Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Please, find the two research articles in the attachment s files and one under publication, in addition to I still investigate these innovations to increase the efficiency and I can collect amazing results.

Thank you for interest  

Dr. Mohamed ElHagarey  

I am happy to share some thoughts and ideas .

1. Impact of COVID-19 outbreak in NENA region. 

COVID 19 pandemic did have consequences for small scale holders mainly due to disruption in value chains and reduced market access.  However there are  successful cases where tiny scale farming did help families ensure their food supply during the complete lockdown period.

Therefore, I think it is important to guarantee land tenure for SSFF and provide locally adapted technologies mostly for irrigation and post harvest losses.

2.  Sustainable transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems

Digital innovation could be of great value for weather predictions and timing of cultural practices for food systems (and not only for individual areas) given the digital infrastructure is developed through remote areas.

3.  Towards an inclusive and equitable growth

Governments are and should be the main actors in this area through providing:

• Infrastructures for communication (roads, internet, telephonne..);
• Promotion  and support for women owned cooperatives in different segments of the value chain, especially as they start;
• Temporary basic income for vulnerable families farmers and women cooperatives. 

As example, Morocco provided temporary basic income for vulnerable families and this did have a beneficial effect on small farmers in the mountainous areas. They could access food and medication during lockdown. 

4) Enabling environment for the implementation of UNDFF

Since “family farming and family-based production models” are the core of UNDFF, I believe the roles for different actors could be considered as follows:

4.1. Governments provide fundings and enabling environment through supportive policies mainly for access to resources, including finances, gender equity and market access.  They also contribute to investments and provide institutional frameworks.  

Governments are central influential actors because they have the institutional power to deliver funding and reforms.

4.2. Development organisations are also influential. They catalyse and enable change through providing fundings and support for the formulation of national and regional policies.  Also, they contribute to enhancing  multilateral policy dialogues and cooperation (ex. south-south cooperation) and knowledge sharing. 

4.3. Family farms and farmer organisations are catalysers since they are active actors in combating hunger and managing agricultural diversity. In addition, they are transmitters and preservers of traditional knowledge and culture and contribute to providing employment. Finally, they are the main beneficiaries of the action plan for UNDFF;

4.4. Civil society organisations usually have the social power and can help boost capacity building and monitoring in addition to building public support. They may be beneficiaries of fundings or provide fundings (fondations).

4.5. Private sector organisations may be enablers and positive influencers since they have the market and the fundings, therefore providing services and investments. For example, banks could provide innovative finance that do not exhaust small farm resources.

With my best regards

Some few ideas on the following question: “Based on your experience, what are effective strategies, instruments or mechanisms to ensure adequate access to services, resources and social protection among marginalized or vulnerable groups, including in humanitarian contexts?”

Inclusiveness requires assessing needs and targeting vulnerable groups. For the region,  using the Resilience Index measurement and Analysis (RIMA) tool can be of highly strategic importance to target interventions for vulnerable groups (http://www.fao.org/resilience/background/tools/rima/en/). This tool has been used in many countries including Uganda. Results were highly appreciated and most development partners use the RIMA results for their interventions. The following link is just an example of how the tool can be useful to decide which instruments most suitable for vulnerable population. http://www.fao.org/3/i8365en/I8365EN.pdf

“How can innovative partnerships be built and established? And how/what existing initiatives would you propose to replicate or scale up?”

For natural resources management, one of the most successful approach has been experienced by FAO/SPGS in Uganda. The success of approach lies  in the following aspects: (i) the modality of co-investment with retrospective disbursement of the grant which ensures establishment of quality forest plantations and rules out the risk of money being diverted into other ventures; (ii) extensive training on standards and guidelines to establish commercial forest plantations; (iii) the integrated approach which promotes related investments  along the value chain: certification of service providers like nursery operators (quality of planting material), building capacity of key players, downstream processing and value addition which are critical for market development.

Retrospective payment of grant has proved to be very efficient since it enhances quality and ensures that resources are not diverted into other ventures. The challenge for farmers will be to mobilize resources for initial investment before grant can be awarded. However, it ensures fosters to use the best planting material, carry out properly critical agricultural / silvicultural operations and therefore, improves significantly yields and revenues in the medium term.

Best regards

Leonidas Hitimana, FAO Uganda, Team leader natural resources and environment

English translation below

1. L’impact de l'épidémie de la COVID-19 dans les régions de NENA

L’Epidémie de la COVID -19 a entrainé des restrictions des mouvements et la fermeture des frontières entre les états et au sein des états. Ceci a empêché l’accès des petits exploitants agricoles familiaux aux marchés. Au Tchad beaucoup des producteurs (petits exploitant agricoles familiaux) des carottes, aubergine, de gombo, de l’ail, de l’oignon et des vendeurs des mangues etc., n’ont plus des preneurs à cause des restrictions des mouvements entre les provinces. Certains vendeurs des produits périssables ont vu leurs marchandises pourrir par manque des preneurs.

De ce fait, certains exploitants ont adopté un système de séchage de leur produits (mangue a moitié mûre épluchées et séchés en vue d’une réutilisation dans la sauce). Dans la plupart des familles, les rythmes et le mode de consommation ont changé (1 ou 2x dans la journée). Certains consommateurs attendent juste à l’approche du couvre-feu instauré par le gouvernement  pour se procurer des aliments périssable (poissons, tomate etc.) à vil prix et entrainant un manque à gagner pour les commerçants et producteurs. Pour certains producteurs, le risquent de ne plus reprendre les activités est évident car la chaine de valeur est sérieusement compromise et déstabilisée.

2. Transition viable vers des systèmes agroalimentaires plus durables

La Transition vers des systèmes agroalimentaires est un processus qui doit englober plusieurs paramètres notamment la transition en amont et la transition en aval afin d’évoluer simultanément vers des systèmes agroalimentaires écologiquement durable. Pour cela il faut agir graduellement sur les changement des techniques et des technologies pour une transition vers une agriculture durable

• Eviter la monoculture et développer la diversification des espèces culturales adaptables localement.

• Un exemple a été observé dans la province de la Tandjilé au centre du Tchad où certains petits producteurs familiaux se contentent uniquement de la monoculture pluviale du riz pour leur subsistance. Mais il arrive parfois à certaines périodes de l’année juste après les semis, une forte pluviométrie inonde et détruit des hectares de terrain emblavés entrainant une famine dans certaines familles des producteurs.
•  Il faut également développer les cultures des légumineuses qui sont des fixateurs de l’azote dans le sol et associer éventuellement la culture légumineuse et céréales pour un meilleur rendement (ni plus ni moins d’azote dans le sol).

• Eviter le gaspillage pendant la période d’abondance : beaucoup des petits producteurs familiaux, après les récoltes se lancent à un gaspillage se heurtent souvent à une pénurie des produits agricole à une certaine période de l’année (période de soudure)
• Développer les cultures de contre saison (riziculture irriguée) ou le sorgho appelé béré-béré en dehors des cultures pluviales.

• L’exemple d’une association des petits producteurs familiaux de Laï a réussi avec la culture de contre saison (février - mai) où chaque famille a récolté une quantité importante de riz pour sa susistance. Les intrants sont constitués des bouses, des déchets des chèvres, des moutons et des fientes des volailles et non les engrais chimiques qui détruisent et appauvrissent le sol.
• La culture du sorgho de contre saison, beaucoup développé dans la province du Salamat doit également être vulgarisée dans d’autres provinces (localités) afin d’assurer la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle des populations.

• Associer l’agriculture et l’élevage pour que chaque facette puisse enrichir d’autre.

2.1. Comment faire en sorte que l'innovation et les solutions numériques accélèrent cette transition des systèmes agro-alimentaires durable?

Dans un système agro-alimentaire, l'innovation et les solutions numériques notamment la vulgarisation des technologies mobiles et l’informatique permettent aux petits exploitants agricoles d’accéder plus facilement à l’information, aux intrants, aux marchés, aux financements et à la formation. Les technologies numériques offrent de nouvelles possibilités d’intégrer les systèmes agro-alimentaires durables.

Une étude pilote a été menée au Tchad à travers à travers l’utilisation des téléphonie mobiles appelé SySMob a donnée des résultats satisfaisant. Cette étude consiste à signaler des cas observés en milieu rural. Les acteurs (chef de poste vétérinaire et les responsables de centre de santé) de terrain envoie la liste des symptômes des maladies observées chez l’animale et des cas observés chez l’homme.  Il s’agit des maladies zoonotiques et non zoonotique surveillées par le Réseau d’Epidémiosurveillance des Maladies Animales au Tchad(REPIMAT) ainsi que les maladies faisant l’objet de la surveillance intégrée à base communautaire (SMIR) pour la santé humaine. Le serveur enregistre toutes les informations et envoi automatiquement aux responsables des surveillance mixte (santé animale et humaine). Selon l’ampleur de la situation une descente sur le foyer s’avère indispensable.  De l’autre côté il s’agit du SIM bétail (téléphonie mobiles) qui permettent aux petits exploitants agricoles de connaitre et d’être à jour sur le prix des denrées (animale, agricole) et l’accès aux marchés.

Ainsi, l'innovation et les solutions numériques sont bénéfiques à tous les paramètres notamment économique sociaux et environnementaux. Les solutions numériques peuvent économiquement accroitre de la productivité agricole, la rentabilité et des débouchés commerciaux. Les aspect sociaux et culturaux notamment la communication et l’inclusion sociale et les aspects environnementaux sur l’utilisation plus rationnelle des ressources et adaptation au changement climatique. Le défi consiste à adopter une approche globale et systémique par l’implication et la transformation en profondeur les systèmes agricoles, les communautés et la gestion des ressources naturelles afin de tirer pleinement profit des avantages potentiels.

3. Vers une croissance inclusive et équitable

Un système agroalimentaire durable ne peut se faire sans une volonté politique et une gouvernance transparente et inclusive.  Toutes les couches sociales et les collectivités doivent être rassemblées autour des valeurs claire et partagées. Il faut impliquer les politiciens, chercheurs, scientifiques, agronomes, vétérinaires et épidémiologistes autour des questions claires et partagées. Pour cela il faut aborder et traiter la question de la santé, le partage des biens, les conflits liés à l’accès aux ressources naturelles, l’amélioration et la protection de l’environnement. L’exode rurale et les migrants doivent être traités pour pallier aux différent paramètres qui aggravent ces pratiques.

En Afrique plus de la moitié de la population vit dans l’extrêmement pauvreté à cause de l’inaccessibilité aux service sociaux de base, (alimentation, santé, éducation etc.). Dans les pays des NENA, la transition vers un système agroalimentaire durable doit se faire dans une perspective inclusive et équitable. Elle doit s’améliorer dans le sens d’une plus grande inclusivité afin que personne ne soit laissée de côté à cause de son identité.

Dans les pays du NENA, l’identité est le principal facteur d’exclusion sociale parce qu’une tranche de la population est exclue ou inclue selon son identité notamment le sexe, le genre, le handicap, la race, la caste, l’ethnicité, la religion, le statut professionnel et n’a pas accès au processus de prise de décision aux niveaux Régional, national et local. C’est pourquoi les questions des jeunes, des femmes, et d’autres paramètres comme l’exode rurale ou les déplacements des personnes et les personnes souffrants d’handicap doivent traitées sous un angle d’inclusion sociale à tous les niveaux. L’accès à l’emploi, a des terres (Agriculture –élevage) ou une vie descente est un goulot d’étranglement.  

4. Promouvoir un environnement propice à la mise en œuvre de la DNUAF

Pour promouvoir un environnement propice à la mise en œuvre de la DNUAF, il faut une volonté politique, économique et sociale. Dans certains pays, la politiques de l’État, la situation socio-économique et les cadres institutionnels ne favorisent pas la numérisation. Ils créent un environnement défavorable à la mise en place de marchés numériques et de services en ligne compétitifs. Logiquement les états doivent mettre en place des services d’administration publique en ligne, en particulier dans les domaines agricoles, de la santé, de l’éducation, de l’environnement et de l’emploi. Ceci  qui constitue un environnement néfaste  pour la mise ne œuvre de la DNUAF.

5. Partenariats

Les partenariats associés à des initiatives de développement durable peuvent créer des synergies permettant de relever des défis et de mettre en œuvre le Plan d'action de la DNUAF et de ses sept piliers dans la région du NENA à travers la construction et l’établissement des partenariats innovants. Il s’agit d’exploiter les opportunités qui s’offrent de promouvoir une Afrique plus inclusive en procédant à des analyses, en poursuivant des opérations et en formulant des stratégies. Notamment des projets et programmes régionaux couvrant les pays NENA dans plusieurs domaines à titre d’exemples :  

• Enjeu de genre :  autonomisation des femmes,
• Personnes souffrant de handicap : démobilisation et réinsertion, promotion et l’accès à l’emploi
• Les jeunes et les migrants: projet de renforcement des compétences et de promotion de l’emploi des jeunes.

1) Impact of COVID-19 outbreak in NENA region

The COVID -19 outbreak has resulted in movement restrictions and the closure of borders between and within states. This has made it difficult for small-scale family farmers to access markets. In Chad many producers (small-scale family farmers) of carrots, eggplant, okra, garlic, onion and sellers of mangoes etc., no longer have buyers because of movement restrictions between provinces. Some sellers of perishable goods have seen their produce rot due to a lack of buyers.

As a result, some farmers have adopted a system of drying their products (half-ripe mango, peeled and dried for reuse in sauce). In most families, the rates and mode of consumption have changed (1 or 2 times during the day). Some consumers are just wait for the curfew imposed by the government to approach to obtain perishable food (fish, tomatoes, etc.) at a low price, resulting in lost profits for traders and producers. For some producers, the risk of no longer resuming activities is obvious because the value chain is seriously compromised and destabilized.

2) Sustainable transition towards more sustainable agri-food systems

The Transition to Agrifood Systems is a process that must encompass several parameters including the upstream transition and the downstream transition in order to simultaneously evolve towards ecologically sustainable agrifood systems. To do this, we must act gradually on changes in techniques and technologies for a transition to sustainable agriculture.

• Avoid monoculture and develop diversification of locally adaptable crop species.
• An example was observed in the province of Tandjilé in central Chad where some small-scale family producers settle for only rainfed rice monoculture for their subsistence. But it sometimes happens at certain times of the year that just after sowing, heavy rainfall floods and destroys hectares of sown land, causing famine in some families of producers.
• It is also necessary to develop legumes crops, which are nitrogen fixers in the soil and possibly combine the cultivation of legumes and cereals for better yield (neither more nor less nitrogen in the soil).
• Avoid wastage during the period of peak abundance: many small family producers, after the harvests start to waste, often face a shortage of agricultural products at a certain period of the year (lean period).
• Develop off-season crops (irrigated rice cultivation) or sorghum called béré-béré apart from rain-fed crops.
• The example of an association of small family producers in Laï succeeded with off-season cultivation (February - May) where each family harvested a large quantity of rice for its sustenance. The inputs consist of dung, waste from goats, sheep and poultry droppings and not chemical fertilizers which destroy and impoverish the soil.
• The cultivation of off-season sorghum, much developed in the province of Salamat, must also be popularized in other provinces (localities) in order to ensure the food and nutritional security of the populations.
• Combine agriculture and livestock so that they can enrich the other.
  
   

2.1 How can innovation and digital solutions accelerate such transition of sustainable agi-food systems?

In an agro-food system, innovation and digital solutions, notably the popularization of mobile technologies and information technology, allow small farmers to access information, inputs, markets, finance, marketing and training more easily. training. Digital technologies offer new possibilities to integrate sustainable agrifood systems.

A pilot study was carried out in Chad through the use of mobile telephones called SySMob, which has given satisfactory results. This study consists of reporting cases observed in rural areas. The field workers (the chief of the veterinary post and health center managers) send the list of symptoms of diseases observed in animals and cases observed in humans. These are zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases monitored by the epidemiological surveillance network for animal diseases (REPIMAT) in Chad as well as diseases subject to integrated community-based surveillance (SMIR) for human health. The server records all the information and sends it automatically to those responsible for mixed surveillance (animal and human health). Depending on the magnitude of the situation, a descent into the home is essential. On the other hand, it is the livestock SIM (mobile telephony) which allows small farmers to know and be up to date on the price of food and feed regarding access to markets.

Thus, innovation and digital solutions are beneficial to all factors, particularly economic, social and environmental. Digital solutions can economically increase agricultural productivity, profitability, and business opportunities. Social and cultural aspects including communication and social inclusion and environmental aspects on the more rational use of resources and adaptation to climate change. The challenge is to take a holistic and systems approach through the involvement and profound transformation of agricultural systems, communities and natural resource management in order to fully realize the potential benefits.

3) Towards an inclusive and equitable growth

A sustainable agrifood system cannot be achieved without political will and transparent and inclusive governance. All social strata and communities must be united around clear and shared values. We must involve politicians, researchers, scientists, agronomists, veterinarians and epidemiologists around clear and shared issues. To do this, we must address and deal with the issue of health, the sharing of property, conflicts related to access to natural resources, and the improvement and protection of the environment. The rural exodus and migrants must be dealt with to overcome the different parameters that aggravate these practices.

In Africa, more than half of the population lives in extreme poverty because of the inaccessibility to basic social services (food, health, education etc.). In the NENA countries, the transition to a sustainable agrifood system must be done from an inclusive and equitable perspective. It needs to improve towards greater inclusiveness so that no one is left behind because of his or her identity.

In the NENA countries, identity is the main factor of social exclusion because a segment of the population is excluded or included according to its identity including sex, gender, disability, race, caste, ethnicity, religion, professional status, and does not have access to decision-making process at regional, national and local levels. This is why the issues of young people, women, and other issues such as rural exodus or the displacement of people and people with disabilities must be addressed from a social inclusion angle at all levels. Access to employment, to land (agriculture - livestock) or a decent life is a bottleneck.

4) Enabling environment for the implementation of UNDFF

To promote an environment that is conducive to the implementation of the UNDFF, political, economic and social will is needed. In some countries, state policies, socio-economic conditions and institutional frameworks do not support digitization. They create an unfavorable environment for the establishment of competitive digital markets and online services. Logically, states should set up online public administration services, especially in the areas of agriculture, health, education, environment and employment. This constitutes an environment detrimental to the implementation of the UNDFF.

5. Partnerships

Partnerships associated with sustainable development initiatives can create synergies to address challenges and implement the UNDFF Plan of Action and its seven pillars in the NENA region through the construction and establishment of innovative partnerships. It is about harnessing the opportunities that exist to promote a more inclusive Africa conducting analyses, continuing operations and formulating strategies. In particular, regional projects and programs covering NENA countries in several areas, for example:

• Gender issue: empowerment of women,
• People with disabilities: reintegration, promotion and access to employment
• Young people and migrants: project to strengthen skills and promote youth employment.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

United Nations Decade of Family Farming Regional Actions Plan for MENA- Impacts of COVID-19 Outbreak in Palestine- Case Study-Palestine

Prepared by: Mr. Amin ABU-ALSOUD, Extension and Farm Managment Expert, Palestine 

(1.). Exacerbating the challenges faced by small-scale family farmers (SSFF) in Palestine:

The agriculture sector in Palestine was badly hit by the COVID-19 like other countries in the region. The current pandemic could affect the marketing of agricultural products, access to farming inputs, access to animal feedings, converting the conventional payment methods of animal feeds to cash solely, declining demands on the agricultural products, sharply decline in the prices of agricultural commodities, poultry, fresh milk, dairy products such as fresh cheeses, lack of adequate on-farm storage facilities, the inability of some farmers to continue their farming activities due to the high risks and intolerable loses (i.e. cut flowers, poultry), deteriorating of the food security of many households, Job loses of landless agricultural workers which have affected their livelihoods, engaging the entire family members in the field farming activities due to the lockdown measures including the closures of schools and universities.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating risks for the entire rural population, the impact will undoubtedly be particularly severe on the livelihoods of women. Like many rural women, Palestinian women are largely dependent on the informal economy and the agribusiness sector. Shocks affecting these sectors could spell a drastic decrease (or absence) of the income that is critical for maintaining their families’ food and health needs. The decline in demands on women processed products could lead to a serious cash shortage and inability of women-led food processing units to keep sufficient level of operations.

(2). Building farmers resilience and ensuring sustainable livelihood:

The smallholder farmers must be encouraged to use local available resources such as crop residues and animal manures in order to produce value-added products with the application of environment friendly practices. For instance, farmers can produce compost and silage from the unexploited crops residues and be more self-dependent which contribute in minimizing the uses of the imported products during the time and context of the crisis such COVID-19.

The smallholder farmers’ literacy of ICT must be improved and upgraded so that farmers can resort to the digital tools to solve the faced constraints (i.e., marketing, farming inputs, farming activities, information) during the period of crisis. The digital tools are a gender-equitable activities (or neutral activities) which means both male and female farmers can get access, control and use properly. The digital tools can improve productivity, marketing, profits and contribute in closing the gender gaps of the resources and information.

Other interventions can be considered in this regard such as: facilitating market access, application of direct selling by targeting profitable crops and appropriate market. The necessity of improving the resilience of rural livelihoods in the context of the crisis by ensuring timely access to inputs, information, markets and liquidity. Improving the access in all possible means such as (Mobile Money Payment Services, Mobile ATM) to the rural financial services.

The smallholder farmers must be encouraged to apply collective works by joining existing farmer groups or and establishing a new farmers group. The collective works such as group procurement and group selling can significantly contribute in reducing the production costs, improving bargaining power of farmers, increasing the agricultural profits, and raising farmers’ voices, etc.

Ensuring the on-time provision of market and technical information would help assist small scale farmers take the right decision in regard of crops selection and cultivation at the onset of the crop season as well as deciding the target market and appropriate marketing methods. The technical information would improve farming practices which in its turn enhance the crops productivity and yield and reducing the production costs. By keeping farm records, farmers will also be able to continuously improve their farming practices and then the agricultural returns and profits.

(3). Sharing success examples from Palestine:

The Government of Palestine through the MOA has decided to ease the flow of the agricultural commodities and farming inputs supply from the onset of the current pandemic. It has exempted the agricultural business and farming activities from the imposed lockdown measures. The MOA in cooperation with local NGOs have launched what so-called “home-garden initiative”, approximately 1.6 million of vegetables seedlings were distributed on as many as 16 thousand beneficiaries. The MOA has speeded up the process of payment (in forms of cash and materials) of longstanding compensations to Palestinian farmers due to incurred losses caused by the natural calamities and Israeli aggressions. The Government in close cooperation with UNDP/PAPP have launched what-so called “Solve it initiative”, it’s a youth inclusive Agri-food value chain challenge, it is a part of the response to the socioeconomic effects of COVID-19. It focuses on innovation for sustainable social impact. (Click here).

Promoting the use of digital marketing services: Due to the impacts of imposed lockdown measures, some Palestinian farmers tried to apply online marketing to promote their products. They announced their products and contact information on the social media. This method could help farmers to sell their products to customers easily within the same village and area. In general, when the lockdown measures have increased, demand has risen for home delivery of groceries and E-commerce. This trend should be encouraged and promoted.

Farmers’ Market Initiative: It gives local small-scale producers a platform to promote their products directly to consumers at a much lower price and enable residents of Ramallah to shop for local seasonal vegetables, traditional bread and home-cooked foods. In addition, it promotes environmentally friendly practices. It is organized regularly every Sunday, from 11:00 a.m till 05:00 p.m. Several small marketing events have already been convened. (Click here).

Government Assistance Package “Cash transfers”: Unemployed informal workers (including the agricultural workers) need cash income support and must be included in the government assistance package and social protection programs addressing the crisis. The Government of Palestine has provided on May and June of this year NIS 700 (around US$200) only once to the bank account of 40,000 beneficiaries workers (35000 beneficiaries in West Bank and 5000 beneficiaries in Gaza Strip) via the Ministry of Labour and Waqfit Izz fund[1]. The total distributed amount is NIS 28 million equivalents to US$8.115 million. But this too is insufficient, it is far below than the poverty line of a family composed of five members in Palestine. The poverty line was estimated at about 2470 NIS (US$671) in 2017. We need to have a minimum of (US$ 700) per month in cash transfers for the next months (not only one-time payment). The Palestine’s Ministry of Social Development has also distributed (at the end of June 2020) about NIS500 equivalents to 145 US$ on approximately 18,000 social cases in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Some agricultural workers were included but were not a priority.

The solidarity campaigns among local communities, several campaigns and initiatives were conducted during the lockdown periods which were coincided with the peak production of some agricultural products (i.e., fresh cheeses) and crops (i.e. cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, watermelons, etc.). The campaigns could help assist farmers mitigating the negative impacts of sharply declined of market demands and products’ prices. The campaigns mainly depended on the application of collective works and direct selling of agricultural products from farmers to the consumers directly with a competitive selling price.

Footnote (1): The “Waqfit Izz” Fund was established by a decision from the Prime Minister in collaboration with the business community to organize fundraising, and enable business, citizens and civil societies donate and contribute to the medical and social needs during the crisis. A bank account was setup for depositing donations from the public. The business community, companies and individuals, and citizens generously donated money and supplies; the Fund collected about 60 million shekels.

****** The End *****

Dear colleagues,

I am glad to attach my contribution through the detailed answer of the first question.

Kind regards,

Adel

------

1) Impact of COVID-19 outbreak in NENA region

The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is facing key challenges including ending poverty and hunger as well as responding to climate change and the conservation of natural resources to avoid further degradation.

· How does/did the COVID-19 outbreak exacerbate the challenges faced by small-scale family farmers (SSFF)?

As the farm size of small-scale farmers is normally small, it is difficult for them to generate adequate income that can meet the escalating costs of their families. This situation should make the creation of successful cooperatives as an inevitable solution to protect this vulnerable group. In addition, governments, local NGOs and international development organization should work hard to engage small scale farmers in added value activities. This trend is crucial to small scale farmers as the dwarf size of their lands makes the all efforts of increasing land productivity end up with insignificant change in income. Unfortunately, most of small-scale family farmers are lacking successful cooperatives and are not engaged in value added activities especially in developing countries. Therefore, rural women try to help their families by raising chickens, ducks, and rabbits where they sell these products in local markets and also save the money that are spent in providing their families with good animal protein sources. The rural youth get used to travel and live in urban areas or touristic areas as the dwarf size of the farm does not really need that much human capital.  

Due to the fatal results of COVID-19, all human activities that witness crowds or gatherings of people have been restricted or banned. As a result, the lockdown of wholesale and retail markets, factories, hotels, restaurants have been executed. In addition, many curfew restrictions were imposed on the movement of citizens and transportation including the transport of agricultural products. All these precautionary measures were hard on small-scale farmers where their sons who were working in urban areas came back home and stay with no work, selling of poultry became harder as it has been limited to neighbors while the transportation and selling of vegetables and fruits to the wholesale markets have faced many disruptions. In addition, due to the overall shrinkage of all economic activities, the entire world has witnessed a decrease in the purchasing power of consumers and consequently a decrease in the demand on all commodities except for the essential commodities such as bread and the like. The decrease of demand has negatively impacted the prices of agricultural commodities that are mainly produced by scale-scale farmers.

It is of great importance to point out that small-scale family farmers were lacking adequate financial resources to meet living expenses. Therefore, they were obligated to ignore non-essential requests to decrease family expenses. For families that raise livestock, selling a cow or a young calf or birds like chickens or ducks was an essential way to get income but some families who do not raise Livestock were obligated to borrow money or sell some of their assists.

· And what are the main areas of interventions that could efficiently build SSFF resilience and ensure sustainable livelihood?

The main areas of interventions that could efficiently build SSFF resilience and ensure sustainable livelihood can be summarized as follows:

• The adoption of aggregation models where small famers need to get together through group marketing as well as group purchasing of inputs or farm supply.
• Improvement of markets at district level & governorate level. Markets should be connected through internet and all markets should display, update and disseminate lists of AgriPrices in a daily basis.
• Support rural women in the establishment and management of small projects such as raising chickens and help them to sell their products through aggregation models.
• Encourage and support rural youth to establish and run SMEs. 
• Encourage and support rural women and farmers to establish local NGOs or coops that serve small holders.
• Support the existed local NGOs and coops to enable them to offer better services to farmers and rural women.
• Spread of digital applications that increase the reach out and improve productions and marketing. In addition, it will support the establishment and running processes of small projects.  

· Can you share success examples in the region?

The success examples of the region are seen in the digital apps that helped farmers to function under the limiting COVID-19 restrictions. Examples of these apps are the following:

• The FAO app of El Mufeed in Egypt and the app of Morshidak Al- Zerai in KSA that provide farmers with rural advisory services.
• Bashaier app which links buyers with sellers in Egypt too.
• The global apps that help farmers to monitor, identify and report infection of plants in the region. An example of that the FAW Monitoring and Early Warning System (FAMEWS) which is a free mobile application for Android cell phones from FAO for the real-time global monitoring of the Fall Armyworm (FAW).
• The app of "IPhyto Pro" in Morocco that supports agricultural professionals / extension agents to get the information they need to help farmers.
• The Moroccan Bee Agri app which is a social network intended exclusively for farmers. It allows them to discuss issues related to their technical behavior, and discuss their needs and constraints while having adapted and contextualized answers from experienced advisers or other farmers

Greetings from Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment & Development (AAAID).

Referring to your previous email regarding the Invitation to online consultation on the United Nations Decade of Family Farming Regional Action Plan for the Near East and North Africa.

Kindly find Attached our participation.

In 2017 the FAO published a Study on Small-scale Family Farming (SSFF) in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) Region. The study states that its outcomes are intended as policy guidance to enhance SSFF technical and social efficiency of SSFF and to adopt environmentally friendly practices. In addition to the overarching regional study, FAO has published six additional SSFF country case studies from Egypt, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia.

Civil society organizations (CSOs) welcomed this study as the first of its kind by FAO on small-scale family farming across the NENA region. One noted feature of the SSFF study is its commitment to security of tenure of land for small-scale farmers, which CSOs encourage as a consistent feature of FAO policy and practice going forward.

In 2019 Habitat International Coalition—Housing and Land Rights Network (HIC-HLRN) undertook an analysis of the study, outlining key issues and values at stake, and identifying a number of points of concern. We take this opportunity to highlight those concerns, which we hope will be addressed in the forthcoming UNDFF Regional Action Plan:

1. Presumed inevitability of ‘rural transformation’, rural-urban migration and a move away from agriculture as a main livelihood source: the study does not set out to challenge or mitigate the processes of these potentially devestating transformations and/or the structural factors that cause such transitions.
2. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework, to which FAO is committed, is mentioned in the preface, but the remainder of the study does not engage with the SDGs nor their indicators in a substantial way. Notable relevant SDG indicators include: security of tenure (Indicator 1.4.2), agriculture and land management (Targets 1.4, 2.3, 15.1–4, 15.b), women’s access to productive resources (Target 5a), participatory governance (Targets 16.5–7), and the pursuit of policy coherence (Targets 17.1, and 13–14).
3. Farmer and civil society participation in and input to the study is unclear: the study mentions national briefings and discussion workshops but gives no indication of who was invited to participate, how those individuals were selected, or how the opinions expressed figured into the study. If there was such participation it was not reflected in the study, which makes no reference to farmer or civil society priorities or points of view.
4. Given the study’s stated focus on sustainability as a priority, agroecology is noticeably absent as a sustainability model.
5. Lack of human rights language and criteria for policy formulation and implementation: as a UN Charter-based specialized organization, human rights is the primary framework of FAO; this should be reflected in all studies and policy guidance.
6. Lack of policy advice support to agricultural livelihoods: the study repeatedly supports the trend toward multi-activity—i.e., non-farm work in addition to farming—without acknowledging the concept as an involuntary coping mechanism to compensate for SSFF not providing a living wage. The study does not acknowledge or advocate change to the underlying and structural obstacles to viable small-scale agricultural livelihoods, or the crushing burden of small-scale farmer debt. On the contrary, the study encourages loans and indebtedness.
7. As of 2020, neither the regional study nor the country cases are available in the Arabic language. Food producers in the NENA region, many of whom speak and understand only Arabic, should be able to access studies and policy guidance that target and impact them in a language they understand.

While we are happy to see that the 8-page pamphlet on the NENA Regional Initiative on Small-Scale Family Farming and the SDGs and the Global Action Plan on the UN Decade of Family Farming do include significant reference to human rights, SDGs and agroecology, we take this opportunity to remind the FAO of our concerns with the most comprehensive NENA publications on SSFF to date. We hope these concerns will be taken into account in the development of the UNDFF Regional Action Plan.

English translation below

إن الازمات الممتدة التي تعاني منها منطقة الشرق الأدنى وشمال أفريقيا عموما وفلسطين بشكل خاص، تزيد من حدة انعدام الأمن الغذائي وزيادة معدلات الفقر والبطالة. وفقا لأحدث دراسة أجراها البنك المركزي في فلسطين فإن أكثر من 75% من السكان تحت خط الفقر، كما تعاني أكثر من 80 % من النساء من سوء التغذية. كما أدت أزمة كوفيد 19 الحالية الى زيادة التحديات التي يواجهها القطاع الزراعي، حيث يعاني المزارعين الفلسطينيين من خسائر فادحة جراء اغلاق المعابر ومنع تصدير منتجاتهم الى الخارج، بالإضافة الى منع استيراد المواد الخام اللازمة لتسهيل عملية الإنتاج، وصعوبة وصول المزارعين الى أراضيهم، مما يكبد المزارعين الفلسطينيين خسائر فادحة جراء التكاليف الباهظة لمياه الري والمبيدات الحشرية والأسمدة من أجل الحصول على محاصيل جيدة خلال الموسم، وبعد ذلك بيعها بسبب الأزمة  بأسعار زهيدة جدا لا تتناسب وتكاليف الانتاج. كما تم اتلاف الكثير من المحاصيل بسبب صعوبة تسويقها خلال الازمة مما أدى بالكثير من المزارعين الى التوقف عن الزراعة وبالتالي زيادة انعدام الأمن الغذائي.

إن تعزيز صمود المزارعين والمزارعات من خلال تعزيز الوصول للموارد الإنتاجية والأسواق، وتعزيز المنتجات المحلية والتأثير في السياسات لصالح المشاريع الريادية الصغيرة، وإشراك المجتمعات المحلية المتضررة في وضع الخطط والسياسات بناء على احتياجاتهم، واستلام المنظمات المحلية الأقرب للمجتمع دورها في تعزيز صمود واستدامة تلك الفئات، هو خطوة مهمة نحو نظم غذائية زراعية أكثر استدامة  

The protracted crises afflicting the Near East and North Africa region in general and Palestine in particular have resulted in worsening food insecurity and have increased poverty and unemployment rates. According to the latest study conducted by the Central Bank of Palestine, more than 75% of the population is below the poverty line and more than 80% of women suffer from malnutrition. The current Covid-19 crisis has also increased the challenges facing the agricultural sector, as Palestinian farmers suffer big losses due to the closure of the crossings and the prevention of exporting their products. This is in addition to preventing the import of the raw materials necessary to facilitate the production process. Palestinians farmers also face difficulty in accessing their lands and thus incur heavy losses due to the high costs of irrigation water, pesticides and fertilizers in order to obtain good crops during the season, and then because of the crisis the crops are sold at very low prices that do not commensurate with the production costs. In addition, many crops were destroyed due to the difficulty of marketing them during the crisis, which forced many farmers to stop farming and thus increase food insecurity.

Enhancing the resilience of male and female farmers through enhancing access to productive resources and markets, enhancing local products and influencing policies in favor of small entrepreneurial projects, and involving affected communities in developing plans and policies based on their needs,  having local organizations  within each community play their role in enhancing the resilience and sustainability of these groups are considered important steps towards more sustainable agri-food systems.

English translation below

La région NENA partage certainement une bonne partie des impacts provoqués par l'épidémie de COVID-19 dans d'autres régions du monde, qui ont exacerbé les difficultés auxquelles les petits exploitants agricoles familiaux étaitent déjà confrontés:

• Au niveau de la production: pénurie d’intrants agricoles et augmentation des prix de certains intrants et carburants et par conséquent incapacité des producteurs à préparer leurs champs pour la prochaine saison.
• Au niveau des récoltes: le manque de main d’oeuvre est un facteur particulièrement important pour les pays et les régions qui sont en période de récolte.
• Au niveau de la conservation de la production: manque de systèmes de réfrigération et de stockage pour les produits qu'il n'a pas été possible de commercialiser.

Par ailleurs, on remarque une difficulté d’accès aux marchés pour une partie des agriculteurs et agricultrices en raison des restrictions de déplacement, de la fermeture de nombreux marchés locaux,  de la suspension de programmes d'achat public de denrées alimentaires (cantines scolaires par exemple), baisse de la demande (hôtellerie, restauration et tourisme n’offrent plus de débouchés). 

Concernant la manière avec laquelle la DNUAF peut fournir des outils et des mesures qui aident les SSFF à faire face aux défis climatiques et socio-économiques, c'est grâce à la mobilisation, à la concertation et à la coordination des acteurs nationaux / régionaux , qui, en se basant sur le plan d'action global (PAG de la DNUAF), vont chercher à identifier des mesures qui permettront d'améliorer les programmes et les cadres législatifs, normatifs et institutionnels existants. Ces mesures peuvent constituer à proprement dit le Plan d'action national ou le plan d'action régional de la DNUAF dans les pays ou la région en question et apporter une partie des solutions aux défis climatiques et socio-économiques de ce type d'agriculture. 

L'usage du PAG, structuré en 7 pilier, permet de brosser au peigne fin toutes les caractéristiques propres à l'agriculture familiale et peut faire en sorte que les projets et programmes de l'état et de ses partenaires visant le développement rural et la sécurité alimentaire soient les mieux ciblés possibles et adaptés aux spécificités des SSFF (multifonctionnalité, place des jeunes, ....). 

L'analyse, réalisée  grâce à la concertation multi-acteur et à la forte implication des OP, permettra d'identifier les besoins réels prioritaires des SSFF, les programmes/projets/lois/.... supposés répondre à ceux-ci et les écarts à combler entre ces deux éléments. 

Nous insistons sur l'importance de la mise en oeuvre des Plans d'actions nationaux. Les récents impactes sur les SSFF liés à la covid-19 et les mesures prioritaires à mettre en oeuvre pour contrer ces impactes devraient être intégrées dans ces PAN/PAR et accompagnées de toutes les autres mesures permettant de renforcer ensemble la résilience des systèmes agricoles basés sur l'Agriculture familiale dans la région NENA.

Enfin, concernant les rôles des gouvernements, des organismes de développement, des organisations d'agriculteurs, de la société civile et du secteur privé dans la mise en œuvre de la DNUAF dans la région, on pourrait les définir comme suit: 

La FAO et le FIDA jouent un rôle clé pour encourager les gouvernements à se saisir de cette Décennie pour miser sur l'AF, pour lui donner les moyens de prouver sa capacité à nourrir leur pays et créer de l'emploi, tout en améliorant l'environnement. La DNUAF peut aider à changer la vision négative que la majorité des gouvernements portent à l'égard des SSFF. Une appropriation de la DNUAF par les états est impératif pour assurer sa correct mise en oeuvre. 

En effet, les gouvernement tiennent un rôle crucial: ce sont eux qui mettent en oeuvre la DNUAF! Avec l'accompagnement technique et financier des ses partenaires (FAO, FIDA, autres PTF)

La FAO et le FIDA peuvent aussi faciliter le dialogue entre la société civile et les gouvernements. Parfois, l'accès au gouvernement, aux parlementaires, etc est très compliqué pour la société civile alors qu'elle est la meilleure représentante des SSFF et sa voix se doit d'être prise en compte. 

Les OP et autres OSC devraient donc être consultées et impliquées dans toutes les réflexions autour de la DNUAF (construction du PAN, mise en oeuvre et suivi des actions). 

Ne pas hésitez à utiliser les espaces de concertation existant préalablement pour engager le dialogue et la coordination multi-acteur ou si nécessaire, mettre en place à comité de coordination de la DNUAF avec au minimum le gouvernement, la FAO, le FIDA et les OSC. 

La DNUAF est donc une excellente opportunité d'impulser le dialogue multi-acteur. Tout le monde y a un rôle à jouer!!! 

The NENA region certainly shares much of the impacts caused by the COVID-19 epidemic in other parts of the world, which have exacerbated the difficulties that small family farmers already face:

• At the production level: shortage of agricultural inputs and increase in the prices of certain inputs and fuels and consequently inability of producers to prepare their fields for the next season.
• At the harvest level: the lack of labor is a particularly important factor for countries and regions which are in the harvest period.
• At the level of conservation of production: lack of refrigeration and storage systems for products that could not be marketed.

In addition, there is a difficulty of access to markets for some of the farmers due to travel restrictions, the closure of many local markets, the suspension of public food purchasing programs (school canteens by example), drop in demand (hotels, restaurants and tourism no longer offer outlets).

Regarding the way in which the UNDFF can provide tools and measures that help SSFFs to face climatic and socio-economic challenges, it is through the mobilization, consultation and coordination of national / regional actors, which, based on the Global Action Plan of the UNDFFD will seek to identify measures that will improve the existing legislative, normative and institutional programs and frameworks. These measures can constitute the national action plan or the regional action plan of the UNDFF in the countries or region in question and provide part of the solutions to the climatic and socio-economic challenges of this type of agriculture.

The use of the GAP, structured in 7 pillars, makes it possible to brush with a fine comb all the characteristics specific to family farming and can ensure that the projects and programs of the state and its partners aimed at rural development and food security are best possible targeted and adapted to the specificities of SSFFs (multifunctionality, place of young people, etc.).

The analysis, carried out thanks to multi-stakeholder consultation and the strong involvement of POs, will make it possible to identify the real priority needs of the SSFFs, the programs / projects / laws / .... that are supposed to meet them and the gaps to be filled between these two elements.

We insist on the importance of the implementation of National Action Plans. The recent impacts on SSFFs linked to covid-19 and the priority measures to be implemented to counter these impacts should be integrated into these NAPs / RAPs and accompanied by all other measures making it possible to jointly strengthen the resilience of agricultural systems based on Family farming in the NENA region.

Finally, regarding the roles of governments, development agencies, farmers' organizations, civil society and the private sector in the implementation of the UNDFF in the region, they could be defined as follows:

FAO and IFAD play a key role in encouraging governments to use this Decade to capitalize on AF, to empower it to prove its capacity to feed their country and create jobs, while improving the environment. The UNDFF can help change the negative view that the majority of governments hold towards SSFFs. Appropriation of the UNDFF by the states is imperative to ensure its correct implementation.

Indeed, governments play a crucial role: they are the ones who implement the UNDFF! With the technical and financial support of its partners (FAO, IFAD, other TFPs)

FAO and IFAD can also facilitate dialogue between civil society and governments. Sometimes, access to government, parliamentarians, etc. is very complicated for civil society when it is the best representative of the SSFF and its voice must be taken into account.

POs and other CSOs should therefore be consulted and involved in all reflections on the UNDFFD (construction of the NAP, implementation and monitoring of actions).

Do not hesitate to use the consultation spaces that exist beforehand to initiate dialogue and multi-actor coordination or, if necessary, set up a coordination committee of the UNDFF with at least the government, FAO, IFAD and CSOs.

The UNDFF is therefore an excellent opportunity to stimulate multi-actor dialogue. Everyone has a role to play !!!