TOWARDS A EU AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY POLICY

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TOWARDS A EU AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY POLICY
Brussels Rural Development Briefings From
Global Food Crisis to Local Food
Insecurity 9/12/2009
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Structure of the presentation

• Current approach and overview of existing
  instruments
• Rationale of the proposed new policy
• Goals and objectives
• Possible areas of intervention
• Implementation issues
• Consultation process
• Calendar for the proposed policy document

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Reference documents

• Food Security Regulation (1292/1996)
• Communication Advancing the Food Security Agenda
  to Achieve MDGs (2006)
• Food Security Thematic Strategy Paper 2007-2010
  (2007)
• Communication Tackling the Challenges of rising
  food prices. Directions for EU actions (2008)

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Main policy lines

• No longer simple delivery of food aid but
  broad-based strategies at national, regional and
  global level focused on the objective of reaching
  Food Security for all.
• Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development
  with the objective of supporting the most
  vulnerable and protecting livelihoods while
  improving crisis prevention
• Addressing the four food security pillars 1)
  availability, 2) access, 3) food quality and
  utilisation and 4) crisis management and
  prevention

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Food Security Existing instruments
Food Security is addressed by a set of
complementary financial instruments Emergenc
y and immediate post-emergency (Hum.
Instr.) Transition/supra-national and
horizontal aspects (FSTP) Geographical
instruments - longer term (e.g.
EDF/ENPI) Food Facility to respond
to the food prices crisis (2009-2011)
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Rationale for a new EU policy

• Changes in the current international agriculture
  and food security context may require a
  coordinated EU response.
• In view of the 2010 review of MDGs, the EU needs
  to reflect on how to continue supporting the
  progress towards achieving the MDGs targets
• Challenges posed by climate change require a
  consistent policy response to focus investments
  and ensure that technologies, knowledge and
  capacity are accessible to farmers in developing
  countries.
• It is timely to reflect on how the EU could best
  use its experience to support regional policies
  and strategic frameworks in agriculture and food
  security.

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Rationale for a new EU policy (contd)

• At present there is no food security policy
  framework in place at European Union level.
• Need to reflect on added value of a whole of
  Union approach in the area of agriculture and
  food security (Council Conclusions of 18 May 2009
  on supporting developing countries in coping with
  the crisis)
• Existing frameworks insufficiently address new
  issues in the food security agenda such as the
  impact of biofuels and new technologies on food
  production the role of safety nets/social
  transfers in development cooperation etc.
• There is a need for increasing the effectiveness
  of the EU food assistance on the ground.

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Proposed goal and objectives

• Overall goal contributing to poverty eradication
  and pursuing the MDGs (esp. MDG 1) in the context
  of sustainable development.
• Policy objective increase food security in
  developing countries by addressing in a balanced
  way four pillars
• 1) increasing availability of food
  
• 2) improving access to food
  
• 3) improving food quality and its appropriate
  utilisation
• 4) improving crisis prevention, preparedness and
  management.

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Key challenges

• Food Availability
• Inadequacy of national/regional policies
• Climate change impact
• Land availability (land degradation other uses
  etc)
• Water scarcity
• Low productivity of crops/livestock systems etc
• Access to Food
• Physical access
• Economic access
• Social dimension of access

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Key challenges (contd)

• Food Quality and appropriate utilisation of food
• Effects of poor diets and malnutrition
• Interplay of different factors
• Prevention and management of food crises
• Price shocks and speculations on food commodity
  prices
• Production shocks
• Food stocks/reserves
• Early warning systems

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Possible areas of intervention

• At the global level, improving the coherence of
  the international governance system.
• At the European level, enhancing the
  effectiveness of EU action.
• At the recipient level, supporting national
  and/or regional food security strategies.
• In terms of Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and
  Development better bridging the gap between
  short-term and long-term measures.

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Implementation issues

• In-country coordination
• Synergies, complementarity and division of labour
  between European Commission, EU MS, UN agencies
  etc
• Coherence of different European policies
• Synergies between existing financial instruments

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Consultation process

• 16 Nov 9 Jan web-based consultations on
  issues paper
• http//ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/consultations/
• Stakeholders consultations
• Jan 2010 EC feedback on the consultation
  process (published on Europa)

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Calendar

• Jan-Mar 2010 Drafting of the policy document
• April 2010 Adoption by the Commission and
  transmission to EP and Council
• May 2010 Council Conclusions