food system for improving better food security resulting to better nutrition.

In my opinion the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI) for improving food security and nutrition varies in different parts of the world. Investment in agriculture is easy for developed countries where all facilities (e.g. marketing, storages, farmers eduction, laws and rules of the governments etc.) are good. Unfortunately, in underdeveloped and poor countries there are a lot of problems. Here investment is difficult. Yes the intenational organizations of UN having funds can play their role. Also advanced/developed countries for their own benefits (hidden agenda) invest in poor countries, but most of the time this investment is not stable.

Investment in agriculture is the need of the hour, because the world is facing food security and also water security problems. It is because of the use poor agriculture practices, that there are serious threats to our natural resources (e.g. soil, water, and the environnment). The decline in our natural resources is the major reason that has a negative impact on productivity and food security.

Therefore, I encourage huge investment to safe and restore our natural resources, which is important for sustainability, better agriculture and nutrition, thanks. 

Please find attached WBA's submission of experiences and good practices in the use and application of the CFS-RAI. 

Dear FAO Forum Moderator

Please find the form attached.

Yusuf Lare

Le Complexe de Magasins de stockage d`oignon à Echangeur Géothermique

Please find the joint OECD and FAO submission on good practice in the use and application of CFS-RAI. Our submission responds to the OECD-FAO Practical Business Tool on Deforestation, Forest Degradation and Due Diligence in Agricultural Supply Chains, an initiative funded by GIZ/BMZ which is based on multi-stakeholder cooperation and consensus to create a business tool for companies to reduce deforestation impacts through sourcing. Our joint work is based on the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains and workstream on Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) in Agriculture which are part of the larger CFS-RAI Umbrella Programme at FAO.

Here is a selection of titles proposed by FAO Publications for Forum participants who would like to know more about the CFS Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI Principles) and their application.

Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems

The main features of the CFS-RAI Principles explained in brief.

Linkages between the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS RAI) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This flyer highlights the linkages between enhancing responsible investment in agriculture through the application of the CFS-RAI principles and the achievement of the SDGs.

Guide on incentives for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems

This guide provides policymakers and government technical staff with guidance on how investment incentives can be used (and how they should not be used) to enhance responsible investment in agriculture and food systems.

Responsible investment and COVID-19: Addressing impacts, risks and responsible business conduct in agricultural value chains

This policy brief focuses on the role of responsible investment and responsible business conduct along agricultural value chains in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Handbook for parliamentarians and parliamentary advisors

This tool provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of the role that parliamentarians can play in the creation of reliable, coherent and transparent “enabling environments” in a range of areas related to investment in agriculture and food systems.

Infographic: Responsible investment in agriculture and food systems

This infographic shows the main differences between investing in agriculture responsibly and irresponsibly and highlights the results that such investments generate. 

Enabling legal environment for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems – Legal brief for parliamentarians in Africa No. 5

This legal brief includes concrete actions that African parliamentarians can take to drive responsible investment in their countries and at the regional level based on regional and international frameworks and standards.

Enabling legal environment for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems – Legal brief for parliamentarians in Latin America and the Caribbean No. 5

This legal brief provides guidance related to how to create an enabling environment for responsible investment in agriculture specific to the Latin American context.

Catalysing young agri-entrepreneurs' investments and ensuring their sustainability – Strategic planning tool

This strategic planning tool can help propel investments by young agri-entrepreneurs at national or regional levels, and help ensure their sustainability. It analyses the current environment and overall conditions young investors face while offering practical solutions to overcome the main challenges identified.

Empowering young agri-entrepreneurs to invest in agriculture and food systems. Policy recommendations based on lessons learned from eleven African countries

This report summarizes the main findings and lessons learned from FAO’s work with eleven African countries, and identifies key challenges and policy recommendations to promote youth engagement in agriculture.

Linkages between the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication and the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems

The briefs highlights key commonalities among the CFS-RAI and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication and provide some illustrative examples to inspire action by all stakeholders.

FAO elearning courses on responsible investment in agriculture and food systems for parliamentarians, policy makers and other stakeholders

• The Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems
• Creating an enabling environment for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems – Fundamentals
• Creating an enabling environment for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems – Analysis
• Creating an enabling environment for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems – Reform
• Responsible investment in agriculture and food systems – targeted to the private sector

More information

• FAO website: Supporting Responsible Investments in Agriculture and Food Systems (RAI)