Forum global sur la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition (Forum FSN)

"Horticulture for Nutrition Security" is a collection of essays on fruits, vegetables,tubers, spices, plantation crops and mushrooms which provide essential nutrients on consumption."There is a horticultural remedy for every nutritional remedy" according to Prof. M S Swaminathan Father of Green Revolution in India.Nutrition Garden/Kitchen garden/Backyard garden is an integrated nutrition farming system which makes use of available space, light, water and home labour to harvest vegetable, fruits and spices needs of a family.Nutrition gardening is a thearapy against mild depression.It is a refreshing experience to differentally abled people.There is absolute control on use of pesticides and fungicides.Biological methods of pest and disease management are followed.In the Southern State of Kerala India, there are peoples movements to grow pesticide-poison- free vegetables.Training is given to housewives on different aspects of kitchen garden.Seeds are supplied by local governments in association with Newspaper Publishers-Malayala Manorama-.Tips on cultivation are given by trained master trainers-leaders of self help groups-.

The book "Horticulture for Nutrition Security" is published by Astral International Pvt Ltd New Delhi.(www.astralint.com)

Milan Urban Food Policy



Proponent

EStà - Economia e Sostenibilità

www.foodcities.org



Independent research center that believes in a robust, systematic approach to sustainability. It works together with government agencies, research centres, economic groups, and actors at local, national and international level about the relation between Food and Cities.



Main responsible entity

Municipality of Milan T

The second city of Italy with 1,3 Millions of inhabitants (4 Millions in the metropolitan area) and its economical hub. Milano is in the center of a Padana food valley and is surrounded by the biggest agricultural park in Europe.

Cariplo Foundation

Private, grant-making philanthropic foundation, with a banking origin, that plays a fundamental role to support social, cultural, environmental and research activities in Lombardy Region (Northern Italy) for sustainable development.



Date / Timeframe

2014-ongoing



Funding source

Cariplo Foundation and Milan Municipality

Location

Italy, Milan



Background/Context

In 2011 the Municipality, together with 31 urban farms has defined the first Italian urban Agricultural District, in 2015 Milan has hosted EXPO2015 on the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" with 137 countries from each part of the world.



Focus/Objectives

Strategic approach for Milan food system planning with a Food Policy that adopts a long term vision, promoting multi-actor processes for facilitating the assumption of joint responsibility for sustainable and resilient urban food system transition.



Key characteristics of the experience/process

- Participatory analysis with the engagement of several researchers that have already investigated parts of food system from different disciplines.

- Public consultation with municipal officers, citizens, innovators, start-uppers, activists, civil society organizations, private sector, academics.

- Formalization of a document of priorities and guidelines that was voted by the City Council



Key actors involved and their role

Municipal officers: connection with other policies and programs.

Academics: analysis and interpretation of different part of food system.

Innovators: individuation of most innovative food trend.

Activists of civil society organizations: connection with other CSOs projects.

Private sector: making alliance in the private element of food system.



Key changes observed with regards to food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture and food systems

Access to healthy food, sustainable food system, oriented culture conscious consumption, reduction of food waste, improved agrifood research, “urban diplomacy” through the promotion of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact.



Challenges faced

Urban food system planning as driver of sustainable, resilient and fairy city.



Lessons/Key messages

Food planning has to be implemented in ordinary policies of local authorities.



Need to an integrate a direction room for manage and integrate different department of the institution.



Need to represent and to integrate all the actors of the food system in order to boost a sustainable change through a public discussion of the new needs and solutions

Milan Metropolitan Food Council

Proponent  

EStà - Economia e Sostenibilità

www.foodcities.org

Independent research center that believes in a robust, systematic approach to sustainability. It works together with government agencies, research centres, economic groups, and actors at local, national and international level about the relation between Food and Cities. 

Main responsible entity

• Municipality of Milan: the second city of Italy with 1,3 Millions of inhabitants (4 Millions in the metropolitan area) and its economical hub. Milano is in the center of a Padana food valley and is surrounded by the biggest agricultural park in Europe.
• Cariplo Foundation: private, grant-making philanthropic foundation, with a banking origin, that plays a fundamental role to support social, cultural, environmental and research activities in Lombardy Region (Northern Italy) for sustainable development.

Date/Timeframe

2015-ongoing

Funding source

Cariplo Foundation and Milan Municipality 

Location 

Italy, Milan

Background/Context

• The metropolitan area is now governed by a new institution called “Metropolitan City” (before it was a Province), and this new institutional framework provides a coordination between the Municipality of Milan and the other 134 municipalities of the metropolitan area.
• In 1990 the Province created the first Italian peri-urban agricultural park (Parco Agricolo Sud Milano) on an area of 61 municipalities on the boundaries of Milan that cover over of 47.000 hectares managed by 1400 farms. 
• In 2007 the Province has set up a preliminary policy framework for the promotion of a local food system, focusing on short chains between rural and urban areas. 
• In 2015 the City Council of the Milan Municipality has adopted the Milan Food Policy and, in this framework, it will develop a Metropolitan Food Council. 

Focus/Objectives

Developing a new democratic arena with focus on Metropolitan Food System with urban politicians, municipal officers, formal and informal representatives of farmers, social innovators, start-uppers, activists, civil society organizations, private sector, academics.

Key characteristics of the experience/process

Definition of new institutional space for debating new complex issues by involving actors that are not represented in the already consolidate institutions to discuss on food issues in a systemic way. 

Key actors involved and their role

• Municipal officers: connection with other policies and programs.
• Farmers and private sector: representation of new needs, facilitation of new aggregation on a territorial bases.
• Innovators: individuation of most innovative food trend and incubation of new economic activities.
• Activists of civil society organizations: connection with other CSOs projects, education.
• Academics: analysis and interpretation of different part of food system.

Key changes observed with regards to food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture and food systems

Activation of new dialogue among different actors of Milan food system for managing different issues that are directly and indirectly related with food security in a sustainable perspective at metropolitan scale.

Challenges faced 

Food democracy, role of innovative farmers civil society in food system planning.

Lessons/Key messages

• Importance of the connection between different existing institutions (ex. Municipal Council, Mayoral Board, Metropolitan Council) and new institutions that are specifically dedicated to the governance of food system.
• Role of informal coalitions of actors.
• Space for representing interests and needs in a right to food perspective.
  
   

Martesana Land Bank for sustainable land tenure

Proponent  

EStà - Economia e Sostenibilità

www.foodcities.org

Independent non profit research center that believes in a robust, systematic approach to sustainability. It works together with government agencies, research centres, economic groups, and actors at local, national and international level about the relations between Food and Cities. 

Main responsible entity

Martesana Consortium of Local Authorities of Metropolitan Milan Area

• 12 Municipalities in the peri-urban area of Milan located along a historical artificial water channel called Martesana that collect the water from a natural river to the centre of the city of Milan.  The partnership toward the Land Bank involves also CSOs, farmers, social cooperatives, universities, as well as independent research centres for policy design support.
• Cariplo Foundation: private, grant-making philanthropic foundation, with a banking origin, that plays a fundamental role to support social, cultural, environmental and research activities in Lombardy Region (Northern Italy) for sustainable development.

Date/Timeframe

2016-2017

Funding source

Cariplo Foundation and Local Authorities 

Location 

Italy, around Milan

Background/Context

The Martesana context was the peri-urban area that was characterized by big informatics and telecommunication companies and multinational corporations that, after the emergence of the economic crisis have closed their activities, causing a depression of the local economy.   

In this crisis situations some local authorities have develop a process for sharing a common vision of the future and new activism for defining new institutional competences.  

Focus/Objectives

New stewardship for land planning and management as a way to combine environmental stewardship and rural job creation in a fragile context.

Key characteristics of the experience/process

How manage the issues of land tenure in a fragmented periurban context from an agroecological and property point of view.

Key actors involved and their role

• Local Authorities, as decision maker institutions for land use planning and as property of several agricultural land.
• Cooperatives of farmers, as producers actors interested in new innovative opportunities for reinforcing their members.
• Grassroots organizations of civil society, as consumer actors interesting in local food system.
• Young people, interested to become farmer but without being land owners for starting and implementing their entrepreneurial ideas.
• Academics and independent research centers for analysis and interpretation of land policy as part of food system.

Key changes observed with regards to food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture and food systems

• Local Authorities are making available public lands for supporting the creations of new jobs connected to the local food system. 
• Creation of an innovative local school for agricultural activism with entrepreneurial skills able to manage the land and soil with agro-ecological approach.

Challenges faced 

Land tenure, urbanization and rural transformation in the alert of biodiversity loose with agro-ecological approach.

Lessons/Key messages

• Facilitation activities for making connections among different kind of actors thata are involved in the local food system.
• Role of financial actors for design new policy of land tenure in a kind of “bank”.
• Connection between land planning and rural polities for land tenure.

My contribution to this debate is based on a review by Proctor and Berdegué (2016). It calls for adjustments in food and agriculture related policies and investments to meet the needs of people living and working in rural-urban functional spaces.

Given the major changes taking place in the food system from production to consumption and the implications to the millions of people in diffuse and porous rural and urban places, real opportunities exist to explore the national and local policies which influence the structure of the food system. Public and private sector adjustments should be structured to mitigate the negative risks as well as foster and create new opportunities to the benefit of the populations in these places as both economic players and as consumers. Some interventions relevant to the food system at this rural–urban interface aimed to secure better social and economic local outcomes and distributional gains are summarised below.

1 Recognize the rural-urban interface and the importance of towns and intermediate cities

Deconstructing the rural-urban dichotomy is a necessary first step if any progress is to be made analytically or policy-wise for building strong and equitable food systems (Berdegué et al., 2014). The livelihoods of the majority of rural households, including smallholder farmers, are hardly only rural; “rural” defines the main place of residence, but no longer encompasses the spatial scope of livelihoods. The same is true of a large number of “urban” households, whose livelihoods are intimately dependent on the rural parts of the wider places where they also conduct their life. “Rural” and “urban” defined in the traditional way, are conceptual lenses that distort our view of the reality of social processes and can only lead to sub-optimal policies and investments. There can be no questions of promoting better market access for smallholder agricultural producers or accessing better quality and lower price food for the majority of the world’s populations, in the absence of stronger place-based rural-urban linkages for the food system. Traditional markets at the level of towns and small and medium cities continue to be the entry points to the food system for the vast majority of the world’s 500 million smallholders, because the proportion of smallholders that gain entry to the more dynamic segments of the food markets remains relatively small. Nevertheless, the deep and rapid changes taking place in the food system from production to consumption hold strong implications for local economies and employment, both urban and rural consumers, the farming community, and traditional market chain actors. It is encouraging to note there is a growing recognition by policy makers at all levels on the importance of seeking to improve the connectivity between rural and the urban places in order to foster reciprocal flows of goods, and social, economic and environmental services, for economic development, the reduction of regional inequalities, effective rural and territorial transformation, and sustainable urbanization (Berdegué et al., 2014; UNHabitat, 2015). This recognition includes support of urban based public goods that service the rural population of producers and entrepreneurs, rural-based public goods that service the economic activities in the rural areas starting with maintaining and enhancing support to agriculture and rural-urban connectivity. Strengthening rural-urban connectivity of infrastructure (including roads, electrification and telecommunications), the provision of basic public services (including fresh water and sewage, electricity, waste disposal, public safety) in particular for towns and small and medium size cities and their rural hinterland/territory, and of economic services (including high quality, transparent, and efficient wholesale markets in key sub-regional and regional cities; a new type of agricultural and food extension service: good quality farm and agribusiness integrated advisory service bureaus; financial services) in every small and medium town of a certain size is central to building vibrant local economies of which the food economy is often one central player. Specific policy opportunities policy exist at the national level to bring together and make coherent the overarching and relevant thematic strategies of rural and urban development as well as sectoral strategies and policies directly and indirectly relevant to the food system. These include agriculture, food, industry, public health, labour and employment, and education and skills development through technical and vocational training. Land reform policy including land access and security and conflict mitigation and resolution at the rural–urban intersection, is critical to the local debate on the food system and in the context of evolving land use change. Further, national public policy can play a central role in innovation and bringing together social programs with those which address rural and urban household economic development and public health issues. These offer opportunities in food system diversification nationally and at the local level for example school feeding programs, maternal health and nutrition, and through innovation in food access for the poorest. Support in building the capacity of national and local governments and municipalities is central to prioritize and improve the design and implementation of policies and investments. Only then can opportunities be optimized through the development of the food system in these diffuse and interlinked rural-urban functional territories.

2 Improve the investment environment in towns and intermediate cities

Ranging from the small-scale producer to multinational agribusiness corporations, the private sector stakeholders are the central players in the food system. The investment choices they make are directly influenced by public policy and investment. It is fundamental to attract investment in agriculture, in the intermediate segments of the food system, and in agricultural sector inputs and services, as well as in associated manufacturing and services indirectly linked to the food system to foster local economic development and to secure better social and economic local outcomes and distributional gains through the food system. At the national level, governments can play a key role to support policies that avoid metropolitan bias to reduce the gaps in public goods provision in rural areas and towns and small and medium cities and to adapt policies and public incentives (targeted subsidies) which enable medium and large firms to locate into regions of the country where social benefits (to the local economy and employment) can be derived. These should promote reducing and dismantling of transfer mechanisms and schemes which are spatially and socially regressive for example that generally favour medium and large firms located in more favourable regions of the country. Tax breaks and regulatory structures, for example, can create incremental incentives for: agribusiness to diversify the spread of business investment (processing, cold storage, logistics, inputs, etc.) into towns and small and medium size cities; investment in agribusiness modernization, innovation and in research and development in the food sector with implications to competiveness locally and nationally. Secondary and tertiary technical and vocational training in agriculture, food processing, business skills, quality assurance, is critical to build a labor market (formal and informal) for the sector. Making such training and education available at a decentralized level helps to ensure that the necessary skills are available in order that people in rural areas and in small and medium size cities can take up emerging employment opportunities. Critically at subnational level, there is a need to develop innovative models of association between local governments (urban and rural municipalities making up a functional territory) to face the wider governance challenge of strengthening rural-urban linkages and to build the capacity to develop the local food system in the interests of building up the local economy, servicing the local needs of the food system for income generation and to meet the consumption needs of local people. A sound local structure can also underpin the links of the local food system with wider national and global markets where opportunities arise. The skills and knowledge of municipal and local governments and urban planners may benefit from being strengthened to help build coherent planning between rural and urban jurisdictions in order to maximize the food systems’ contribution to local economic development and job creation. Specific topics that may require attention include: zoning for wholesale and retail markets, modern retail, industrial parks including for the food sector; local land use planning; urban-rural public transportation; services of the local government that have a direct impact on agri-food private sector investment and economic activities (including informal and household-based enterprises) for example licensing and fees, wholesale market management and supervision, modernization of traditional food retail and retail market management; removal of barriers that limit the diversification of the food system often in favour of modern retail whilst maintaining the basic principles of public health; and support to local food safety regulation including the provision of necessary training and capacity building of key actors for example street traders and food processors. Private and public sectors engaged in the food system sector and food related policy must come together at the national level and critically at the sub-national level (functional territory) to ensure a shared understanding the changes taking place, to address gaps in services, and to address choices and trade-offs between food system options and their associated opportunities.

3 Foster retail diversity including the potential of short chains

There exists a need to remove barriers to inclusion (from smallholders to informal and formal small and medium scale enterprises including those engaged in traditional retail and food preparation) as well as to build new opportunities for income generation in the food system. Ensuring that food is available of an acceptable quality and nutritional diversity and accessible in terms of price and location for purchase remains central to public policy and societal well-being. Innovative models of alternative food systems and diversified retail options offer such potential benefits to both smallholders and urban consumers (access, availability and nutrition) including differentiated groups of urban households, for example, the poor, slum dwellers, migrant workers and commuters, middle class consumers, etc., These may include for example: short chain models; public procurement policy and practice; food and gastronomy fairs; city-region food systems; smallholder and small and medium enterprise inclusion in modern food systems; and linking traditional and modern food systems at different stages along the chain including input services. Such models (some already adopted in parts of the world) would benefit from full documentation including evaluation for their social and economic impacts, sharing, and further development.

4 Generating evidence to inform practice

There remain significant gaps in knowledge on the transformation of the food system in countries at different stages of food system change specifically on the spatial differentiation and impacts and the implications of such change for socially-inclusive growth, employment and food access and availability. Future studies in this area should also include the interaction between patterns of urbanization and food system transformation. Studies should address the determinants of location of investment of agrifood processing firms of all scales and levels of formality, and the associated impacts on the local farming community, labor markets, and poverty levels. There is a need to understand social institutions and other factors that prevent certain groups (women, youth, indigenous and ethnic minority groups, castes, poorest smallholders and rural households) in rural and urban societies from gaining equal access to opportunities created in the sector. Few studies have been conducted on the health impacts of changing food supply systems and consumption patterns of different (socio-economic categories) consumers in rural towns and cities of different scales including how and where people access food. Filling this gap is critical to contributing to tackling chronic health conditions and has the opportunity to open the debate on the impact and options for alternative food systems. Outputs from such studies can help to inform national and subnational public policy and intervention. Dynamic change is taking place within the food system in all developing countries with implications which impact strongly on rural and small town and city livelihoods, local economies and well-being including employment and job creation, food access and human nutrition and health. Such change has the potential to have effects which may or may not be desirable and which once in place may be difficult to reverse. Systems to monitor food system change at local and national levels and to take necessary corrective actions need to be put in place. This requires cross sectoral coordination and coordination at both territorial and national levels, with the former cutting across this increasingly diffuse and porous interface of rural and urban societies.

References

Berdegué, J. A. and Proctor F. J. with Cazzuffi C., (2014) Inclusive Rural–Urban Linkages. Working Paper Series N° 123. Working Group: Development with Territorial Cohesion. Territorial Cohesion for Development Program. Rimisp, Santiago, Chile. Desk review prepared for the Ford Foundation. http://rimisp.org/wp-content/files_mf/1422296516InclusiveRural_UrbanLinkages_edited.pdf

Proctor, F. J. and Berdegué, J. A. (2016) Food systems at the rural-urban interface. Working Paper series N° 194. Rimisp, Santiago, Chile. http://rimisp.org/wp-content/files_mf/1467380890194_Felicity_Proctor_Julio_Berdegue.pdf

UNHABITAT (2015) Urban–Rural Linkages. HABITAT Issues Papers 10 http://unhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Habitat-III-Issue-Paper-10_Urban-RuralLinkages.pdf

English translation below

Proponente

Colegiado de Desarrollo Territorial Campos de Cima da Serra; Colegiado de Desarrollo Territorial Litoral; Cámara Temática Agroflorestas e Cámara Temática Ganadería Familiar del Territorio Rural Campos de Cima da Serra; Cámara Temática Pueblos y Comunidades Tradicionales y Cámara Temática Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional del Territorio Rural Litoral, Núcleo Interinstitucional de Investigación y Extensión en Desarrollo Territorial e Etnoecología - NIPEDETE/UFRGS/UERGS/IFRS, Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil.



Principal entidad responsable

Universidad Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Programa de Posgraduación en Desarrollo Rural; Núcleo de Estudios en Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional



Fecha/periodo

Mayo de 2013 hasta el período actual.

Los Territorios Rurales Litoral y Campos de Cima da Serra fueron reconocidos por el Consejo Nacional de Desarrollo Rural Sostenible - CONDRAF, del día 15 de mayo de 2013. Ambos participaron del Programa Nacional de Desarrollo Sostenible de Territorios Rurales – PRONAT, que busca fomentar la organización y el fortalecimiento institucional de los actores sociales en la gestión participativa del desarrollo sostenible de los Territorios Rurales y promover la implementación de políticas públicas de forma integrada.



Fuente de financiación

Consejo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico

Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario

Secretaría Especial de Políticas para Mujeres

Ministerio del Desarrollo Social y Agrario



Lugar

Los Territorios Rurales Campos de Cima da Serra y Litoral comprenden 13 y 24 municipios, respectivamente, de la región noreste y este del Estado. Ambos territorios presenta una relativa variación en su formación sociocultural, con grande diversificación socioproductiva.



Antecedentes/Contexto

El Territorio Campos de Cima da Serra es caracterizado por su vocación agropecuaria, con fuerte presencia de ganaderos criadores de ganado lechero en el campo nativo, en paisajes de campos de altitud. Este paisaje, protegido por la Reserva de la Biosfera de Mata Atlántica, viene siendo fuertemente amenazada por plantaciones de de Pinus sp., de hortícola y de soya transgénica. Al mismo tiempo, políticas ambientales, sanitarias y de agricultura vienen presionando los modos tradicionales del manejo de campo nativo, con la quemada, bien como de la confección del queso serrano.



El Territorio Rural Litoral está localizado entre el Bosque Ombrófilo Denso y el Pampa, tiene vocación agrícola, principalmente de arroz, pescado, banano, açaí-juçara y hortícola, y vocación turística asociada al verano. La identidad no está asociada a una identidad común, pero si a los diversos grupos étnicos que conviven En este territorio, existen los conflictos territoriales referentes a la urbanización del Litoral y los pescadores artesanales, Guaraní, restos de quilombos; conflictos entre la producción agroecológica e convencional, además de los impactos ambientales sobre las aguas, bosques, butiazais, restingas y biodiversidad.



Enfoque/Objetivos

La constitución de los territorios rurales tuvo como objetivo construir un espacio democrático de participación social, representación, articulación y armonización política, permitiendo la vivencia de la gestión social de políticas públicas en el ámbito del territorio rural en articulación con lo urbano.



Las instancias de gestión de los Colegiados Territoriales en Desarrollo Rural son la plenaria, de carácter deliberativo y consultivo; el núcleo directivo, de carácter directivo, de articulación de ajustes institucionales formados para permitir la ejecución de la planificación; el núcleo técnico, espacio de apoyo técnico al proceso de planificación, elaboración y gestión del proceso de desarrollo; y las Cámaras Temáticas, instancias que contribuyen para que los actores establezcan el debate territorial y realicen la planificación de acciones relacionadas a temáticas específicas de los territorios, contribuyendo para la construcción de estrategias para el desarrollo territorial y la realización de la Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional.



Las Universidades ejecutan, a partir de un trabajo de extensión, el asesoramiento a la implementación de ese proceso.



Características principales de la experiencia/proceso

Entre una de las articulaciones realizadas por la Cámara Temática de Agroflorestas de TRCCS y de la Cámara Temática de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional do TRL está la integración de la Cadena Solidaria de las Frutas Nativas a la Tuta de los Butiazais, promovida por Embrapa Clima Temperado. En este contexto, la Ruta de los Butiazais, la Cadena Solidaria de las Frutas Nativas y los Territorios Rurales en Rio Grande do Sul están realizando: a) investigaciones y acciones para la conservación por el uso de los ecosistemas butiazais, existentes en biomas Mata Atlántica y Pampa, b) regate de la historia, cultura, manejo de los butiazais, gastronomía e artesanía, fortaleciendo la identidad regional asociada al gaucho – que representa la integración de las etnias Guaraní, Kaingang, Charrua, Portuguesa, Africana, Alemana, Italiana en el Estado de Rio Grande do Sul, c) promoción de sistemas sostenibles como las agroflorestas con butiá (Butia sp.) para el bioma Pampa, Restingas y campos con butiazais, d) promoción de una alimentación saludable, por medio de la divulgación de la gastronomía asociada al butiá, con recetas dulces, agridulces, saladas y bebidas, buscando el cambio en patrones alimentarios; e) fortalecimiento de redes de agricultores agroecológicos, técnicos de asistencia técnica y de ONGs, poder municipal, emprendimientos organizando cadenas cortas; f) implementación de procesos de gobernanza en torno a la Ruta de los Butiazais y la Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional.



Actores clave involucrados y su función

O CODETER Campos de Cima da Serra y el CODETER Litoral promueven la participación social y el encuentro entre la esfera pública y de la sociedad civil. UFRGS/PGDR/NESAN – asesoramiento, articulación, acciones de extensión, investigación, docencia. Promueve el registro y la reflexión sobre los procesos.



Centro de Tecnologías Alternativas - CETAP - coordina la Cámara Temática de Agroflorestas en el TRCCS; promueve la creación de cadenas cortas de comercialización de frutas nativas y los sistemas de producción agroecológicos, junto a los asentamientos, agricultores familiares y ganaderos; integra los actores a la Red ECOVIDA.



EMBRAPA Clima Temperado – promueve la articulación entre los sectores gubernamentales municipales, artesanos, ambientalistas, sector turismo, gastronomía de Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, de los países Uruguay y Argentina.



Principales cambios observados que suponen una mejora de la seguridad alimentaria y la nutrición

La constitución de la Ruta Internacional de los Butiazais en asociación a los Territorios Rurales y Movimientos agroecológicos es una de las temáticas que concretiza la articulación de actores regionales en torno de la realización de la: a) DIRECTRIZ 1 – Democracia, buena gestión pública, derechos humanos y el Estado de Derecho, e las Directrices 8B TIERRA, 8E SOSTENIBILIDAD (DIRECTRIZES VOLUNTARIAS en apoyo a la realización del derecho a la alimentación adecuada en el contexto de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional, 2004).



Desafíos a los que hubo que enfrentarse y cómo se superaron

El cambio en la coyuntura político-democrática evidenciada en Brasil en el último año ha conducido a la pérdida de una serie de conquistas sociales, entre ellas la reducción de espacios de participación en el ámbito de la interacción sociedad civil y Estado, como los Territorios Rurales.



Enseñanzas/mensajes clave

Espacios de participación social trabajando el fortalecimiento de una identidad regional tiene poder articulados y realizador de la SAN; Papel de la Universidad en la articulación de conocimiento y acciones de extensión, investigación y docencia tienen grande capacidad para la realización de la SAN.

Proponent

Colegiado de Desarrollo Territorial Campos de Cima da Serra (TRCSS); Colegiado de Desarrollo Territorial Litoral (TRL); Cámara Temática Agroflorestas e Cámara Temática Ganadería Familiar del Territorio Rural Campos de Cima da Serra; Cámara Temática Pueblos y Comunidades Tradicionales y Cámara Temática Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional del Territorio Rural Litoral, Núcleo Interinstitucional de Investigación y Extensión en Desarrollo Territorial e Etnoecología - NIPEDETE/UFRGS/UERGS/IFRS, Rio Grande do Sul; Brazil.



Main responsible entity

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Postgraduate Programme in Rural Development; Food and Nutritional Security Study Group



Date/timeframe

Since May 2013.

The Rural Territories of Litoral and Campos de Cima da Serra were acknowledged by the CONDRAF (National Council for Sustainable Rural Development) on the 15th May of 2013. Both regions participated in the PRONAT (National Programme for the Sustainable Development of Rural Territories) aimed at promoting the organization and institutional reinforcement of social actors for the participatory management of sustainable development in the Rural Territories, and fostering the integrated implementation of public policies.



Funding source

National Council for Scientific and Technological Development

Ministry of Agrarian Development

Special Secretariat for Women Policies

Ministry of Social and Agrarian Development



Location

The Rural Territories of Campos de Cima da Serra and Litoral comprise 13 and 24 towns respectively, and are located at the north-eastern and eastern end of the Rio Grande do Sul state. Their socio-cultural formation is relatively varied whilst the socio-productive diversity is significant.



Background/Context

Campos de Cima da Serra is an agricultural mountain region with a large number of dairy cattle breeders. The highlands, protected by the Mata Atlántica Biosphere Reserve, have been seriously threatened by plantations of Pinus sp., horticultural crops and transgenic soy. At the same time, the environmental, sanitary and agricultural policies have been putting pressure on the traditional crop management, like the slash and burn techniques (quemada) and the production of mountain cheese (queso serrano).

The Litoral region is located between the dense rainforest and the Pampa. Agriculture -mainly rice, fish, banana, assai-juçara and vegetable crops- and summer tourism are its major economic activities. Several ethnic groups coexist in the area shaping a varied identity. Territorial conflicts exist due to the coast urbanization and its impact on artisanal fishermen, Guaraní people and a few remaining quilombo communities. Conflicts also exist between agroecological and conventional production, in addition to the environmental impacts on water, forests, palm groves, restingas and biodiversity.



Focus/Objectives

The establishment of these Rural Territories aimed to build a democratic space of social participation, representation, articulation and political harmonization, enabling the social management of public policies in coordination with urban areas.

The management of the Rural Development Territorial Associations (Colegiados Territoriales en Desarrollo Rural) meet in a plenary session, an advisory and deliberative body. The steering committee articulates the institutional arrangements to enable the implementation of the planned projects. The technical committee provides technical support to the planning, formulation and management of the development process. And the Thematic Chambers (Cámaras Temáticas) facilitate the territorial debate between the stakeholders, plan the specific territorial actions, contribute to the design of territorial development strategies, and help to achieve food and nutritional security.

Based on an extension work, the universities provide advice on the implementation of that process.



Key characteristics of the experience/process

One of the interventions carried out by the Agroforestry Thematic Chamber in the rural territory TRCSS and the Food and Nutritional Security Thematic Chamber in the rural territory TRL is the integration of the Native Fruits Solidarity Chain with the Palm Groves (“butiazais”) Route, promoted by Embrapa Clima Temperado. In this context, the Palm Groves Route, the Native Fruits Solidarity Chain and the Rural Territories in Rio Grande do Sul are: a) doing research and taking actions to preserve the use of palm groves ecosystems in Mata Atlántica and Pampa; b) promoting the history, culture, and management of palm groves, fostering gastronomy and handicrafts, and strengthening the regional identity associated with the gauchos, who represent the integration of the Guaraní, Kaingang, Charrua, Portuguese, African, German and Italian ethnicities in the Rio Grande do Sul state; c) promoting sustainable systems such as butia (Butia sp.) agroforestry in the Pampa, the restingas and fields with butiazais; d) fostering a healthy diet, by disseminating all the butia-related gastronomy, with sweet, bittersweet and salty recipes, salads and drinks, seeking a change in the consumptions patterns; e) reinforcing the networks of agroecological farmers, technicians and NGOs, the local government and new ventures; f) implementing governance processes related to the butiazais Route and to Food and Nutrition Security.



Key actors involved and their role

O CODETER Campos de Cima da Serra and CODETER Litoral: They promote social participation and interaction between the public sphere and the civil society.

UFRGS/PGDR/NESAN: Advice, coordination, extension actions, research, teaching. Promotes the documentation of the processes as well as the analyses.

CETAP (Alternative Technologies Centre): Coordinates the Agroforestry Thematic Chamber in the TRCCS; promotes the creation of short commercialization chains of native fruits and agroecological production systems, along with settlements, family farmers and livestock farmers; integrates stakeholders in the ECOVIDA Network.



Fosters the coordination between municipal sectors, artisans, environmentalists, tourism sector, and the gastronomy of the Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states, and with Uruguay and Argentina.



Key changes observed leading to an improvement of food security and nutrition

The establishment of the International Palm Groves (“butiazais”) Route in partnership with the Rural Territories and the Agroecological Movements is one of the topics that materialises the engagement of regional stakeholders to achieve the targets set in: a) GUIDELINE 1 - Democracy, good governance, human rights and the rule of law; b) Guidelines 8B EARTH, 8E SUSTAINABILITY (VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES to support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security, 2004).



Challenges faced and how they were overcome

The change experienced in the Brazilian political-democratic situation during the last year has led to the loss of several social achievements: among others, the reduction of participation spaces for the interaction between the State and the civil society, such as the Rural Territories .



Lessons/key messages

Social participation spaces strengthening a regional identity to achieve food and nutrition security; role of the University in promoting knowledge and extension, research and academic activities with a significant potential to achieve food and nutrition security.

Dear CFS Secretariat,



Please kindly find China's template in the attachment.



Kind regards,



Jiani





Proponent

Li Xiande, Chen Yangfen



Main responsible entity

Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)



Date/Timeframe



Funding source



Location

China



Background/Context

Chinese rural population has migrated to cities in huge numbers since the onset of China’s opening-up and reform in 1978. Urbanization rate of the country raised from 17.9% in 1978 to 57.4% in 2016. Chinese Government has provided support to hundreds of millions of these migrant population, as well as equally large numbers of rural population, to improve their food security and nutrition levels.



Focus/Objectives

1) to effectively promote public and private investment in agriculture and rural development by way of industry nurturing agriculture and cities supporting countryside, with a view to increasing food supply and its stability;

2) to carry out appropriate re-adjustments to cropping structure in the light of the transformation of consumption patterns of urban and rural population, on the pre-condition of ensuring absolute security of food grain supply, so as to produce agriculture products that meet the demand of consumers;

3) to facilitate the voluntary transfer of arable land tenure from migrant population to specialized farming households building on the basis of implementing land tenure registration and safeguarding farmers tenure rights, so as to increase the income level of both transferors and transferees and to avoid abandonment of land;

4) to strengthen agricultural infrastructure and promote socialized service for agricultural production, and to ensure that the migrant population with need can do part-time crop farming so as to minimize food security risk;

5) to provide training and support to farmers, particularly youth, women, elderlies, in order to strengthen migrants’ capacity of getting employed, to develop specialized food producers and to improve farmers’ livelihoods.



Key characteristics of the experience/process

1) Increasing investment in agriculture and rural areas so as to facilitate and optimize the allocation of urban and rural productive resources in farm and non-farm sectors, with a view to achieving mutual complementarity between industry and agriculture, and interaction between urban and rural;

2) Adherence to the combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, encouraging context-specific innovative development models and rolling out support policies in accordance with actual need;

3) Emphasis on protecting farmers’ tenure and rights, safeguarding farmers’ production and management right, and facilitating farmers’ production and management through diverse means;

4) Enhancing policy design and enforcement. Multiple so-called ‘No. 1 Documents’ of the CCP’s Central Committee have focused on urban-rural integrated development, aiming at promoting the liberalization and flow of labor, land the capital, and at the meantime safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods after they have transferred their land, through the establishment and improvement of rural social protection network and better regulating the access of industrial-commercial capitals to the agriculture sector.



Key actors involved and their role

1) Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant government ministries and departments, in areas of policy-making, financial allocation/investment, training, etc.;

2) Private-sector companies, in areas of private investment and improving farmers’ access to markets;

3) Cooperatives, in areas of farmers’ market access and socialized service provision;

4) Migrant population, in areas such as enhancing non-farm employment skills;

5) Farmers, in areas such as improving food farming capacity.



Key changes observed with regards to food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture and food systems

1) Food production has increased in consecutive years, reaching 616,239 million tons in 2016, far higher than 304.77 million tons in 1978. During 2004-2015, food production has increased for 12 years in a row;

2) Unit food yield has reached 5452.1 kg per hector, much higher than 2527.3 kg per hector in 1978;

3) Farmers’ income has increased rapidly, with rural per capita disposable income reaching 12363 yuan in 2016, far more than 133.6 yuan in 1978 (in nominal terms). The urban-rural income gap has been narrowing since 2009;

4) As of the end of 2016, over one-third of China’s land has been transferred.



Challenges faced

1) The out-flow of rural population, mostly youth, has led to a relative drop in farming labor quality, having some impact on agricultural production;

2) With industrial-commercial capital entering into agriculture and capital replacing labor, smallholder production has been impacted to some extent;

3) In open market environment, price fluctuation of food market has become greater, exerting some impact on agricultural production and consumption in both urban and rural areas.



Lessons/Key messages

Dear FSN members,

I appreciate the insightful and interesting comments posted by colleagues hitherto. Obviously,  a one-size-fits all policy approach cannot work for different countries because of inherent differences in the context (political, socioeconomic and institutional), geographical and historical factors. Historically, in the case of Zimbabwe, it had become crystal clear that the skewed distribution of land was impeding the achievement of an equitable food secure nation. This justified a need to redress fundamental land ownership issues across different classes of the society through the land reform. To revamp the fledging productivity in agriculture, the government has recently introduced a command policy approach, whereby a set of farmers are selected on the basis of different criteria such as land size, previous production levels and marketed sales. These farmers are supplied requisite inputs, given production targets for specific crops-this year maize. It does seem like such a program has been successful in the short-run because of the follow-up extension given to farmers (innovation). Productivity gains are likely to have a positive spill-over effect on food security and nutrition. I am also of the opinion that a similar command urban agriculture will be hepful in solving food insecurity in urban areas. Such an approach has also been proposed for livestock and forestry where farmers will be given specific targets to achieve in their livestock systems. In addition, farmers may be required to implement specifc types of woodlots which are consistent with a national forest management strategy. This is expected to redress environmental degradation and climate change in the long-run. Nonetheless, the sustainability of the approach is not clear, given that it may require a continuous flow of subsidy from the government.

English translation below

Proponente

MDSN



Principal entidad responsible

MDSN



Fecha/período

Desde el año 2002 Fopar alimentario luego cambia de nombre, Abordaje Comunitario – Proyecto PNUD ARG 12/009 desde 2006 a marzo 2020.



Fuente de financiación

Banco Mundial desde 2002 al 31 de diciembre de 2005.

1 de enero de 2006 a la fecha Fondos del Tesoro Nacional, con fiscalización PNUD.



Lugar

Argentina (Urbano)

Abordaje Comunitario es un Programa de cobertura nacional que abarca 28 grandes aglomerados de la Argentina, 22 municipios del Conurbano Bonaerense y CABA. (San Salvador de Jujuy, Palpalá, Salta, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tafí Viejo, San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, La Banda, San Juan, Mendoza, San Luis, Santa Rosa, Neuquén, Viedma, Bariloche, CABA, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Batán, Santa Fe, Rosario, Paraná, Concordia, Corrientes, Goya, Esquina, Pasadas, Resistencia, Formosa y Córdoba).



Antecedentes/Contexto

Las alteraciones más prevalentes del estado nutricional de la población en nuestro país se evidencia: anemia, deficiencia de hierro, obesidad y baja talla (acortamiento). Este último indicador es seis veces mayor en la población pobre comparada con la población no pobre. Los mencionados problemas están asociados, entre otros, al tipo de alimentos a los que accede la población vulnerable, una alimentación monótona basada en alimentos de bajo calidad nutricional, ricos en azúcares y grasas, relativamente más económica, pero pobre en proteínas y nutrientes esenciales.

Por estas razones desde el Programa Abordaje Comunitario se busca promover, a través de la asistencia técnica y financiera a Organizaciones Comunitarias que brindan prestaciones alimentarias a población en situación de vulnerabilidad social, la mejora de la calidad y de la oferta de los servicios que prestan.



Enfoque/Objetivos

Contribuir al fortalecimiento de las organizaciones desde una perspectiva de derechos, mediante acciones que incrementen su capacidad de gestión y mejoren las condiciones en que desarrollan los diferentes servicios que ofrecen a población en situación de vulnerabilidad social.



Promover la implementación de servicios de cuidado de calidad para que los niños y las niñas de las áreas atendidas cuenten con un nivel de nutrición y de desarrollo infantil adecuado. Para ello se trabaja con capacitaciones continúas en Seguridad e higiene alimentaria, como en el financiamiento de equipamiento ya adecuación de espacio físico y acceso a servicios básicos.



Características principales de la experiencia/proceso

En la mayor parte de las organizaciones, las prestaciones alimentarias acompañan el desarrollo de acciones extra alimentarias, tales como actividades educativas, recreativas, culturales, deportivas, talleres de oficios, apoyo escolar, capacitación e intercambio de experiencias, entre otras. El programa también promueve la articulación de las organizaciones comunitarias entre sí y con otros actores, a nivel local y nacional. Para su implementación, articula sus acciones con otros programas nacionales, tales como Pro Huerta; a través del cual se promoverán propuestas de trabajo mediante acciones orientadas a mejorar la calidad alimentaria de las familias que participan en los comedores comunitarios.



Actores clave involucrados y su función

Las organizaciones comunitarias -actor clave y destinatario del financiamiento-, a través del cual se brindan las prestaciones alimentarias a las familias para que reciban un nivel de nutrición adecuado.



Asimismo, el Programa de Naciones Unidad para el Desarrollo (PNUD) actúa como fiscalizador de la ejecución del Programa y la Secretaría de Coordinación y Cooperación Internacional como nexo entre el programa y PNUD.



Principales cambios observados que suponen una mejora de la seguridad alimentaria y la nutrición

- La promoción y financiamiento una alimentación suficiente y de calidad en condiciones adecuadas de seguridad e higiene, referenciadas en recomendaciones alimentaria-nutricionales que el Programa implementa de acuerdo a las características de la población a la que las organizaciones asisten. Para ello se realizaron actividades con la finalidad de identificar sus características (edad, sexo, principales problemas de salud que las afectan) con el objetivo de mejorar las recomendaciones específicas sobre menú, selección y elaboración de alimentos.

- Se revisaron y readecuaron los criterios alimentario-nutricionales, considerando las particularidades de la población atendida. Identificando las condiciones de seguridad e higiene de los espacios físicos, instalaciones, equipamientos y procesos en la recepción, almacenamiento, elaboración y servicio de los alimentos y calidad del agua utilizada.

- Se elaboraron materiales de uso interno, a fin de brindar herramientas técnicas para los equipos territoriales que realizan el acompañamiento a las organizaciones.

- Para fortalecer los aspectos de calidad del servicio, se propició el análisis físico–químicos y bacteriológicos para determinar la calidad del agua, la limpieza de las fuentes de distribución y almacenamiento interno. Se impulsó el asesoramiento y capacitaciones en la temática. - Se realizaron capacitaciones a las organizaciones en aspectos relacionados a seguridad e higiene en el manejo de los alimentos, tanto en la recepción, almacenamiento, elaboración y servicio de los mismos.

- Complementariamente, se llevó adelante el acompañamiento técnico y financiero a las organizaciones comunitarias para el mejoramiento de los espacios físicos y acceso a servicios básicos, adquisición de equipamiento y utensilios necesarios para el funcionamiento de las organizaciones comunitarias.



Desafíos a los que hubo que enfrentarse y cómo se superaron

A pesar de que la cantidad de proyectos complementarios financiados por el Programa y ejecutados por las organizaciones comunitarias ha sido considerable, aún resta avanzar para lograr la óptima implementación del programa. Motivo por el cual durante el periodo octubre- diciembre 2016 se realizó un análisis exhaustivo que permitió comparar la situación actual con los resultados del diagnóstico elaborado en 2013, lo cual permitió trazar una propuesta de trabajo (2017-2020) para dar respuesta a las situaciones que aún requieren de la intervención del Programa.



Enseñanzas/mensajes clave

La labor de la asistencia técnica, el análisis y la reflexión desde el inicio del Programa hasta el momento, ha permitido replantear procedimientos y criterios a fin de continuar contribuyendo a que las organizaciones brinden prestaciones alimentarias de calidad, promoviendo a su vez acciones tendientes a fortalecerlas en su proyección hacia la comunidad, es decir brindado servicios de cuidados a la población atendida.

Proponent

Ministry of Social Development (MDSN)



Main responsible entity

Ministry of Social Development (MDSN)



Date/timeframe

FOPAR (Social Investment Participatory Fund) programme since 2002. New nomenclature Abordaje Comunitario (Community Approach) – UNDP Project ARG 12/009) from 2006 to March 2020.  



Funding source

World Bank from 2002 to the 31st of December 2005. Since 1st of January 2006, National Treasury with UNDP control.



Location

Argentina (Urban)

Community Approach is a national programme covering 28 large metropolitan areas in Argentina, 22 towns in the Buenos Aires Conurbation and the CABA (Autonomous City of Buenos Aires). (San Salvador de Jujuy, Palpalá, Salta, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tafí Viejo, San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, La Banda, San Juan, Mendoza, San Luis, Santa Rosa, Neuquén, Viedma, Bariloche, CABA, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Batán, Santa Fe, Rosario, Paraná, Concordia, Corrientes, Goya, Esquina, Pasadas, Resistencia, Formosa y Córdoba).



Background/Context

The most prevalent nutritional issues of our country are evident: anaemia, iron deficiency, obesity and stunting. This last indicator is six times higher among the poor population. The aforementioned problems are related, among others, to the type of food to which the vulnerable population has access to: a monotonous diet based on products with poor nutritional quality, rich in sugars and fats, relatively cheaper, but low in proteins and essential nutrients.

For these reasons, the Community Approach Programme provides technical and financial support to community organizations, assisting the socially vulnerable population with the aim of promoting an improvement in the quality and variety of the services provided.



Focus/Objectives

Contributing to reinforce the organizations from a rights perspective, through actions that enhance their management capacity and improve the conditions under which they provide their range of services to the socially vulnerable population.

Promoting the implementation of high quality care services to ensure that children have an adequate nutrition and an appropriate development. To do so, continuous training in food safety and hygiene is provided, funding for equipment is granted, dedicated areas are adapted, and access to basic services is provided.



Key characteristics of the experience/process

In most organizations, food aid is complemented with other non-related initiatives, such as educational, recreational, cultural, and sport activities, workshops, school support, training and sharing of experiences, among others. The programme also promotes the coordination of community organizations among themselves, but also with other stakeholders at the local and national level. For its implementation, actions are jointly coordinated with other national programmes like Pro Huerta. Work proposals are promoted through actions aimed at improving the food quality of families participating in community canteens.



Key actors involved and their role

The community organizations -key drivers and funding beneficiaries- through which food aid is provided to families to ensure an adequate nutrition.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the programme and the Secretariat for Coordination and International Cooperation acts as a focal point between the programme and UNDP.



Key changes observed leading to an improvement of food security and nutrition

- The Programme promoted and financed a good-quality, safe and adequate diet based on food and nutritional recommendations, and according to the distinctive features of the target population. For this purpose, activities were undertaken to identify their main characteristics (age, gender, main health problems) with the aim of improving the specific dietary recommendations.

- Food and nutritional criteria were reviewed and adapted, considering the distinctive features of the target population. The safety and hygiene conditions of the dedicated areas, facilities, equipment and processes used in the reception, storage and processing of food were assessed, as well as the quality of the water used.

- Internal materials were developed to provide technical tools for the territorial teams supporting the organizations.

- To reinforce the quality of the services provided, physical-chemical and bacteriological analyses were carried out to determine the quality of the water and the hygiene of the distribution sources and internal storage devices. Counselling and training on the subject were promoted.

- Organizations were trained in food handling safety and hygiene (reception, storage, processing and service).

- Complementarily, technical and financial support was provided to community organizations to improve the dedicated areas and the access to basic services, and to acquire the necessary equipment and tools.



Challenges faced and how they were overcome

Although many complementary projects have been funded by the Programme and implemented by the community organizations, work still needs to be done to achieve an optimal deployment. This is why a comprehensive analysis was conducted in October-December 2016, comparing the current situation with the results of the 2013 assessment. It allowed defining a new work proposal (2017-2020) to address those situations for which the Programme is still necessary.



Lessons/key messages

The technical assistance provided and all the analysis conducted so far have allowed to reformulate procedures and criteria with the aim of improving the support provided by the organizations. Actions strengthening the communities have also been promoted and care services have been provided to the target population.

English translation below

Proponente



Principal entidad responsable

Ministerio de Desarrollo Social de la Nación



Fecha/periodo

1990 a la fecha



Fuente de financiación

Nacional



Lugar

Alcance nacional



Antecedentes/Contexto

El 3 de Agosto de 1990, nace en el Gran Buenos Aires, Rosario, Santa Fe y Mendoza y, allí, comienza su expansión por todo el territorio nacional.



El programa promueve el desarrollo de fruticulturas agroecológicas de pequeñas granjas, complementando la alimentación mediante la incorporación de gallinas y conejos. Contempla también proyectos especiales de acceso al agua para las comunidades con alta vulnerabilidad social; apoyar las capacidades locales y personales para desarrollar herramientas con tecnologías apropiadas.



Enfoque/Objetivos

Objetivo General: Contribuir a garantizar la seguridad alimentaria de las poblaciones urbanas y rurales en situación de vulnerabilidad social, incrementando la disponibilidad, accesibilidad y variedad de alimentos; así como también propiciar y desarrollar la comercialización de excedentes, mediante la autoproducción de alimentos frescos que complementen sus necesidades alimentarias, en huertas y granjas con enfoque agroecológico, de acuerdo a las particularidades y costumbres de cada región.



Objetivos Específicos:

1. Promover mecanismos de gestión compartida y articulación interinstitucional que contribuyan a garantizar el derecho al trabajo y a los alimentos en los sectores de la población en riesgo por vulnerabilidad social en los ámbitos urbanos, periurbanos y rurales.

2. Promover, fortalecer y generar sistemas locales de producción y comercialización de productos en el marco de la economía social.

3. Facilitar el acceso al agua segura para consumo y riego.

4. Fortalecer la producción local y regional de cultivos locales y semillas nativas, revalorizando las producciones autóctonas.

5. Concientizar sobre la relevancia de una alimentación saludable y el cuidado del ambiente.

6. Contribuir al desarrollo de la creatividad, saberes y oficios aplicados al trabajo y la autoproducción de instalaciones y herramientas para la obtención de alimentos saludables.

7. Fortalecer equipos de técnicos institucionales y promotores voluntarios locales, por medio de capacitaciones e información, para el trabajo comunitario relacionado al Programa.

8. Promover la articulación entre el público general, las familias productoras, promotores, técnicos y coordinaciones del Programa a través de la comunicación.



Características principales de la experiencia/proceso

El programa tiene un desarrollo territorial tal que moviliza a una red federal de 7.500 promotores voluntarios. Coordina acciones con más de 3.000 organizaciones e instituciones y trabaja con 465 mil huertas familiares, 6.000 huertas escolares y 1.000 huertas comunitarias, 2.700 huertas en instituciones. A su vez, ejecuta proyectos especiales en articulación con grupos, organizaciones e instituciones y gobiernos locales. Estas características demuestran que las redes institucionales, como así su interacción constante con las personas de la comunidad lo destacan como una política de inclusión social.



La generación de Promotores voluntarios que ayudan en lo cotidiano a los equipos técnicos, sin lugar a dudas, expresan una característica primordial y única en el sostenimiento de este Programa. Estas personas colaboran cotidianamente siendo actores sociales que no solo ayudan al programa sino que resuelven situaciones de su vida cotidiana.



Todos estos aspectos y experiencia le dan una impronta de tal magnitud que es considerado en todo el mundo como una experiencia modelo, reconocida por sus intervenciones en países como Haití y Angola, además de algunas naciones latinoamericanas. Esa presencia internacional es sostenida con el apoyo de la Cancillería Argentina.



Actores clave involucrados y su función

Ejecutado por el Ministerio de Desarrollo Social de la Nación y el Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA)



Principales cambios observados que suponen una mejora de la seguridad alimentaria y la nutrición

ProHuerta interactúa con más de 4 millones de personas, articula en el territorio con más de 10 mil instituciones y organizaciones, y forma parte de más de 600 ferias agroecológicas, garantizando la mejora en los hábitos alimentarios, desarrollando tecnologías orientadas a la autoproducción de alimentos, fortaleciendo a familias, comunidades y organizaciones, impulsando una economía justa y solidaria, mejorando el hábitat y la ecología, e impulsando conciencia sobre los derechos ciudadanos.



Desafíos a los que hubo que enfrentarse y cómo se superaron

Los desafíos que fueron enfrentados durante 24 años del programa fueron múltiples. El programa con sus características diferenciales en cuanto a modelo de producción que responde a atender a necesidades de la Agricultura familiar con base en la “agroecología” y como política de estado que tiene como objetivo a familias en situación de vulnerabilidad social, fue teniendo que sortear dificultades de reconocimiento institucional, y a través de los años ha construido su identidad siendo reconocido por su innovación en la producción de alimentos agroecológicos y en la atención a sectores postergados de la sociedad.



Cabe destacar que estas mismas dificultades planteadas fueron los desafíos que permitieron fortalecer al Programa en sus bases mismas, promoviendo la integración de los equipos técnicos, gerenciales y ciudadanos, signo de empoderamiento de las capacidades instaladas y construidas durante tantos años.



Enseñanzas/mensajes clave

Es fundamental promover acciones que hacen a la seguridad y soberanía alimentaria a fin de impulsar y hacer efectivos los derechos sociales, generando así mayores capacidades individuales y comunitarias.



Las estrategias de trabajo planteadas desde la participación y la acción comunitaria generan agentes multiplicadores capaces de resolver situaciones de su vida cotidiana, donde el Estado hace de facilitador de esos cambios, dejando en manos de las personas la decisión de sus propias vidas.



El Programa Pro Huerta, evidencia el cuidado del medio ambiente y la naturaleza, la promoción del cuidado, y la solidaridad con otros, permiten transformar las realidades locales y cotidianas en pos de un desarrollo sustentable que mejora la calidad de vida de las personas.



Con todo lo expresado anteriormente, el Programa se aleja completamente de acciones asistencialistas y unilaterales, transformándose en una política de Estado que transforman la necesidad en una potencialidad, construyendo así ciudadanía.

Proponent



Main responsible entity

Ministry of Social Development



Date/timeframe

Since 1990 to date



Funding source

National Location National scope



Background/Context

The Pro Huerta programme was launched in Gran Buenos Aires, Rosario, Santa Fe and Mendoza on 3 August 1990, and further expanded throughout the country.



The programme promotes the development of agroecological fruit cultivation in small farms, supplementing the diet with the inclusion of hens and rabbits. It also features special projects to facilitate the access to water to highly socially vulnerable communities, and to support local and personal capacities to develop technologically appropriate tools.



Focus/Objectives

Overall objective: Contributing to guaranteeing food security of socially vulnerable populations in rural and urban areas by increasing the availability, accessibility and variety of food products. And promoting and developing the marketing of surpluses, through the self-production of fresh food complementing their dietary needs in agroecological gardens and farms, according to the distinctive features and habits of each region.



Specific objectives:

1. Promoting joint management and inter-institutional coordination mechanisms that contribute to guarantee the right to work and the right to food of the socially vulnerable population in urban, peri-urban and rural areas.

2. Fostering, strengthening and establishing local food production and marketing systems within the framework of social economy.

3. Facilitating the access to safe water for consumption and irrigation.

4. Strengthening the local and regional production of local crops and native seeds, increasing the value of indigenous food products.

5. Raising awareness of the importance of following a healthy diet and protecting the environment.

6. Contributing to promote work-related creativity, skills and crafts, and homemade manufacturing of facilities and tools to produce healthy food.

7. Strengthening the teams of institutional technicians and local volunteer promoters, through training and information, for community work related to the programme.

8. Promoting the coordination between the general public, family producers, promoters, technicians and focal points by strengthening communication.



Key characteristics of the experience/process

The territorial scope of the programme is broad, mobilizing a federal network of 7 500 volunteer promoters. Its activities involve 3 000 organizations and institutions, and 465 thousand family gardens, 6 000 school gardens, 1 000 community gardens and 2 700 gardens in institutions. Furthermore, special projects are implemented in coordination with diverse groups, organizations and institutions as well as local governments. These features demonstrate that institutional networks and their continuous community engagement stand out as a social inclusion policy.



The participation of volunteer promoters supporting technical teams in everyday tasks undoubtedly reflects a key and unique feature explaining the support of this programme. These volunteers collaborate on a daily basis as social agents, who do not only support the programme, but also solve everyday challenges.



All these features and background have made this programme a model experience, globally acknowledged for its interventions in countries like Haiti and Angola, as well as other countries in Latin America. This international scope is supported by the Argentine Foreign Ministry.



Key actors involved and their role

The programme was implemented by the Ministry of Social Development and the INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technology)



Key changes observed leading to an improvement of food security and nutrition

Pro Huerta works with more than 4 million people and 10 000 institutions and organizations, and participates in more than 600 agroecological fairs, guaranteeing an improvement in the dietary habits, developing technologies focused on food self-production, strengthening families, communities and organizations, promoting a fair and supportive economy, improving the environment and raising awareness of civil rights.



Challenges faced and how they were overcome

The programme has faced multiple challenges during the last 24 years. Featuring a distinctive production model addressing the needs of family agriculture on a agroecological basis and involving a national policy targeting socially vulnerable households, it had to overcome difficulties to be institutionally acknowledged. Over the years, the programme has built its own identity and has been distinguished by its innovative production of agroecological food and the support it has provided to the disadvantaged groups.



It should be noted that these challenges strengthened the foundations of the programme by promoting the integration of technical, management and civil teams: a sign of the empowerment of the capacities that have been built and developed during so many years.



Lessons/key messages

Fostering actions that strengthen food security and sovereignty is essential. In this way, social rights are promoted and enforced, developing as a result enhanced individual and community capacities.



The approach based on participation and community action, involves multiplier agents who solve everyday situations. The State facilitates all the changes but the people make their own decisions about their lives.



The Pro Huerta programme protects nature and the environment and promotes care and solidarity. It enables the transformation of local and everyday realities towards sustainable development improving the quality of life.



Hence, the programme avoids welfare-oriented and unilateral actions, becoming itself a State policy that turns a need into an opportunity to build active citizenship.