Across the world, high levels of hunger and malnutrition have persisted for the last 20 years

1. Food Security and Agriculture Millions fed: One billion hungryPresentation to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and DevelopmentJohn Barrett, Deputy Director (Food and Livelihoods)Policy Division20 January 2010

2. 1992 2004 2008 Across the world, high levels of hunger and malnutrition have persisted for the last 20 years • Affordability • Poor spend an average of 70% of their income on food • Hunger a function of poverty but agricultural growth necessary to improve food security • Availability • Food production increasing though gains in Sub-Saharan Africa low and static • Volatility in production increases risks faced by the poor • Chronic underinvestment in agriculture • Access • Lack of rural infrastructure and access to financial and other services, lack of or inequitable land tenure systems etc • Trade increasingly global but many markets for food in developing countries remain local and low value

3. Then the food price spike in 2008 made food even less affordable and less available • Supply side: Harvest failures pushing down crop yields, stocks low and further declined due to bad weather and low yields in exporting countries • Demand side: Rising incomes which increase overall demand for grain; biofuels • …resulting in riots and humanitarian disasters…. • Policy responses exacerbated the problem further • Export restrictions to protect domestic supplies • Over 30 countries reduced cereal import taxes and more than half applied price controls or consumer subsidies • ….and the economic downturn is exacerbating the problem… • Over 1 billion now hungry and there are warnings that a food crisis could happen again in the near future (FAO food price index is rising in 2009)

4. The crisis pushed food security and agriculture up political agendas and is being tackled at the international level by the L’Aquila process April 08 July 08 Aug 08 Sept 08 Jan 09 July 09 Sept 09 Oct 09 Nov 09 Prime Minister wrote to G8 April 2008. Led to creation of UN-led High Level Task Force, and the CFA G8 Summit in Japan. Donor commitments of $10 bn. Established Experts’ Group on Food Security. Comprehensive Framework for Action agreed UNGA 63 focuses on Food Security “Food Security for All” conference in Madrid The G8 Plus meeting at L’Aquila in July 2009. Five principles agreed, and commitment to spend up to $20 billion over the next three years. UK’s contribution at least £1.1 G20 at Pittsburgh and UNGA In New York – side event on food reinforces ‘L’Aquila CFS reform agreed WB Annual Meeting considers new multilateral funding mechanism World Food Summit supports L’Aquila and agreement reached to work harder to meet MDG target • The international debates have focused on: • Improved co-ordination and country-led processes • New financing mechanisms • Reform of the international architecture (including CGIAR) • How to harness and control global markets • Self sufficiency and the right to food • How the world will feed itself in the future in the face of climate change and population growth

5. Food security is now top of Washington’s agenda • The USGlobal Food Security Act • Special Coordinator for Global Food Security • New food security strategy • Provide additional resources for agricultural productivity, nutrition and rural development. • Emergency Food Assistance Fund that can make local and regional purchases of food • New legislation on commodity market financial transactions in congress • US leading push on food security internationally • Key asks • Increase spending for agriculture productivity • Support for CAADP • New Financing mechanism – GAFSP

6. …and there is a locus of activity led by the UN agencies in Rome in delivering the Global Partnership • World Summit on Food Security 2009 • ‘Rome Principles’ • FAO • Reform of the Committee on Food Security • Collaboration with IFAD and WFP • UN High Level Policy Experts Group • Enhanced role for private sector (e.g. Foundations) and civil society

7. …..and the upcoming Spanish Presidency give high priority to food security • Spain has prioritised food security • announced €1 billion for agriculture and food security over 5 years at UNGA 2008 • Focus on West Africa and ECOWAS • Support + contribute to US led Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) • Looking to work with DFID for guidance on good policy and practice • Spanish Presidency will focus on MDG Review • Presidency will lead consultation on agriculture and food security policy for approval by Council

8. The Global Partnership is underway….. L’Aquila £22billion G8 Multilateral funding UN HLTF WFP SE Asia G20 FAO UNGS 1 BILLION HUNGRY IFAD CGIAR Comprehensive Framework for Action Africa CAADP World Bank GPAFS Principles EU Country-led plans for food security and agriculture IMF AGRA OCHA, UNEP, WTO, WHO, UNTAD, OECD G77 LAC UNICEF G5 Brazil Mexico SA India China Bilateral funding Private Sector Civil Society

9. DFID needs a broader approach to food security, agriculture and nutrition • Key Principles • Support for country-led processes • Donor harmonisation and alignment (Paris and Accra) • Twin track – most vulnerable and sustainable routes out of poverty longer term • Strong role for multilateral system • Sustained commitment of governments and donors New context • Food and economic crises • Global food system • MICs • Trade • Biofuels • Changing country priorities • Climate change • Population growth

12. Country and regional programmes are key to improving food security • Africa: Implementing CAADP • Effective CAADP processes in place - ARD £10m for CAADP Trust Fund • DFID Programmes aligning behind CAADP plans: DFID Rwanda, Malawi, Ethiopia • PFA Post Rwanda (tbc) • South Asia engagement - political influencing and delivery • South Asia Regional Food Security Programme with SASO and building support from EC, WB and USAID • Country-led programmes - DFID India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal

13. Less than 10% of DFID’s budget is spent on food security and agriculture compared to over 20% on health • DFID bilateral spend on agriculture and food security is £227m (2009/10); the largest shares are agricultural production (£62.6m), rural development (£55.5m) and safety nets (£51.1m); • Ethiopia, Bangladesh and India country offices spend over half this budget (£148m) mostly on agricultural production and safety nets. • Multilateral spend on agriculture and food security in 2007/08 was £140m Bilateral spend food security excluding emergency food aid (£m) Multilateral spend on food security excluding emergency food aid and rural roads (£m)

14. There is a large investment gap for tackling hunger and meeting the MDG 1 target on hunger • MDG 1 • 2010 is an opportunity to revitalise progress towards the MDGs and set out a roadmap to 2015 • Global Action Plan at the UN MDG Summit September 2010 with a timetable on delivering commitment to double foreign assistance • UK priority to build momentum around the L’Aquila Food Security Initiative The size of the funding gap is between $10 and $30 bn per annum

15. Main challenges going forward • Maintain political momentum behind the 2009 initiatives • Work to promote coherence and convergence between them • Continue to emphasise a comprehensive approach to food security and agricultural development, with focus on nutrition of women and children • Particular effort to support activities at country level