Social Protection in the context of food security, family farming

and poverty reduction

Social protection is an essential element of both aspects of FAO’s Twin-Track Approach to reducing hunger and poverty.

Underlying causes of malnutrition

can be addressed through promotive and transformative policy instruments strengthening access to markets, productive resources, their better management, and investments in human capital.

Social protection helps households to overcome undernourishment by providing direct access to food or means to buy food.

Social protection also enables households,and smallholder family farmers in particular,to better manage shocks and engage in more profitable livelihoods.

Social protection can support family farming, the predominant form of agriculture, by helping

family farmers increase productivityand graduate from poverty.

In Myanmar, Indonesia and Colombia, FAO promotes social protection for poverty reduction and

sustainable natural resource management among smallholder family farmers.

In West Africa, FAO helps countries mainstream

social protection in national development and food security strategies.

FAO also provides policy support to governments for incorporating social protection into

national strategies to fight hunger.

FAO is exploring the linkages and strengthening

coordination between social protection, agriculture, food security and rural development.

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From Protection to Production (PtoP)

FAO’s PtoP project evaluates the impact of cash transfers in collaboration with UNICEF and the

governments of 7 sub-Saharan countries.

FAO raises awareness and facilitates policy dialogue on the role of social protection in rural development and poverty reduction.