Foro Global sobre Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (Foro FSN)

Date and time: 06 December 2016, 08:30– 13:00

Location: City Hotel Bishkek, 34 Baitik Baatyr Str., Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Organizers: University of Central Asia in close collaboration with the Representative Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization in Kyrgyzstan and FAO’s Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition

Objectives of the Forum

The objective of the face-to-face Forum was to review challenges and to identify ways for an efficient implementation of the Food Security and Nutrition Program (FSNP) in the Kyrgyz Republic, including a stronger engagement of various stakeholders in a policy dialogue. The aim was also to strengthen the impact of the recent online-consultation on the program processes, including design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Background

In September 2015, the Kyrgyz Republic adopted the Food Security and Nutrition Program (FSNP) with the Action Plan for the period 2015-2017. The comprehensive program, where food security and nutrition issues are inseparably linked with the sustainable development policy of the country, was a result of a consultation process and participatory approach among various stakeholders. The current status of the FSNP implementation is weak in the Action Plan due to the following shortcomings:

·         Significant gaps between required and available funding;

·         Barriers in the translation of policies to action;

·         Capacity development on the implementation of FSNP are still lacking; and

·         Role of the private sector and civil society organizations is not clearly defined.

The successful implementation of the Food Security and Nutrition Program is an important issue for Kyrgyzstan as the country still remains vulnerable to global economic shocks, volatility in international food and commodity prices and weather shocks that negatively affect country’s economy and the food security situation in general. In addition, the country is dependent on food imports (cereals, oils, meat) and remittance incomes. Despite considerable economic growth and improvements in household welfare in the recent years, the ability of the country to maintain food security at the national level does not always translate into better nutrition outcomes at the household level.

From 2^nd November to 2^nd December 2016, the country level online-consultation “Food security and nutrition programme for Kyrgyzstan in action. How to implement policy in the most efficient way?” took place (http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/eca/activities/discussions/kyrgyzstan). It aimed to involve stakeholders into an inclusive dialogue on how to support the successful application of the FSNP and also to use innovative participatory mechanisms to involve stakeholders continuously along the different phases of the programme. The results were analysed and recommendations were presented during this Forum and will subsequently be discussed with the Food Security Council in Kyrgyzstan to further the FSNP implementation and the development of the next steps of the Program beyond 2017.

The online consultation and this Forum were initiated by the Representative Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization in Kyrgyzstan (FAOR) in close collaboration with the Forum on Food Security and Nutrition in Europe and Central Asia and the partners from the University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan and the School of Liberal Studies, Ambedkar University Delhi in India. This initiative is funded by FAO’s South-South Cooperation. The outcomes will be integrated into the activities of the new FAO Project “Developing Capacity for Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Selected Countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia”, which is funded by the Russian Federation.

Scope of the Forum

Presentations and discussions covered five aspects.

Food Security and Nutrition Policy: (i) taking stock of the status of FSNP of the Kyrgyz Republic - main results, challenges, and lessons learned; (ii) setting out ways for FSNP improvement to remove barriers in the transition from policy to action; (iii) discussing recommendations for a new stage of FSNP.

Improving fund raising process: (i) discussing current gaps and differences between needs and available funding for implementation of FSNP; (ii) identifying financing approach and alternative sources, including contributions from the private sector, academia and civil society organizations.

Engaging stakeholders and key decision-makers in FSNP processes: (i) defining roles of various governmental and non-governmental actors in the FSNP implementation processes; (ii) discussing necessary leadership for the best and an efficient FSNP implementation: (iii) setting out ways and fields of better engagement of the private sector and civil society in order to achieve the complex objectives of the FSNP.

Improving capacity development in the field of food security and nutrition: (i) discussing needs on FSN information and knowledge improvement; (ii) identifying modalities of knowledge and skills improvement for the efficiency of the FSNP implementation; (iii) suggesting coordinating and implementing institutions for training.

Target audience:

Representatives of the Government - ministries and agencies in the field of food security and nutrition policy; scientific research organizations and non-governmental sector; experts and specialists in the field of food security and nutrition; representatives of business and business - associations in the field of production, processing and marketing.

PRESENTATIONS OF THE WORKSHOP