Dear FSN Forum members,
Questions:
1. Do you have any general comments on the draft Framework for Action?
- While the draft comprehensively captures the multidisciplinary facets of nutrition issues including social, environmental and health aspects, the need for sustainable use and management of natural resources (i.e. forests) in a broader context for sustainable healthy diets seems to be undervalued.
· Do you have any comments on chapter 1-2?
- With reference to Chapter 2.3 Financing for improved nutrition outcomes, Section “Better results for the investments” (Page 6 of the draft), the need for nutrition-specific interventions and investments in “relevant sectors” is addressed. The draft currently displays “agriculture, education, health, water, sanitation, hygiene, etc.” as related sectors. It would be important to include “sustainable natural resources management” as one of the key-sectors where the appropriate investments should be made, especially targeting smallholder farmers, fisher folk and forest communities.
As an example, woodfuel plays an important role in ensuring nutrition security. The State of World’s Forests (SOFO) 2014 reveals that about 2.4 billion of the world’s population use woodfuel for cooking. It also addresses that boiling water is by far the most common way to sterilize water and, it is estimated that about 765 million people (10.9% of the global population) use wood energy to sterilize their water.
· Do you have any comments on chapter 3 (3.1 Food systems; 3.2 Social Protection; 3.3 Health; 3.4 International trade and investment)?
* Chapter 3 Intro.
- additional words in bold below are suggested to be added:
(Page 6) “Addressing malnutrition requires a common vision and a multi-sector approach that includes coordinated, coherent and complementary interventions in food and agriculture systems, sustainable use of natural resources, environment, health, social protection, education and other sectors.”
* 3.1 Food systems
- additional words in bold below are suggested to be added:
(Page 8) “Diverse diets that combine a variety of cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, edible insects and animal-source foods will provide adequate nutrition for most people to meet their nutrient requirements, although supplements may be needed for certain populations, e.g., during humanitarian emergencies.”
(Page 9) “Better storage, preservation and processing (including food fortification) for crops, livestock, fish, forest foods or gathered foods, at the farm level or commercially, can also do so.”
(Page 10) Under “Priority actions”,
i) “Promote backyard/homestead gardening, agroforestry, forest food farms, fish farms and small animal management, including ecologically appropriate varieties with high nutritional value, as a potential source of income and of fresh local produce.”;
and
ii)“Integrating explicit nutrition objectives into agricultural, sustainable natural resources management and other sectors’ strategy policy and programme design and implementation and research agendas, to ensure that: they are not detrimental to nutrition; and opportunities to improve nutrition are well utilized.”
(Page 11) Under Section 3.1.1 Food environments, “Increase availability, affordability and consumption of wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.”
* 3.2 Social Protection & 3.3 Health
- N/A
* 3.4 International trade and investment
- additional words in bold below are suggested to be added:
“The availability of and access to healthy foods should be ensured through nationally appropriate combinations of imports and domestic production, and investments in food production, especially by smallholders. There should be effective incentives for farmers, fisher folk and forest communities to produce sufficient healthy foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, forest foods, and animal source foods such as fish and wildlife) to be sold at affordable prices.”
· Do you have any comments on chapter 4-5?
- With reference to Chapter 4. Accountability Mechanisms, Section 4.1.1 National Level, additional words in bold below are suggested to be added:
“Within the context of the national plans of action on nutrition developed or updated, governments should formulate, adopt and implement strategies and programmes to achieve the recommendations of the Framework for Action, taking into account their specific problems and priorities. In particular, ministries of food, health, agriculture, environment, natural resources (forestry, fisheries), trade, social welfare, education, employment, information, consumer affairs and planning should formulate concrete proposals for their sectors to contribute to promoting better nutrition.”
2. Does the Framework for Action adequately reflect the commitments of the Rome Declaration on Nutrition, and how could this be improved?
- As commented during the online discussion session on the draft Rome Declaration on Nutrition in May 2014, the importance of “sustainable management of natural resources” (i.e. forestry, fisheries and aquaculture systems) in ensuring sustainability of nutrition security should be addressed in both the Declaration and the Framework for Action.
3. Does the Framework for Action provide sufficient guidance to realize the commitments made?
- The Framework for Action can be shortened – currently, it is a 28-page draft. A shortened version with a concise list of concrete actions may be more effective in realizing the commitments made.
4. Are there any issues which are missing in the draft Framework for Action to ensure the effective implementation of the commitments and action to achieve the objectives of the ICN2 and its Declaration?
- The human rights aspect in the context of the Right to Food recognising that unclear and/or unequitable land tenure rights are threats to the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger should be taken into consideration as part of the draft Framework for Action.
Forests for Food Security and Nutrition