Connecting social policies, poverty, hunger, and food and nutrition security Renato S. Maluf Reference Centre on Food and Nutrition Security Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Taking Action for the World’s Poor and Hungry People Beijing, October 17-19, 2007

Main arguments 1, Take into account economic and social processes ( quality dimension ) underlying improvements in conventional indicators of poverty and hunger ( quantitative dimension ) 2. Institutional framework allowing for intersetorial policy making and effective social participation is crucial for facing poverty and hunger through more equitable ways 3. Promoting food and nutrition security through intersetorial policies contributes for having equitable and sustainable processes

Brazil: a large, rich and unequal country Large middle income country Relevance of internal economic dynamism Geopolitical standing Institutional capacity Decrease in high levels of inequality and poverty Monetary stability Social protection Slight employment and minimum wage recovering Strengthening of income transfer programmes [poverty reduction  low rates of economic growth] Health and nutrition Improvements in most indicators 34,8% of food insecure households

Place and roles of social policies Two elements of the general context Fragmentation / differentiation of public policies \ sectorial and social policies => re-balancing social and territorial unevenness / inequalities Pragmatism = economic discipline  social policies \ Fasten-growth focus: a synthesis goal? Re-addressing social policies Income transfer + social protection + minimum-wage (+ employment) Human rights approach: universal rights  different needs Social participation in policy making  social equity

Institutional framework for integrated programmes and social participation Adequate institutional framework \ integrated approach to multidimensional social issues \ intersectorality (gov. and non-gov.): sharing goals, instruments, and resources \ social participation  equitable access to public programmes Intersectoral public spaces for social participation \ Brazilian experience -> public policies’ councils \ CONSEA: intersectoral approach to FNS \ food-related policies  anti-poverty strategies

Concluding remarks 1. A development issue: joining economic dynamism with increasing social equity => social participation + integration of economic and social public arenas 2. Institutional framework matters: integrated approach to social policies; intersetorial public spaces (governmental sectors and social organizations) 3. Giving visibility to human rights 4. FNS  poverty: promoting equitable ways of producing and accessing adequate food  joining economic dynamism with increasing social equity