WHAT IS CFS?

1. WHAT IS CFS? 1. The Committee on World Food Security serves as a forum in the United Nations System for review and follow-up of policies concerning World Food Security (and Nutrition) , including food production and physical and economic access to food 2. At the 35th Session of the CFS, held in Rome in October 2009, members of the CFS agreed on a wide-ranging reform with the aim of making the CFS the foremost inclusiveinternational and intergovernmental platform(( MULTI ACTOR POLICY SPACE)dealing with food security and nutrition 3. The full and active participation of civil society in the reform process ensured our right to be self organised,autonomous and equal participation with governments in policy debates and CFS sessions

2. CONTEXT The rise in food prices in 2007-08 and financial and economic crisis in 2009 highlighted the unacceptable levels of structural poverty and hunger around the world It threatened global food security and nutrition and the achievement of the 1996 World Food Summit target(WFSt) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for reducing hunger and malnutrition 2008 Madrid Meeting,World Food Summit,CFS reform(2009),G20,UN General Assembly Reform was the result of Deliberations between the CFS Bureau and an open Contact Group

3. What is new in the reform Redefined vision and role to focus on the key challenges of eradicating hunger Expanding participation in CFS to ensure that voices of all relevant stakeholders are heard in the policy debate on food and agriculture To become the central United Nations political platform dealing with food security and nutrition Strengthening linkages with regional, national and local levels Structured expertise through High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) to support the work of CFS based on hard evidence and knowledge Three guiding principles- Inclusiveness, strong linkages to the field to ensure the process is based on the reality on the ground and flexibility in implementation so that CFS can respond to a changing external environment

4. Role of CFS -Phases Phase 1- Global coordination , policy convergence, facilitating support and advice to countries and regions Phase II- Coordination at national and regional levels, promoting accountability and sharing best practices at all levels and developing a global strategic framework for food security and nutrition etc CFS will strive for the implementation of VG on Rt to Food and support country led processes to eradicate hunger and malnutrition Promote accountability and share best practices at all levels. One of the main functions of the CFS has been to “monitor actively the implementation of the 1996 World Food Summit Plan of Action” (WFS-PoA) Develop a Global Strategic Framework for food security and nutrition in order to improve coordination and guide synchronized action by a wide range of stakeholders(Based on existing CFA,CAADP,Rt Food etc)

5. Players in this game  A.MEMBERS- The membership of the Committee shall be open to all Members of FAO, WFP or IFAD, or non-member States of FAO that are member States of the United Nations. B. PARTICIPANTS 1.Representatives of UN agencies - FAO, IFAD, WFP, the HLTF etc , Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, Standing Committee on Nutrition (SCN). 2.Civil society and non-governmental organizations and their networks with particular attention to organizations representing smallholder family farmers, artisanal fisherfolk, herders/pastoralists, landless, urban poor, agricultural and food workers, women, youth, consumers, Indigenous Peoples, and International NGOs ( gender and geographic balance in their representation.) 3)International agricultural research systems such as Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and others. 4)International and regional Financial Institutions including WB, I MF, regional development banks and WTO 5)Private sector associations and private philanthropic foundations C) Observers .

6. CFS componenets i)The Annual Plenary ii)The CFS Bureau and its Advisory Group iii)The High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) - a multi-disciplinary scientific advisory body to the CFS iv)The Secretariat (FAO,WFP and IFAD)

7. What is CSM ? Objective The purpose of the CSM is to facilitate civil society participation in agriculture, food security and nutrition policy development at national, regional and global levels in the context of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Approved by CFS 36th session in 2010

8. FUNCTIONS and Activities Autonomously established global mechanism to facilitate CSO/NGOs consultation and participation in the CFS. To serve inter-sessional global, regional and national actions in which organizations of the population most affected by food insecurity, would be accorded priority representation. Communicating to the CFS and its Bureau through CSO Advisory Group members Convening a civil society forum as a preparatory event before CFS sessions To promote collaboration, coordination and coherence between CSO's from a wide range of constituencies and sub-regions

9. Functions and activities To support CSO's to influence policy processes and outcomes at the global level by facilitating civil society participation in CFS Plenary Sessions, Open Ended Working Groups, Task Teams, the CFS Advisory Group and other CFS mechanisms To enable CSO's to influence policy processes at regional and national levels by facilitating civil society participation in regional inter-governmental events and processes and facilitating participation in national, multi-stakeholder food security governance structures and processes To facilitates the broad and regular exchange of information, analysis and experience between CSO's from around the world. It also enables the development of common CSO positions where possible and helps communicate divergent positions where there is no consensus

10. How it works Facilitation of face to face and virtual meetings, trainings, consultations, reports and papers, the CSM website and an annual CSM Forum. Coordination Committee-11 constituencies and 17 Sub regions-Working groups on CFS topics Activities of the CSM in 2010/11 1.Development of policy messages and contribution to the agenda of CFS 2.Facilitated participation in the Session of the CFS , Advisory Group ,CFS Open Ended Working Groups(VG on land and GSF ,rai) CFS Task Teams on agricultural investment, gender and food price volatility ,Negotiation on Voluntary Guidelines ,Training on topics,CSOForum

11. Organising Principles  The CSM is an inclusive space open to all civil society organizations, with priority given to the organisations and movements of the people most affected by food insecurity and malnutrition, i.e. smallholder producers, fisherfolk, pastoralists,indegeneous,women,rural youth etc etc The CSM is founded on the fact that the people most affected by food insecurity and malnutrition must be the agents of their own development, are best placed to represent their own interests and views and are not only victims but also bearers of solutions. The CSM respects pluralism, autonomy and self-organization and tries to ensure a balance of gender, regions, constituencies and sectors. The CSM presents common positions to policy makers where they emerge and the range of different positions where there is no consensus.