Protracted crises are among the most challenging contexts in which to fight food insecurity and malnutrition. Driven by multiple underlying causes such as recurrent natural or human made disasters, weak governance and unsustainable livelihood systems, protracted crises affect an estimated 366 million people worldwide. Of this number, more than one in three people – 129 million – are undernourished, a rate more than twice the level of other developing countries. This represents 20 percent of all undernourished people in the world. The persistent nature of these crises combined with inadequate response threatens lives and livelihoods, eroding coping mechanisms and often making recovery more difficult over time.
In 2010, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) concluded that protracted crises require special attention. A consultative process was launched to develop and ensure broad ownership of an Agenda for Action for Addressing Food Insecurity in Protracted Crises (CFS-A4A).
You can make your contribution following the links on this page.
The FAO welcomes your feedback on the Zero Draft following the questions below:
1. In general terms do the ten principles presented in the Zero Draft adequately address the key issues required to address food insecurity and malnutrition in protracted crises? If not, what might be changed?
2. Are the roles and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders outlined in the Zero Draft sufficiently clear and defined in order to facilitate implementation of the principles? If not, what should be changed?
3. Are the illustrative examples of policies and actions outlined in Appendix A of the online resource package sufficient to show how the principles being discussed can be transformed into action? If not, what should be changed, or are there additional suggestions?
4. The CFS-A4A is intended to be a guidance document, aimed at encouraging high-level political commitment by all stakeholders in developing appropriate policies, actions, investments, institutional arrangements. As such:
a) Are the current structure and language of the principles sufficiently clear and accessible for all relevant stakeholders?
b) What steps need to be taken for the CFS-A4A principles to be used and implemented by different stakeholders, once endorsed by CFS 41?
All consultation outcomes will contribute to the preparation of the First Draft which will subsequently be negotiated by the CFS-A4A OEWG in Rome in July 2014. The resulting CFS-A4A will then be presented to the 41st Session of CFS in 2014 for endorsement by the Plenary.