المنتدى العالمي المعني بالأمن الغذائي والتغذية

Climate change directly affects food and nutrition security of millions of people, undermining current efforts to address undernutrition. It impacts people’s livelihoods and lifestyles through different pathways, hitting the poorest the hardest. The objective of this consultation is to gain a better understanding of the impact of climate change and to identify possible measures to protect and/or improve nutrition. 

FAO and UNEP are jointly developing a programme on sustainable food systems under the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP). As part of this process, a public consultation is being organized in order to take stock of relevant information on initiatives, collect comments of a draft concpt note and collect expressions of interest of entities to participate in the Programme.

The High Level Panel of Experts for Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) seeks input on the V0 draft of its report on Biofuels and Food Security. The report aims at providing a balanced science-based assessments of the opportunities and challenges that Biofuels may represent for food security so that they can be produced where it is socially, economically and environmentally feasible.

The impacts of bioenergy on Food Security have been highly debated. FAO’s Bioenergy and Food  Security Criteria and Indicators (BEFSCI) project is currently developing a set of criteria, indicators, good practices and policy options on sustainable bioenergy production that safeguards and, if possible, fosters food security. We welcome comments and inputs on a set of “core” indicators that governments could use (on a voluntary basis) to monitor the impacts of modern bioenergy production on the four dimensions of food security.

The impact of biofuel production on food security remains a controversial issue. A number of initiatives have been established to develop voluntary sustainability standards for the certification of biofuels. Among them, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) has developed a voluntary, third-party certification system for biofuel sustainability which encompasses environmental, social and economic principles and criteria, including on food security.

Following the request by the CFS, the HLPE is approaching the issue of biofuels through the lens of food security, taking into consideration a wide range of issues such as: forecasted demand, competition for biomass feedstock and for land, benefits along the biofuel production chain, the role of smallholders, social issues, new technologies etc. Please share your knowledge and views on this multifaceted topic to respond to the key question: are biofuels compatible with food security concerns or are they not adding too much to the – already unmet -  challenge to feeding the world?