LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. 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.

2. 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…

3. 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

4. Food Security Policy 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: • Integrating FSP issues into other national development policies and strategies. Food Security Policies 1 2 • Preparing a specific Food Security Policy document.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS Other Ministries

8. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS Other Ministries

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS Non-governmentalstakeholders involved in Food Security Policy formulation and implementation: Local and International NGOs Civil society Organizations (CSOs) UN and donor agencies

12. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS Local and International NGOs NGO 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.

13. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS CSO 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.

14. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL STAKEHOLDERS UN and donor agencies UN and donor agencies Contributions by UN agencies and bilateral donors, concernin particular: • policy analysis and advice; • provision of financial and material resources for FS related programmes; • technical assistance;

15. INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP AND COORDINATION MECHANISM Principles that should guide the establishment of aninstitutional set-up for the implementation of FSPs: Effective coordination and cooperation Efficient flow and exchange of FS information Responsiveness

16. 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 atcentral and decentralized levels

17. INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP AND COORDINATION MECHANISM Establishment of FS Focal Points at all relevant institutions Governmental institutions and NGOsdesignate 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.

18. INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP AND COORDINATION MECHANISM Formation of FS Committees atcentral 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

19. WHO SHOULD LEAD THE FSP PROCESS A super-ministerial institutional bodywith 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.

20. WHO SHOULD LEAD THE FSP PROCESS Chair Representatives of other organizations relevant for food security policies (NGOs, CSOs, UN & donor agencies) Office of the PRIME MINISTER Food Security Policy Steering Committee High ranking officials MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & other MINISTRIES Food Security Focal Points Other organizations concerned with food security issues at national level (NGOs, CSOs, UN & donor agencies) Food Security Technical Committee Decentralized departments & Local Government Institutions Food Security Committees at decentralised levels Other organizations concerned with food security issues at local levels

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.