Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 1 of 21
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Identify the institutions which have a stake in the
process of food security policy formulation and
implementation.
Define the role and functions of the relevant
stakeholders in food security policy formulation and
implementation.
• Indicate possible arrangements for a functional
institutional set-up to ensure effective coordination of
food security information and actions.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 2 of 21
INTRODUCTION
Food security is an overarching and cross-cutting issue
The formulation and
implementation of FSPs
depend on an active
involvement of various
government institutions
as well as other key
stakeholders…
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 3 of 21
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Government institutions involved in Food Security Policy
formulation and implementation:
Ministry of Planning/
National Planning Commission
Ministry of Agriculture
Other Ministries
Local Government
Institutions
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 4 of 21
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Ministry of Planning / National Planning Commission
FSP forms integral part of a National Policy & Planning Framework (NPPF).
There are two principal ways to achieve such integration:
Food Security
Policies
• Integrating FSP issues
into other national
development policies and
strategies.
Food Security Policy
• Preparing a specific Food
Security Policy document.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Ministry of Agriculture
It plays a key role in the process.
It is directly concerned with various core aspects of FS:
• Contributing to sufficient and stable food
supplies; and
• Improving access to food.
Screen 5 of 21
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 6 of 21
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
In many countries, the Ministry of Agriculture is mandated
to coordinate and promote food security in general
Example: Institutional Set-Up for Coordinating FSP in Lesotho
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
(MAFS) assumes an overall coordinating role in
food security matters.
Within its conventional mandate, MAFS is
responsible for all fields of agricultural
development contributing to access, availability
and stability.
There are pros and cons to the approach of entrusting the
Ministry of Agriculture with overall coordination of FSPs.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 7 of 21
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Other Ministries
Ministry
Food Security Policy issues
Ministry of Economic
Development
Poverty alleviation.
Ministry of Education
School feeding; school gardens; inclusion of food
security aspects (nutrition, home gardening etc.) in
school and adult education curricula.
Ministry of Environment Natural resource conservation and rehabilitation for
promoting sustainable development and long-term
food security.
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs/ International
Cooperation
Negotiations and agreements with development
partners (UN organizations, donors, NGOs) on
support to food security policies and programmes.
Ministry of Finance
Budget allocations and approval for food security
policy interventions.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 8 of 21
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Other Ministries
Ministry
Food Security Policy issues
Ministry of Health
Nutrition /child nutrition, e.g. Mother and Child Health
Care and Nutrition; (supplementary) child feeding
programmes; also: nutrition education, sanitation.
Ministry of Labour/
Works
Employment generation- / public works- / cash-forwork, food-for-work-programmes.
Ministry of
Marketing & Trade
Food price and marketing regulations; food export /
import regulations; marketing organizations and
infrastructure; cooperatives; subsidies.
Ministry of Social
Affairs/ Women/
Youth
Social safety nets; social protection of vulnerable
groups; special programmes for (particular groups of)
women and youth with relevance for food security.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 9 of 21
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Disaster preparedness and management is another
important field of food security policies.
Often a special agency is
mandated with this function.
UN structures may assume
government role also with respect
to food security policies.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 10 of 21
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Local Government Institutions
Provincial, district and
community administrations:
• generate data and information on the FS situation,
• identify and articulate acute food security problems;
• are responsible for the implementation of food
security policy measures.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS
Non-governmental stakeholders involved in Food
Security Policy formulation and implementation:
Local and International NGOs
Civil society Organizations
(CSOs)
UN and donor agencies
Screen 11 of 21
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS
Local and International NGOs
Local and international NGOs operate
a wide spectrum of FS related
programmes in a country.
They make substantial contributions in these fields:
• advocacy and awareness creation of FS issues;
• mobilization and provision of material resources;
• technical assistance;
• training and capacity building;
• community mobilization.
Screen 12 of 21
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 13 of 21
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS
Civil society Organizations (CSOs)
CSOs need to be actively involved
particularly in issues such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Advocacy.
Provision of expertise.
Sensitization on relevant FS issues.
Proposals for projects and programmes.
Mobilization and organization of their members for action.
Monitoring of the implementation and impacts of FS
interventions.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS
UN and donor agencies
Contributions by UN agencies
and bilateral donors, concern in
particular:
• policy analysis and advice;
•provision of financial and material resources for FS
related programmes;
• technical assistance;
Screen 14 of 21
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 15 of 21
INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP AND COORDINATION MECHANISM
Principles that should guide the
establishment of an institutional setup for the implementation of FSPs:
• Effective coordination and cooperation
• Efficient flow and exchange of FS information
• Responsiveness
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 16 of 21
INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP AND COORDINATION MECHANISM
There are some institutional arrangements that can
help to put the principles for the establishment of an
institutional set-up into practice:
Establishment of FS
Focal Points at all
relevant institutions
Formation of FS
Committees at central
and decentralized levels
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 17 of 21
INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP AND COORDINATION MECHANISM
Establishment of FS Focal Points at all relevant institutions
Governmental institutions and
NGOs designate a senior staff
member as Food Security Focal
Point.
The FSFP serves as internal and external link for
coordination and communication in matters of FS and will
represent the institution in Food Security Committees.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 18 of 21
INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP AND COORDINATION MECHANISM
Formation of FS Committees at central and decentralized levels
There are 3 types of Committees:
• Steering Committee
• Technical Committee
• Committees at decentralised levels
One problem with FSCs is that they are often poorly resourced
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 19 of 21
WHO SHOULD LEAD THE FSP PROCESS
A super-ministerial institutional body with the
authority to coordinate all institutions involved
A high level Steering
Committee, possibly chaired
by the Prime Minister’s Office,
would fulfill such role.
Often, however, it’is the Ministry of Agriculture that
initiates the process of formulating and implementing FSPs.
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 20 of 21
WHO SHOULD LEAD THE FSP PROCESS
Office of the
PRIME MINISTER
Chair
Food Security
Policy Steering
Committee
High ranking officials
MINISTRY OF
AGRICULTURE &
other MINISTRIES
Food Security Focal
Points
Decentralized
departments
&
Local Government
Institutions
Food Security
Technical Committee
Food Security
Committees at
decentralised levels
Representatives of
other organizations
relevant for food
security policies
(NGOs, CSOs, UN &
donor agencies)
Other organizations
concerned with
food security issues
at national level
(NGOs, CSOs, UN &
donor agencies)
Other organizations
concerned with food
security issues
at local levels
Food Security Policies – Formulation and Implementation
Institutional Framework Food Security Policy
Screen 21 of 21
SUMMARY
The institutions that have a stake in the process of food security policy formulation
and implementation are:
• Ministry of Planning/National Planning Commission;
• Ministry of Agriculture;
• Other ministries and government institutions (different from country
to country); and
• Local Government Institutions.
The Non-Governmental stakeholders that should be involved in the FSP process are:
• Local and International NGOs;
• Civil society Organizations (CSOs); and
• UN and donor agencies.
The involvement of a wide range of state and non-state actors in the implementation
of FSPs requires a functional institutional set-up with well functioning coordination
structures, ensuring an efficient flow and exchange of food security information and
coordinated effective actions.