Risk allocation and way forward for successful multistakeholder partnership, engagement and delivery towards food security and nutrition in the face of climate change
In dealing with the challenge of food security and nutrition, countries must act on several fronts in a focused manner simultaneously. One of approach to address the issue is public private partnership (PPP) mode wherein wherein the contractual parties are the public and private partners and the purpose of the document is to govern and establish guidelines for the relationship between all parties. The objective from the public sector point of view is to make sure that the risks are allocated so that the private sector is incentivized to provide the service under the PPP contract but not require the private sector to take risks that they cannot control. The private sector attaches a premium on the risks, which affects the cost of their services. Consequently, the public authority must also consider which risks it will retain because it is able to control these risks more cost effectively. The National Action Plan for food security and nutrition hinges on the development and use of new technologies. The implementation of the Plan would be through appropriate institutional mechanisms suited for effective delivery of each individual Mission's objectives and include public private partnerships and civil society action. The focus will be on promoting understanding of climate change, adaptation and mitigation, energy efficiency and natural resource conservation. Lenders are required in many PPP arrangements, such as concession agreements, to finance the capital investments of a project.
Strategies need to be adopted for active citizen engagement
Capacity building - at both individual and institutional level, greater involvement of private sector through Public Private Partnership and better awareness is important. Top-down anti-corruption practices and national level approaches to improving accountability mechanisms have often failed in fragile and conflict-affected situations. In contrast, identifying and supporting local accountability mechanisms, strengthening partnerships, and supporting collaborative governance and capacity building has been shown to be more effective in these contexts. The accountability triangle involving Citizen, Policymakers and Public Private Partnership provides a way to understand successes and failures along the service delivery chain by analyzing the relationships between policymakers/politicians, service providers and citizens.
Suggested steps for effective implementation of food security and nutrition strategy
Preliminary risk assessment on food security and nutrition:
An initial risk assessment need to be conducted based on secondary data. The data will be collected from relevant government agencies and authorized organizations. Quick observations of vulnerable communities need to be done to assess the sensitivity and exposure towards food and nutritional insecurity. The risk assessment report need to be compiled and utilized for public awareness and multistakeholder consultations and shared through local and national media. This will help to increase the political will and public support for taking measures to reduce the risk.
Public awareness and community involvement:
This is basically a step for sensitizing public after analysis of risk assessment report with multistakeholders and communities. Their opinion on ways to reduce risk will be further compiled and analysed.
Local institutional mapping:
Existing local institutions that have potential roles in risk reduction will be mapped. This mapping accounts for both government and non-government agencies. The risk assessment report will be shared with identified institutions and their opinion on measures to be taken will be captured.
Policy review:
Review of existing policies on food security and nutrition will be done. The policies and strategies need to be clearly discussed at various levels. A policy brief need to be prepared based on the review and circulated through printing and electronic media.
Multistakeholder consultations:
Consultation meetings with multistakeholders (including political parties, government and non-government agencies, media, academicians) need to be organized. The findings of step of above steps will be shared among all. Consensus on food security and nutrition need to be sought from all the multistakeholders for final implementable strategies.
Dr. Pradip Dey