Case: Policy coherence in general

11-10-2011 The challenge of food security

Food security is a main challenge the world is facing nowadays. It is a complex problem with many factors contributing to it, which means that there is not a clear-cut solution to it. However, action needs to be undertaken. In the run up to the reform of the EUs Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), a public hearing on food security in developing countries was held in the Development Committee of the European Parliament on the 4th of October. Topics on the agenda were speculation on food prices, land grabbing, the CAP reform and the EU development cooperation.

David Nabarro, the UNs Special Representative for Food Security and Nutrition, stated that food security is not just about the amount of food available, but also includes the context of production and the livelihoods of the producers. People have to have access to food, farmers have to earn enough for a living, but also food has to be produced in a sustainable way. A big part of the solution lays with the small scale farmers. According to Mamadou Cissokho, President of he Network of West African Farmer and Producer Organisations, small scale farmers could actually provide enough food to feed the whole of Africa. However, in order for that to become reality, Africa needs to become more independent, which could be achieved by producing not only for export, but also for their own markets. Several people raised the point that small-scale farmers should be empowered and that the rural areas should become more attractive.

Another aspect in the challenge of food security is foreign investment. Several consideration on the advantages and disadvantages of foreign investments were brought up for discussion. Concerns about land grabbing were broadly expressed. The idle land law, through which governments can sell land that does not seem to be used, was regarded to underestimate the use of land by the local population. It would make local people vulnerable, since they have no influence on these processes.
Advantages of foreign investment would be the creation of local jobs and income. Moreover it can also bring in new technologies, which could stimulate development. The ultimate question, as Mrs. Brave R. Ndisale, Ambassador of the Republic of Malawi put it, is whether foreign investment helps to reach the goal set by the African Union that in 2015 no child in Africa should die from hunger or malnutrition.

Mr. Cissokho and Mrs. Ndisale both emphasized several times that Africa is responsible to take their faith in their own hands. African countries have to develop real policies which sort out the problems and recognize the need of the local people. Therefore also more transparency is needed, so local people, especially small scale holders, can have a voice in decision making processes. Moreover, Africa has to negotiate better on the international level and should develop their own agricultural market. If Africa would rely on their own funding, expertise and leadership, food sovereignty could be ensured.

Even though the Africans have a great responsibility, so does the international community. Since food security also has everything to do with food prices, which are highly influenced by commodity speculation, speculation needs to be regulated in a way. Chief economist of the French Development Agency Pierre Jacquet made a distinction between the act of speculation and the behaviour of speculators. Speculation basically comes down to thinking about the future, which is a human characteristic that makes no sense to fight. The behaviour of speculators however is something that can be regulated in a way that is good for society. Politics has to learn how to regulate this and put speculators at the service of food security. Jacquet also said that it is urgent to move from crisis management to risk management. Instead of fighting the last war, it is better to prevent crises and increase predictability. This would prevent spikes in food prices, which according to Oxfam International hits the poorest the hardest.

Also the EU plays an important role in addressing food security and it is important to regard the impacts of European policies on food security, and also on development in general. Therefore, the CAP reform was also discussed during this public hearing. Dacian Ciolo, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, stated first and for all that food security should be top priority in every form of public policy, since the future of the whole world depends on it. However, food security is not just about quantity of food, but also about quality and sustainability. The CAP reform proposals have three main objectives. Firstly, guaranteeing food security through sufficient political strategies, like direct support; secondly, improving and renewing competition capacity, not only on the economical level, but also on the ecological. This means that farmers have to govern the natural resources better. Thirdly, strengthening the relation between agriculture and territory. Agricultural activity should be more connected to the local market, needs and customs. The overarching goal of the CAP must be sustainability and fair distribution. The CAP therefore also focuses more on Research and Development (R&D), especially in the areas of sustainability and the local situations and needs.

The necessity to make food security a top priority was also emphasized by Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development, since access to food is the essence of life which we are rediscovering in this century. Moreover, since the world population increases, also the food production have to grow every year. According to him, the core of future policy on agriculture must consist of several principles: mutual commitments from the EU and partner countries; investments in the whole chain of food production, distribution and access; and joining forces with the private sector. Transparency is the key for policies to be effective.

Fair Politics is glad to see the commitment of the European Commission to address the problem of food security and the acknowledgement of the priority it should have in every form of public policy. As many of the persons present said, now it is time to turn all the fine words into action.