Hunger, Food Insecurity and Malnutrition o 805 million people still suffer from chronic hunger despite progress; o Among children, it is estimated that 171 million under five years of age are chronically malnourished; o almost 104 million are underweight, and about 55 million are acutely malnourished; o Micronutrient deficiencies, or “hidden hunger”, affect over two billion people worldwide; o At the same time, an estimated 1.4 billion people are overweight and 500 million are obese.

Addressing the Root Causes of Hunger, Food Insecurity and Malnutrition Requires: 1) Political commitment; 2) Common understanding of problems and solutions; 3) Appropriate governance mechanisms and proper coordination 4) Evidence-based information and reliable data feed into the decision making 5) Alignment and implementation of policies, programmes and investments; 6) Leveraging food and agricultural systems for better nutrition; 7) Addressing the gender gap. 8) Effective accountability systems with systematic progress monitoring and impact evaluation;

Making a difference in FSN Key development lessons Change should be country driven Assistance should be demand driven Processes at global, regional and national level through which countries make commitments at varying levels of concreteness to reduce hunger MDGs, WFS, WFSfyl, CFS, RIO+20, G8,G20, ZHC Regional : CAADP, HFLAC National Policies and Strategies on or relevant to FSN ( Bangladesh NFP etc)

Creating an Enabling Environment for FSN Windows of opportunity A global commitment is translated into national commitment The drafting/ revision of a policy framework Changes in a policy or programme framework Monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes Creating/catalyzing a window of opportunity (creating an enabling environment) Information and advocacy on the FSN situation Information and advocacy on an important issue Choice of policy champions and partners

Using FAO’s core functions to facilitate change 1. Facilitating Policy Dialogue 2. Informed Advocacy and Communication 3. Capacity Development 4. Promote Partnerships 5. Normative, Standard Setting Instruments 6. Uptake of Knowledge, Technology and Good Practices 7. Assemble, analyse, monitor and improve access to data and information related to food security and nutrition situation

Policy Processes and Communications Communication to facilitate change  Integrated into the main policy processes to inform timely intervention as soon as a window of opportunity rises  Is used as the main tool for fostering partnership, political commitment and harmonization of the efforts among partners  Takes real time Evidence (data, information, analysis) and feeds it into the decision making process  Creates a Feedback Loop, feeding the lessons learned into the policy process for a comprehensive and transparent progress monitoring and impact assessment

Zero Hunger Challenge in Asia and Pacific, an example of communication for development ZHC: A global process, new process, opens windows of opportunity for FSN Buy in by an important regional body ( ASEAN) Communications and advocacy around the ZHC to bring together strategic partners around the overall goal and individual targets The programme in Bangladesh is communicated among other focus countries; Draw on the lessons learned and the implications of these lessons for the design of the country level programmes

Enabling environment and COMM4DEV  Level 1: FN Insecure people: food and nutrition insecurity is caused by a mix of problems related to food availability, access, stability, utilisation.  Level 2: The enabling environment at country level which determines the ability of people to overcome their problems.  Level 3: enabling environment at international level: there are issues of cross-border and international nature

Where does Com4Dev come in to help solve the problem? At the level of FN Insecure people: 1. to address problems that have to do with KAP (knowledge, attitudes and practices) related to nutrition (i.e. nutrition and health education and communication) 2. to address issues of access to information and knowledge (i.e. market info, technical know-how, production, access to services, rights, grievance and accountability mechanisms)

Where does Com4Dev come in to help solve the problem? At the level of the enabling environment at country level 1. Communication to promote a common understanding on what FSN is 2. Create awareness of policy makers about issues of FNS, who is affected, where, why, when, etc. 3. Communication/advocacy to support creation of common understanding among sectors and stakeholders of how each can/should contribute to a common solution 4. Understanding of possible solutions to address the problems 5. Sharing experiences and good practices among national stakeholders but also with others

Where does Com4Dev come in to help solve the problem? At the international level 1. Create a common understanding on the dimensions and causes of FSN situation ( FAO/SOFI, RBAs) 2. Access to a commonly accepted information base for early warning on factors affecting food and nutrition situation ( AMIS, GIEWS) 3. Create awareness of policy makers about how actions of individual countries can affect the ability of other countries and people to be/come food and nutrition secure ( UN, FAO, Multilateral Agencies ) 4. Communication/advocacy to create common understanding of how countries can work together behind a common mutually beneficial agenda (i.e. CFS, RIO, ZHC, Voluntary Guidelines ) 5. Sharing of experiences and good practices of countries (i.e. SSC, CFS etc.)

Thank You !!