““Policy-related information needs for Policy-related information needs for decision makers dealing with food decision makers dealing with food

security in the context of environmental security in the context of environmental

change”change”

GECAFS Gainesville Meeting, 10-11 January 2005GECAFS Gainesville Meeting, 10-11 January 2005

Graham FarmerGraham FarmerFAO Regional Emergency Coordinator for Southern AfricaFAO Regional Emergency Coordinator for Southern AfricaFAO RIACSO, Johannesburg, South AfricaFAO RIACSO, Johannesburg, South Africa

Start with some conceptual framingStart with some conceptual framing

Academic - OperationalAcademic - Operational

An academic approach favours the An academic approach favours the strength of the individualstrength of the individual

An operational response needs An operational response needs institutional buy-in, likely catalyzed through institutional buy-in, likely catalyzed through the individualsthe individuals

GECAFS has to bring academic and GECAFS has to bring academic and operational together if it is to achieve its operational together if it is to achieve its goal of making a differencegoal of making a difference

Components of a Food SystemComponents of a Food System

AvailabilityAvailabilityAccessAccessUtilisationUtilisationDoes a fourth element of ‘stability’ broaden Does a fourth element of ‘stability’ broaden

the definition of ‘food system’ to dynamic the definition of ‘food system’ to dynamic ‘food security’?‘food security’?

Early Warning - ResponseEarly Warning - Response

We often have the technology to provide an We often have the technology to provide an early warningearly warning

As a generality, response to an early warning As a generality, response to an early warning needs:needs: Confidence in the early warningConfidence in the early warning Expedience: political and financial, national and Expedience: political and financial, national and

internationalinternational Cost-effectiveness, may seem least important, given Cost-effectiveness, may seem least important, given

the lack of investment in mitigation and developmentthe lack of investment in mitigation and development

Scale – Geographic and TemporalScale – Geographic and Temporal

Temporal – need to match, or better, the Temporal – need to match, or better, the resolution of the temporal GECAFS impact to resolution of the temporal GECAFS impact to the time-step of the livelihood / food systemsthe time-step of the livelihood / food systems

Spatial – how to bring together the spatial output Spatial – how to bring together the spatial output scales of, for example, GEC models with higher scales of, for example, GEC models with higher resolution food systems detailresolution food systems detail

Resolving these issues would strengthen the Resolving these issues would strengthen the operational appeal arising from the intellectual operational appeal arising from the intellectual outputs outputs

Development-Emergency Development-Emergency ContiguumContiguum

Standard continuum approach in the past, Standard continuum approach in the past, where stress is seen as a, relatively minor, where stress is seen as a, relatively minor, perturbation on overall developmentperturbation on overall development

BUT BUT Now a change to contemporaneous Now a change to contemporaneous

paradigm, especially in southern Africa, paradigm, especially in southern Africa, with a still acknowledged need for a with a still acknowledged need for a longer-term, ‘development’ frameworklonger-term, ‘development’ framework

Drawing insights from Southern Drawing insights from Southern Africa, underlying issuesAfrica, underlying issues

Chronic emergency Chronic emergency eroding the gainseroding the gains of of development activities (ref: HDI etc.)development activities (ref: HDI etc.)

PovertyPoverty HIV/AIDSHIV/AIDS Process of land reform in ZimbabweProcess of land reform in Zimbabwe Governance and policy issues in ZimbabweGovernance and policy issues in Zimbabwe Climatic extremes – drought and some Climatic extremes – drought and some

floodsfloods

What is FAO in Southern Africa doing within What is FAO in Southern Africa doing within the Development-Emergency Contiguum?the Development-Emergency Contiguum?

Regional Coordination and multi-national approaches such as on Transboundary Animal Diseases

National programmes aimed at:

• Preservation of livelihoods, a broad-based approach

•Stabilisation of production, technical specificities

• Improving food security (national and household)

•Coordination, monitoring and evaluation

• Reducing the need for external food aid

• Targeting specific vulnerabilities (HIV/AIDS factor)

Returning to the subjectReturning to the subject

““Policy-related information needs for Policy-related information needs for decision makers dealing with food decision makers dealing with food

security in the context of environmental security in the context of environmental

change”change”

In its broadest sense, policy is a framework In its broadest sense, policy is a framework within which to operate. A food security within which to operate. A food security policy would / should be initiated because policy would / should be initiated because food security is seen as a valid & noble goal.food security is seen as a valid & noble goal.

Issue OneIssue One

Understand the current food systems, Understand the current food systems, which links in to the first objective of the which links in to the first objective of the GECAFS DSS workshop; GECAFS DSS workshop; “ascertain the nature “ascertain the nature of environmental and socioeconomic information needed of environmental and socioeconomic information needed to support improved policy formulation for food to support improved policy formulation for food security, security, and especially that needed by technical and especially that needed by technical advisorsadvisors to policymakers (key end-users of GECAFS to policymakers (key end-users of GECAFS research)”research)”

Issue TwoIssue Two

Intersect the GECAFS knowledge-base Intersect the GECAFS knowledge-base with the content, spatial and temporal with the content, spatial and temporal scales of current food systems, looking for scales of current food systems, looking for operational angle(s) that will create operational angle(s) that will create institutional buy-in. There is an issue here institutional buy-in. There is an issue here with the dominance of reactive, short-term with the dominance of reactive, short-term response vision, so the creation of response vision, so the creation of linkages to key supporters is essential.linkages to key supporters is essential.

Issue ThreeIssue Three

Determine, with the operational institutions, Determine, with the operational institutions, the utility of GECAFS analysis in the utility of GECAFS analysis in determining differing levels of mitigation, determining differing levels of mitigation, early warning and response, which could early warning and response, which could then be used in cost-benefit examples to then be used in cost-benefit examples to indicate the utility of the proposed work.indicate the utility of the proposed work.

So, and in conclusion, as food security is seen as a So, and in conclusion, as food security is seen as a good thing, what are the good thing, what are the “Policy-related information “Policy-related information needs for decision makers dealing with food security needs for decision makers dealing with food security in the context of environmental change”in the context of environmental change”??

Information on current food systems. (Gainesville Obj. 1)Information on current food systems. (Gainesville Obj. 1) Likelihoods and realistic scales of stated GEC impacts.Likelihoods and realistic scales of stated GEC impacts. Potential intervention or mitigation strategies.Potential intervention or mitigation strategies. The cost of doing nothing, perhaps as a component of a, The cost of doing nothing, perhaps as a component of a, needed, cost-benefit analysis. (Gainesville Obj. 2)needed, cost-benefit analysis. (Gainesville Obj. 2) Directions and interpretations for development of Directions and interpretations for development of operational action plans, showing GEC as a component of FS operational action plans, showing GEC as a component of FS policies. (Gainesville Obj. 3)policies. (Gainesville Obj. 3)

Thank YouThank You