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Udenrigsudvalget 2013-14
URU Alm.del Bilag 209
Offentligt

A View of DANIDAs Policy Note on Food Security

through A Policy Coherent Lens

Aileen Robertson

Global Nutrition & Health a WHO Collaborating Centre

Metropolitan University College Copenhagen

April 2014

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Views expressed in this commentary are entirely those of the author and do not

necessarily reflect the opinion of the Metropolitan University College Copenhagen. The

Metropolitan University College Copenhagen does not guarantee the accuracy of the data

included in this report, nor does it accept responsibility for any use made thereof.

Author´s profile

Aileen Robertson PhD, is a Public Health Nutritionist at Metropolitan University College, Copenhagen,

Denmark. Previously she worked at the Regional Office of WHO for Europe where she was Regional

Adviser for Food and Nutrition Security for 12 years until 2004. Dr Robertson is a partner in many DG

Research and EU funded projects, affliated to WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Nutrition and Health

and has carried out consultancies for DANIDA.

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Table of contents

ANSK

ESUMÉ

................................................................................................................................................ 4

XECUTIVE SUMMARY

........................................................................................................................................ 5

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

2.1

3.1

3.2

3.3

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

5.1

6.1

6.2

6.3

8.1

8.2

INTRODUCTION

....................................................................................................................................... 6

ACKGROUND

.................................................................................................................................... 6

ONTEXT

“T

IGHT TO

OOD

”

........................................................................................................... 6

LOBAL

OOD AND

UTRITION

ECURITY

............................................................................................... 6

IMS OF THIS

OMMENTARY

................................................................................................................. 7

RGANISATION OF THIS

OMMENTARY

................................................................................................... 7

POLICY COHERENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT

............................................................................................. 8

HAT IS

OLICY COHERENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT

? ................................................................................... 8

NUTRITION INSECURITY HINDERS DEVELOPMENT

–

HUNGER & UNDERNUTRITION ARE DIFFERENT

. 10

UNGER

......................................................................................................................................... 11

NDERNUTRITION

............................................................................................................................. 11

ONFUSING

UNGER AND

NDERNUTRITION LEADS TO

OLICY

NCOHERENCE

............................................. 11

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION FOR DEVELOPMENT

.................................... 11

NE PRINCIPLE OF

EVELOPMENT IS TO DO NO HARM

.............................................................................. 12

ARKET

-D

RIVEN

OOD

YSTEMS CANNOT ALONE PROTECT HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

................................ 12

USTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IS GOOD FOR HEALTH AND NUTRITION

............................................................. 12

USTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IS GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

................................................................... 13

THE POST-2015 AGENDA AND POVERTY REDUCTION

.......................................................................... 14

UMAN

IGHTS BASED

PPROACH

....................................................................................................... 14

GREEN GROWTH, CLIMATE CHANGE & UN BIODIVERSITY 2011-2020

................................................... 16

REEN

ROWTH

.............................................................................................................................. 16

NTERNATIONAL

TRATEGIC

LAN FOR

IODIVERSITY

2011-2020

.............................................................. 17

UTRITION AND

USTAINABILITY

ICN S

EMINAR

....................................................................................... 18

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

.............................................................................................. 19

APPENDIX - CASE STUDIES FOR DEVELOPMENT

................................................................................. 20

OVERTY

, W

OMEN AND

GRICULTURE

.................................................................................................. 20

ASE STUDIES IN

ANGLADESH

, B

OLIVIA AND

GANDA

............................................................................ 20

Tables

Table 6-1 Health & Biodiversity linkages in support of the Aichi Biodiversity targets........................................

Figures

Figure 1-1 Policy Coherence in Global Food & Nutrition Security for Development.............................................

Figure 1-2. A View of DANIDAs Policy Note on Food Security through a Policy Coherent Lens

.......................... 8

Figure 2-1 The Great Balancing Act.

................................................................................................................... 9

Figure 5-1. DANIDA Human Rights based Approach and objective of fighting poverty

..................................... 14

Figure 5-2. Benefit-Cost Ratios of Investment to Reduce Stunting

.................................................................... 15

Figure 6-1. DANIDAs approach to Green Growth

.............................................................................................. 17

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Dansk Resumé

Danida´s

”Policy

Note on Food Security 2013” gennem en linse der fokuser på sammenhæng

Formålet med denne note er at sikre maksimering af støtten til fattigdomsbekæmpelse ved at analysere diverse

strategier og identificere synergier, der kan effektivisere bistandsarbedjet. Netop ved at fokusere på

sammenhænge i diverse strategier

–

og ikke kun på vertikale isolerede tiltag

–

kan mange af de overordnede

2015 mål forbedres. Ernæring må og skal indgå som en eksplicit del af strategier og planerne indenfor landbrug,

sundhed, vand og sanitet, miljø og uddannelse, men det er ikke nok. Disse planer må også være

sammenhængende så man kan sikre, at de overordnede resultater opnås samt at utilsigtede skadelige

virkninger forebygges. I kommentaren bliver Danidas

‘Policy

Note on Food

Security’

analyseret og diskuteret,

specielt hvordan de forskellige sektorer bedre kan samarbejde og udvikle løsninger, der giver resultater og

synergier indenfor befolkningstilvækst, seksuel og reproduktiv sundhed og rettigheder, samt mindsker

miljøbelastning. De områder, der bliver analyseret er (i)

‘Sammenhænge

i udviklingsstrategier’; (ii)

‘Ernærings-

usikkerhed hæmmer

udvikling’;

(iii)

‘Bæredygtigt

landbrug og

fødevareproduktion’;

(iv)

‘2015’

og den

efterfølgende dagsorden, og (v)

”Grøn

Vækst og

Klimaforandring”.

(i)

Danidas

‘Policy

Coherence for

Development’

omfatter ganske rigtigt

‘fødevaresikkerhed’

‘klimaændringer’

som prioritetsområder, men synergier kan opnås, hvis ernæring bruges som det

grundlæggende udgangspunkt og eksplicit medinddrages ved implementeringen.

(ii) I kommentaren

‘Ernærings-usikkerhed

hæmmer

udvikling’

understreges det, at hvis

‘underernæring’

‘sult’

forveksles, findes disse synergier ikke og sparsomme resourcer spildes. I Danida`s

’Policy

Note on

Food

Security’

nævnes det, at

‘852

million are living in

hunger’,

altså sult. Det er imidlertid snarere

kronisk underernæring end sult; kronisk underernærirng er skadelig for vores indlaæringsevne, job

muligheder samt økonomisk vækst. En tredjedel af alle børn i verden lider af kronisk underernæring og

er hæmmet i vækst (højde).

(iii)

‘Bæredygtigt

landbrug og

fødevareproduktion’

er med rette en prioritet i Danidas strategiske program

‘A

Greener World for All

(NEC)’.

Faktisk peger man på, at landbrugets og fødevaresektorens primære rolle

er at brødføde befolkningen ved at øge tilgængeligheden og forbruget af sikre, miljørigtige madvarer,

der er i overensstemmelse med ernæringsmæssige anbefalinger og til overkommelige priser. Derfor

fortjener landbrug og fødevaresektor større opmærksomhed fra beslutningstagere og donorer.

(iv) Arbejdet med

‘Post

2015-Agenda’ repræsenterer en mulighed for at reducere de faktorer, der hæmmer

vækst, både ernæringsmæssigt og økonomisk. Den Internationale Ernæringskonference (ICN2) i

november 2014 vil være en god platform for diskussion af de muligheder regeringer og det

internationale samfund har for at reducere den globale kroniske underernæring.

(v) Det er svært at forestille sig, at forbedring på området for

‘Grøn

Vækst og

Klimaforandringer’

vil finde sted

uden en dramatisk reduktion i antallet af mennesker, der lever i fattigdom og lider af kronisk

underernæring. En sådan reduktion vil ikke finde sted med mindre man sikrer sig, at der er

sammenhæng i strategier på området fødevare- og ernæringssikkerhed. I Danidas NEC-strategi er det

faktisk beskrevet således:

’fødevare-

og ernæringssikkerhed for fattige og sårbare mennesker er ikke

kun et spørgsmål om tilstrækkelig global fødevareforsyning, men også om den fysiske og økonomiske

adgang til [f.eks.ernærings- og miljørigtige]

fødevarer.’

I virkeligheden understreger man, at en sådan

produktion har en lang række forudsætninger indenfor bl.a. sundhed, fødevare- og ernæringssikkerhed,

bæredygtige erhverv, robuste miljøer og landbrugets evne til at hamle op med klimatiske forandringer.

Fødevare- og ernæringssikkerhed er på vej op på den internationale udviklingsdagsorden. Antallet af kronisk

underernærede vil fordobles over de næste 15 år, specielt hvis synergier mellem politikområder ikke fremmes.

Dette vil også have store negative konsekvenser for den økonomiske udvikling..

WHO’s

medlemslande

godkendte et globalt mål, nemlig at der skal opnås en reduktion i antallet af kronisk underernærede på 40%

inden 2025. Danida kan - ved at se på sin egen strategi

”food security”

gennem en sådan

‘synergilinse’

bedre

fremme menneskerettigheder og bekæmpe fattigdom. Dette er også beskrevet i

‘

Retten til et bedre

liv’,

og det

kan

–

hvis der sættes fokus på synergier og resultater spille en nøglerolle gennem påvirkning af det

internationale samfund til at gøre det samme.

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Executive summary

This commentary on the Policy Note on Food Security is aimed to help maximise DANIDAs impact on poverty

reduction to be as cost-effective

as possible. In 2013 nutrition was made explicit within “The Human Right to

Adequate Food”. By ensuring nutrition is explicit in their policies the agriculture, health, environment and

education sectors can develop coherent policies to prevent unintentional harm and achieve development goals.

DANIDA´s Policy Note on Food Security is viewed through a policy coherent lens. How sectors can work

together to achieve win-win solutions to challenges of population growth and environmental damage is

discussed. This view through a policy coherent lens starts with (i)

Policy Coherence,

followed by (ii)

Nutrition

Insecurity hinders Development;

(iii)

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production;

(iv)

Post-2015 Agenda;

and

(v)

Green Growth and Climate Change.

(i)

DANIDA´s Policy Coherence for Develoment rightly includes “food security” and “climate change” as priority

themes. Ensuring better coherency is acheived if prevention of undernutrition forms both a fundamental building

block and cement between policies where it´s explicitly considered. Population growth may increase demands

for food by 50% and pressure on natural resources is expected to result in high and unstable food prices.

(ii) Nutrition Insecurity hinders Development

and if the two words

“undernutrition” and “hunger” are confused

policies will not be coherent. In DANIDA´s “Policy Note on Food Security” it is stated “852 million are living in

hunger”. However chronic undernutrition, rather than “hunger”, negatively affects our ability to learn,

earn viable

incomes and be economically productive. Chronic undernutrition (stunting) is irreversible and it affects one third

of the world´s children and, similar to poverty, its rate of reduction is extremely slow,.

(iii) Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production

is rightly a thematic prioirity within DANIDA´s Strategic

Framework “A Greener World for All (NEC)”. Indeed the role of those in the agriculture and food sectors is

primarily to feed people by increasing the availability, affordability, and consumption of biodiverse, safe,

nutritious foods that are aligned with dietary recommendations and environmental sustainability. The food and

agriculture sector´s direct role in enhancing nutrition therefore deserves greater attention by policy makers.

(iv) The Post-2015 Agenda

presents an opportunity to reduce stunting of growth (both in economic and human

terms). The International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) in November 2014 provides a platform to discuss this

agenda and opportunities for governments to influence efforts to reduce levels of global chronic undernutriton

(v) It is hard to imagine improvements in Green Growth and Climate Change without dramatic reductions in

numbers suffering from chronic undernutrition and poverty. These reductions will not happen without ensuring

that food and nutrition security policies are coherent. Indeed as stated in DANIDAs NEC strategy “Achieving

food and nutrition security for poor and vulnerable people is not only about global sufficiency of food supplies,

but also their physical and economic access to that

[biodiverse nutritious]

food”

not to mention food´s actual

consumption. Consumption of biodiverse food underpins a range of services to: human health; food & nutrition

security; sustainable livelihoods; ecosystem resilience; and farmers´ability to cope with climate change.

Food and nutrition security is heading up the international development agenda. The number of chronically

undernourished (stunted) could double over the next 15 years if development policies are not coherent. This will

result in irreversible negative consequences on economic development. Member States of WHO endorsed a

global target of a 40% reduction in childhood stunting by 2025. By viewing its food security strategy through a

policy coherent lens DANIDA can reach its objectives to promote human rights and fight poverty as stated in

“The Right to a Better Life” and

Denmark can play a key role in influencing the global development agenda.

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1 Introduction

This commentary on DANIDA´s Policy Note on

“Food

Security”

is aimed to help maximise the

potential to increase economic development and reduce poverty.

The concept “Food Security” is not

always well understood in Denmark and perhaps this is because there exists

no good term for “food

security” in the Danish

language? For example

the word “fødevaresikkerhed” has been “hijacked” to

mean “food safety” (only food hygiene).

In 2007 it was

recommended to use “Fødevaresikring

” as

Danish word

for “food security”.

In order to ensure sectors working with food security always

consider nutrition explicitly as a prerequesite, perhaps the term “food and nutrition security” should

be used or “fødvare-og-ernæringsikring” in Danish

1.1

Background

The world’s agricultural system faces a

huge challenge to ensure global food and nutrition security

without creating harm to human health and the environment. The question is how can the world feed

more than 9 billion people by 2050 in a manner that promotes economic development, health and

wellbeing, and simultaneously reduce environmental impact. The challenge is to increase food

production at an affordable price while protecting human health and the environment and providing

economic opportunities for millions of rural poor.

1.2

Context

“The Right to Food”

“The

Right to Food is enshrined in International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

(ICESCR) ratified by the vast majority of nations. The right to food is also included in the Convention

to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of

the Child (CRC) and the International Labour Organisation convention 169 for indigenous groups.

The UNs Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is increasingly framing their work in a rights

context and providing tools for implementation of the right to food, notably the Voluntary Guidelines

on the Right to Food, and the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land,

Fisheries and Forests. Additionally, several national constitutions and poverty reduction plans

specifically commit to eradicating hunger and achieving the right to food. The new complaints

mechanism, established by the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social

and Cultural Rights, will allow individuals or groups to file a complaint with the UN if their right to

food is violated by a member state that is party to the Protocol.”

The Global Strategic Framework for Food Security and Nutrition (GSF)

is the 1

global framework

adopted by governments, which mainstreams the right to adequate food and human rights into

policies relevant to both food security and

nutrition.

The GSF highlights the need for coherence

between food and nutrition policies and the need to strengthen human rights-based monitoring and

accountability mechanisms.

1.3

Global Food and Nutrition Security

Food security means an assured supply and access to affordable adequate food. Nutrition security

is more than just food security and incorporates

the consumption, across the life-course, of healthy

nutritious diets that are based on international nutrient recommendations and food-based dietary

guidelines.

For example global nutrition security can only be achieved for infants if their mothers´

eating patterns before, during and after pregnancy ensure appropriate weight gain, exclusive

http://amg.um.dk/en/~/media/amg/Documents/Technical%20Guidelines/Policy%20notes%20and%20action%20plans/Policy%20Note%20on%20Food

%20Security_AMG.pdf.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258555310_Hvad_er_Fdevaresikring__ER_DET_ET_RELEVANT_BEGREB_I_DANMARK?ev=prf_pub

Source: DAN Church Aid

http://www.danchurchaid.org/content/download/77290/642707/version/2/file/Right2Food_WEB.pdf

http://www.fao.org/righttofood/publications/publications-detail/en/c/209801/

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breastfeeding for first 6 months and appropriate complementary feeding until 2 years. Optimum

growth, development and learning ability of children depend on consuming healthy nutritious diets

and having access to affordable and quality health care and family care. Nutrition insecurity occurs

due to: gender inequalities from socio-cultural discrimination; lack of cooking facilities, food

preparation skills and knowledge; along with vulnerable being subjected to persuasive marketing to

consume inexpensive energy-dense foods with low nutritional value. As mentioned in section 2.

(figure 2-1 the Great Balancing Act) nutrition insecurity is compounded high population growth and

unmet needs for family planning.

If policies are coherent producing, trading, consuming and supporting the right to biodiverse food

can promote health and simultaneously promote both a sustainable environment and socio-

economic development. As stated above, the GSF highlights the need for coherence between

different sectors such as agriculture, health and education so that all policies work together and not

in opposite directions. Figure 1-1 illustrates that policy coherence depends entirely on the active

multisectoral collaboration between sectors working on sustainable agriculture, food safety and

nutrition security. In addition the right to adequate food, health, education and gender equality as a

human right should be mainstreamed into all food and nutrition security policies along with relevant

recommendations from international conventions to protect the environment.

Figure 1-1 Policy Coherence in Global Food & Nutrition Security for Development

Source: adapted from http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/74417/E82161.pdf

1.4

Aims of this Commentary

DANIDAs strategy can be effective in improving economic development and reducing poverty but

this depends on how it is interpreted and implemented. The simple steps in this document suggest

ways to strengthen the implementation of DANIDAs Policy Note on Food Security.

1.5

Organisation of this Commentary

This commentary involves looking at DANIDA´s Policy Note on Food Security through a policy

coherent lens. Viewing the policy in this way can help to priorise areas for implementation and so

improve its cost-effectiveness. The coherent policy lens is described in Figure 1-2 where 5 areas

are highligted for consideration and implementation. If only sustainable agriculture and food

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production are implemented without considering the other areas essential to ensure food security,

this constitutes a narrow incoherent policy. On the other hand a coherent policy will explicitly outline

how to implement all components that are vital to ensure the right to adequate food.

Figure 1-2. A View of DANIDAs Policy Note on Food Security through a Policy Coherent Lens

Some essential components of a coherent food security policy:



Policy Coherence for Development including population growth and sexual and reproductive

health and rights



Nutrition Insecurity hinders Development;



Sustainable agriculture production;



Preparation for post-2015 agenda and wealth creation;



Climate Change, Green Growth, and UN Biodiversity Targets;

The organisation of this commentary considers each of these areas in the following five sections.

Starting with policy coherence followed by: Nutritional Security or Nutrition Insecurity; Sustainable

agriculture and food production for Development; Post-2015 agenda and poverty reduction; and

Climate Change and Green Growth. It is described how the implementation of DANIDAs strategy

can be strengthened and resulting in better investment of limited resources.

2 Policy Coherence for Development

“Policy

coherence means different policy communities working together in ways that result in more

powerful tools and products for all concerned. It means looking for synergies and complementarities

and filling gaps among different policy areas so as to meet common and shared objectives.”

(OECD)

2.1

What is Policy coherence for development?

DANIDA´s draft

“Danish Action Plan on Policy Coherence for Development”

aims to help implement

commitments made in

“The

Right to a Better Life”. The Action Plan´s aim is to describe how

Denmark can strengthen its efforts in policy coherence for development (PCD). One of the Danish

PCD actions includes “Food security and climate change”.

The following citation is from DANIDAs

Action Plan on PCD:

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“The global middle-class

is expected to increase by 3 billion to 2030 and increase demands for

energy with 45% for water with 30% and for food with 50%. Simultaneously, pressure on natural

resources in developing countries due to population growth, unsustainable consumption and

production patterns and climate changes is expected to result in high and unstable prices on food

and resources”.

Danish PCD considerations within food security and climate change include:



“…Denmark can support EU energy and natural resource policies

without negatively

affecting developing countries food and nutrition security. Coherence and synergy between

EU climate change policies and EU development objectives can also be pursued..”.



“…A human rights based approach can be applied to the area of food security, both at the

local and international level. Access to land is the basis for the livelihood of many people in

developing countries…”.



The EU Commission has presented a number of food security policy documents in the last

year with the aim of improving policy coordination, complementarity and coherence in the

EU and in Member States

…”.

More coherence will ensure economic and social development while also protecting human health

and the environment. It is recognised that policy coherence and ecological integration around food

and nutrition, water, energy, health (including sexual are reproductive rights), education, and

employment offers the best hope to improve economic development. Although achieveing this

coherence is challenging the World Resources Report

, “Creating

a Sustainable Food Future”

describes ways to achieve this

7,8

Figure 2-1 The Great Balancing Act.

The great balancing act presented in figure 2-1 illustrates three global challenges:



Need for an increased quantity of food to meet increased population growth;

Need to promote economic development particularly in rural areas for women farmers;

Need to reduce the negative impacts resulting from agriculture practices.

http://www.wri.org/sites/default/files/WRI13_Report_4c_WRR_online.pdf

http://www.wri.org/our-work/project/world-resources-report

http://www.wri.org/publication/creating-sustainable-food-future-interim-findings

http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/01/03/18-graphics-illustrate-global-food-challenge.

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This dilemma and need for a balancing act is clearly outlined in DANIDAs PCD draft Action Plan:

“Addressing

issues of incoherence within food security and climate change is a complex and multi-

dimensional matter. The challenges include improving agricultural productivity as well as research

and innovation systems; reducing waste as well as water usage; reconciling increased agricultural

productivity with other potentially competing objectives and constraints, such as bioenergy, water

scarcity and quality, climate change, loss of forests and other ecosystems and use of fertilizers and

pesticides.”

DANIDA´s approach is largely based on OECD´s PCD approach

which stresses that steps should

be taken to avoid any potential negative impact such as undermining progress towards development

goals such as MDG1 (reduction of hunger and undernutrition). OECD recognises that growth in

incomes is essential, but not sufficient to accelerate reduction of hunger and undernutrition.

Universal provision of public services, such as affordable and quality health care (including sexual

and reproductive rights) will help households to earn higher incomes. These specific initiatives to

improve nutrition will maximise cognitive development and learning within the education sector.

Funding for nutrition has remained at less than 3% of overseas development aid despite nutritional

status being increasingly recognised as a fundamental building block to development. Donors need

to understand how best to protect (and not undermine) nutritional status. For example increased

trade and marketing may result in negative impacts: breastfeeding can be undermined; and more

energy-dense low nutritional value foods (high fat & sugar) may be consumed if prices fall compared

with those of nutritious foods (vegetables and fruit). Many developing countries suffer from higher

levels of nutritional problems (both over- and undernutrition) from dietary intakes too high in energy

and deficient in essential nutrients.

Within DANIDAs policy note on food security nutritional requirements are recognised

“…coherent

manner therefore also entails focusing on access, stability and utilization”.

Food utilization is

defined by USAID

“proper

utilization focuses on nutrition which is underpinned by the fact that food

is properly used; processed and stored; adequate knowledge of nutrition and child care techniques

applied; adequate health and sanitation services exist”.

If the implementation of DANIDA´s Food Security Policy is going to be coherent, this means making

the determinants of nutrition security explicit so that nutrition insecurity is prevented.

3 Nutrition Insecurity hinders development

–

hunger & undernutrition are

different

In the light of continuing hunger, poverty and malnutrition, efforts have continued to raise awareness

of the importance of nutrition security. The UN initiative for Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) to which

Denmark is a signatory highlights that nutrition security is only achieved when individuals actually

consume rather than just have access to food. In March 2012 FAO Member States agreed:

“Nutrition

security exists when all people at all times consume food of sufficient quantity and quality

in terms of variety, diversity, nutrient content and safety to meet their dietary needs and food

preferences for an active and healthy life, coupled with a sanitary environment, adequate health,

education and care.”

Nutriton insecurity is the opposite.

In Focus 2013: Policy Coherence for Development and Global Food Security www.oecd.org/pcd/PoliCoh_PDFforWeb_270513.pdf

http://www.microlinks.org/good-practice-center/value-chain-wiki/food-utilization-and-value-chain-approach

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3.1

Hunger

Hunger is the result of an empty stomach. A human physiological drive to eat exists to satisfy our

feeling of hunger. Hunger results from having insufficient income or social and economic

entitlements to access food. In order to cope with hunger, families are often forced to sell vital

assets, such as farming tools, thus perpetuating their vulnerability to hunger. Hunger can mean that:

children (particularly girls) are taken out of school to work; communities migrate from their homes

and destitution, prostitution, and child trafficking can result. At its worst hunger contributes to onset

of civil revolts and armed conflicts. Traditionally DANIDA supports agriculture in order to reduce

hunger through increased production of food energy. However if only energy is produced hunger

can be reduced but levels of chronic undernutrition and poverty will continue to increase.

3.2

Undernutrition

In contrast to hunger, undernutrition results from the lack of essential micronutrients. Many poor

people suffer from undernutrition but may not suffer from hunger. One in eight people do not get the

correct quality of food to be nutritionally healthy and so are unable to lead economically viable lives.

Nutrient deficiency makes people, especially children, susceptible to infections which reduces their

ability to absorb nutrients and stops their feeling of hunger. Chronic undernutrition (which is

associated with retarded growth in height and cognitive development

and usually called “stunting”)

in the first 1000 days of a child’s life (from conception till two years old) has irreversible negative

lifelong impacts. Physical and mental development is permanently impaired and there is increased

risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death in adulthood.

3.3

Confusing Hunger and Undernutrition leads to Policy Incoherence

DANIDA´s “Food Security Policy Note” states “852 million are living in hunger in developing

countries”. However chronic undernutrition (or stunting) rather than “hunger” is a better indicator

use when trying to reduce poverty. Globally stunting affects one third of children and undernutrition

contributes to 2.6 million deaths of young children each year.

More than 90% of stunted children live in Africa (40%) and Asia (36%). Stunted women give birth to

children who also become stunted. Stunting is associated with inability to learn or earn a viable

income and so be not economically productive, thus perpetuating poverty. With the result high levels

of stunting undermines all aspects of development. Reduction of stunting, similar to poverty, has

been extremely slow over the past 20 years. If the rate of stunting reduction is not accelerated, the

number of stunted children is expected to double over the next 15 years along with its associated

negative consequences on cognitive and economic development. The WHO proposes a global

target of a 40% reduction in childhood stunting by 2025.

There is growing global awareness that the existence of nutrition insecurity hinders all development

policies and recognition that chronically undernourshed populations are unable to take advantage of

otherwise coherent policies. Commitments to prioritise the fight against chronic undernutrition and

stunting are essential to achieve any significant reduction in global poverty. Denmark, as a donor

government and a signatory to SUN (UN´s Scaling Up Nutrition) is able to use its influence to tackle

chronic under-nutrition and so improve economic development and reduce poverty.

4 Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production for Development

Within DANIDA´s

“A

Greener World for All - Strategic Framework for Natural Resources, Energy

and Climate Change” rightly

sustainable agriculture and food production are identified as an

important priority.

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4.1

One principle of Development is to do no harm

As stated in DANIDA´s PCD: “addressing issues of incoherence within food security, green growth

and climate change is a complex and multi-dimensional matter. The challenges include improving

agricultural productivity

while protecting health and the environment.” As stated in the Hippocratic

writings

“do good or do no harm”.

The health impact of agriculture systems can be positive or negative depending on how coherent

policies are. Agriculture systems can negatively affect nutritional health and poor nutritional health in

turn can negatively affect agriculture production. Agriculture is essential for good health yet it is also

associated with illhealth such as: undernutrition; malaria; food-borne diseases; chronic diet-related

diseases; plus a range of well recognized occupational hazards. In addition farm workers in poor

health are less able to work and this: reduces their productivity and income; perpetuates a

downward spiral into poor health and poverty; and further jeopardizes national food and nutrition

security and economic development.

Increasing investment in agriculture is vital to achieve higher productivity and many developing

countries are seeking investment for their agriculture sectors. However irresponsible investments

can have unintended negative impacts on: political stability, social cohesion, human rights,

sustainable food production, household food and nutrition security, the environment; and local

people could lose access to resources on which they depend. In late 2012 the Committee on World

Food Security (CFS) launched a two year consultation to develop CFS-RAI principles principles

1112

that respect rights to adequate food security and nutrition, livelihoods and resources.

4.2

Market-Driven Food Systems cannot alone protect health and environment

Many agricultural policies have contributed to negative consequences on climate change, water,

ecosystems and biodiversity. Food production policies that are driven by market forces alone will not

guarantee livelihoods of poor farmers (especially women) nor guarantee that the poor eat

wholesome nutritious foods. Market forces are critical to boost production, but left to their own

devices are unlikely to achieve sustainable agriculture production. Rising food prices can hopefully

support small farmers, but they can also encourage large farmers to expand and increase use of

water and chemicals. Dramatic increases in food prices can be avoided by preventing food

shortages and if these shortages are not prevented, political support for environmental protection

will probably decline resulting in a vicious downward spiral.

As described in sections 4.3 and 4.4 there is great potential to create sustainable agriculture

production and “win-win” solutions

for both human health and the environment.

4.3

Sustainable agriculture is good for health and nutrition

The great balancing act (figure 2-1.) requires agriculture systems not just to produce more energy

and protein as was the mistake of EU´s Common Agriculture Policy following the 2

World War.

Growing evidence demonstrates that the quality as well as the quantity of food must be in line with

international nutrient and dietary recommendations. This will help to do less harm and avoid

developing countries having to face dietary related health problems facing many OECD countries.

Thus along with just producing more food there should also be policy coherence (PCD) to ensure:



Shift to healthier diets

by eating more legumes, plants and vegetables and more fish so

that their food supply is more in line with WHO nutrient and dietary recommendations;

http://uncsd.iisd.org/news/cfs-launches-process-to-develop-principles-for-responsible-agricultural-investment/

http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/RAI

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

Shift to a more efficient mix of animal products -

shifting just 20% of consumption of

beef to other meats, fish, or dairy would save millions of hectares for carbon storage and

other

ecosystem services; and could help meet the world’s demand for food crops.

Reduce production animal products

-if wealthier countries reduce meat consumption not

only would human health be improved but the challenge of producing more food with less

land, water and greenhouse gas emissions would also be possible.

Farm more sustainably:

breed better seeds adapted to local conditions; judicious use of

fertilizer; more attention to micronutrients; and improve weather forecasting to inform the

best selection of planting dates.

Reduce food losses and waste

along the whole food chain and protect nutritional health

by encouraging better dietary diversification from more biodiverse foods.

Leave no farmer behind:

close gap between small farmers, consider special needs of

women (e.g.infant and young child care) and learn how to increase plant biodiversity and

feed cows more efficiently to improve income and eliminate micronutrient deficiencies

Help reduce the unmet needs of famly planning and teenage pregnancy rates:

women

understand themselves as local citizens with rights to be acknowledged and supported by

governments

4.4

Sustainable agriculture is good for the environment

Figure 2-1 outlines a need to not only produce more food but also to reduce environmental impact:



Expand crops into low-carbon degraded lands

- grazing lands produce valuable forage;

tropical savannas and woodlands (agroforestry), have carbon storage and better

biodiversity and nutritional composition.



Intensify pasture productivity

- combine grass with nitrogen-fixing plants such as

legumes (excellent nutritional source), shrubs & trees (indigenous trees now recognised for

their nutritional properties e.g. Morenga trees).



Manage shifts in agricultural land to minimise deforestation

–

agroforestry can protect

environment while also supporting nutrition security (e.g. Moringa trees). Greater

biodiversity promotes better nutritional health.



Increase productivity of aquaculture

-farmed fish are as efficient as chicken, making

them an environmentally desirable source of protein and, if produced sustainably, they

provide a complete source of nutrition when eaten whole.



Carbon sequestration and strategies to reduce food losses

and waste to save

emissions, land, energy and money



Boost yields through improved soil and water management

to increase plant

biodiversity, reduce green-house gas emissions, reduce demand for extra land and use of

fertilisers and pesticides



Increase efficiency in use of inputs

- to boost production, reduce input costs, and create

new economic opportunities.



Avoid competition from bioenergy

–

which can increase risk of food shortages and

undermine the environment.

DANIDA has shown interest in

new indices to measure the rate of “agricultural transformation”

developing countries. However according to

Alexander J. Stein, Research Coordinator at IFPRI,

the

plethora of

new indices or “Metrics”

should be better harmonized:

“The

proliferation of food security

indexes demonstrates the widespread interest in understanding the size of the hunger problem. To

Agricultural Transformation Index (ATI)

–

initiated by Christian Friis Bach

–

email of contact person in DANIDA: [email protected] -Expert Consultation

on the Development of an Agricultural Index in Copenhagen June 2012; -THE COPENHAGEN PROCESS FOR AN

“AGRICULTURAL

TRANSFORMATION INDEX “ –

an initiative by US & Denmark; held in Rome at WFP in December 2012; - A workshop on "Metrics for Agricultural

Transformation: Update on Recent and Ongoing Developments" was held at IFPRI on April 2013. Co-hosted by USAID & DANIDA

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improve the measurement of food security, however, efforts and resources should be concentrated

not on producing “index inflation,” but on supporting fewer indexes that rely on sound conceptual

frameworks and that integrate new

and timely data.”

Women have historically been neglected in the provision of extension and other services. It would

be valuable to investigate whether the Agricultural Transformation (ATI) and the Benchmarking

Business in Agriculture (BBA) indices could measure if governments are effectively promoting

improved provision of services to women? For example donors may wish to consider supporting

existing indices such as

“The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index”

Eradicating chronic undernutrition and its associated social and economic costs must start with

agriculture and food systems. The role of those in the agriculture and food sector is primarily to feed

people by increasing the availability, affordability, and consumption of biodiverse, safe, nutritious

foods that are aligned with both nutritional dietary recommendations and environmental

sustainability. The food and agriculture sector´s direct role in enhancing nutrition therefore deserves

greater attention by policy makers.

5 The Post-2015 Agenda and Poverty Reduction

In July 2012, the UN Secretary-General announced a 27-member High-Level Panel of Eminent

Persons (HLPEP) to provide guidance and recommendations on the post-2015 development

agenda. Also in 2012 a separate process to design Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was

initiated at the Rio+20 summit where 192 Member States agreed to design a new set of SDGs.

5.1

Human Rights based Approach

DANIDA´s Strategy for

Development Cooperation “The Right to a Better Life” highlights

human

rights (Figure 5-1); green growth; stability and protection and social progress where fighting poverty

is a key objective for the DANIDA strategy: However poverty will only be reduced if the determinants

of lack of development such as high levels of chronic undernutrition and stunting are reduced.

Figure 5-1. DANIDA Human Rights based Approach and objective of fighting poverty

Source: DANIDA http://um.dk/en/~/media/UM/Danish-site/Documents/Danida/Det-vil-vi/right_to_a_better_life_pixi.pdf

http://ebrary.ifpri.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15738coll2/id/127346

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The need to end poverty is key within the on-going discussions on the post-2015 goals for example

the following proposed targets are suggested:

a) Bring number living on

< $1.25/dy to zero & reduce by x% number living below their country’s

2015 national poverty line

b) Increase by x% share of women & men, communities & businesses with secure rights to land,

property, and other assets

c) Cover x% of people who are poor and vulnerable with social protection systems

d) Build resilience and reduce deaths from natural disasters by x%

The reduction of poverty along with the reduction of hunger; chronic undernutrition & stunting;

sustainable agriculture; and food and nutrition security are all deeply intertwined. The debate about

the policy incoherence that has existed between agriculture, food production, nutrition, biodiversity

and conservation has been revitalised. Post-2015 many of the goals will therefore highlight that in

order to successful reduce poverty, stunting levels must be reduced and be an integral part of

coherent food security policies.

A post-2015 draft

suggested for

Goal 5 “Ensure Food Security and Good Nutrition”

includes:

a) End hunger and protect the right of everyone to have access to sufficient, safe, affordable, and

nutritious food

b) Reduce by x% stunting, wasting by y% and anemia by z% for all children under 5 years.

c) Increase agricultural productivity by x%, with a focus on sustainably increasing smallholder yields

and access to irrigation.

d) Adopt sustainable agricultural, ocean/freshwater fishery practices and rebuild designated fish

stocks to sustainable levels.

e) Reduce postharvest loss and food waste by x%

Member States of WHO have already endorsed a global target of a 40% reduction in childhood

stunting by 2025.

Poverty is the main determinant of hunger and undernutrition

–

most people are hungry or

undernourished because they cannot afford sufficient nutritious food, not because of food supply

failures. Food price volatility causes sharp rises in food prices which can exacerbate poverty.

Producing more food is essential, but production alone will not ensure food security and good

nutrition. Reducing stunting (chronic undernutrition) is one of the most cost-effective development

interventions (figure 5-2) and during the Copenhagen Consensus (2012) it was shown that for every

$1 spent on reducing levels of stunting, $44.50 could be gained through future earnings

Figure 5-2. Benefit-Cost Ratios of Investment to Reduce Stunting

Source: A NEW GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP: ERADICATE POVERTY AND TRANSFORM ECONOMIES THROUGH SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT p.41 http://www.post2015hlp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/UN-

Report.pdf?utm_source=UKHF+mailing+list&utm_campaign=f519f41d81-

UKHF_Review_of_the_year_briefing_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a21eedeaeb-f519f41d81-284927913

Hoddinott, J. et al. (2012).

Hunger and malnutrition.

Copenhagen Consensus 2012 Challenge Paper

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As correctly stated in DANIDA´s policy note on food security:

“Agricultural

investments reduce poverty more than investments in any other sector. In developed

countries, agricultural research provides returns of 20 to 80%

– a great investment in any economy”.

However if reduction in high levels of global stunting (chronic undernutrition) is not an explicit

component of investments in agriculture and food security policy, objectives to fight poverty will fail.

Indeed levels of poverty may even increase if a narrow interpretation of an incoherent policy in food

security is implemented.

Indeed as DANIDA correctly states in its Strategy to Better Life

“People with insufficient access to

nutritious food, health and education are kept in poverty and exclusion. Social progress is therefore

crucial for human development and for enabling people to fight their way out of poverty and

marginalisation and to exercise their rights. Furthermore, social progress and economic growth and

prosperity are positively interrelated and reinforce development.”

The economic and social costs of malnutrition to the global economy are enormous. Loss of

productivity and direct health care spending can account for as much as 5% of global GDP

(equivalent to USD 3.5 trillion a year

)

. W

ithin the DANIDA Food security Policy Note is also stated

“Agricultural Investments are essential to promoting agricultural growth, reducing poverty and

hunger and promoting environmental sustainability. It is essential that these investmsents are

conducted in a responsible way and respect the rights of local and indigenous populations. Farmers

in many developing countries face an undconducive environment and weak incentives to invest in

agriculture. Smallholdedrs often face specific constraints, including extreme poverty, weak property

rights, poor access to markets, technology and finance and limited ability to manage risks. This is

particularly the case for women heads of households engaged in

agriculture”.

The upcoming International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) in Rome in November 2014 will keep

nutrition security on the political agenda and focus on international cooperation following the MDGs.

The post-2015 development agenda presents a real opportunity to make a difference in addressing

undernutrition and Denmark and DANIDA could play a key leading role to influence discussions.

6 Green Growth, Climate Change & UN Biodiversity 2011-2020

It is hard to imagine that green growth can be achieved without dramatic reductions in the numbers

suffering from poverty and stunting (chronic undernutrition). These reductions will not happen

without the implementation of coherent food and nutrition security policies. Indeed as stated in

DANIDA´s NEC Strategy

2013 “Achieving

food and nutrition security for poor and vulnerable people

is not only about global sufficiency of food supplies, but also their physical and economic access to

that food”.

6.1

Green Growth

DANIDAs definition of

“Green Growth”

(Figure 6-1)

is “Green

Growth should be understood as an

intergral part of sustainable growth which promotes general economic growth and development in a

manner that enables the environment today and into the future to deliver the resources and

environmental services on which our welfare depends. Green growth should catalyse investments,

innovation and job creation, which not only sustain continued groups but also give rise to new

economic opportunities”.

http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/post-2015/14_themes_Issue_Papers/Nutrition_web.pdf

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Figure 6-1. DANIDAs approach to Green Growth

SOURCE: A Greener World for All Strategic Frame-work NEC 2013

There is indeed

a need for a “greener” agricultural development paradigm that addresses more

sustainable, socially equitable, resilient and nutritious, as well as more productive, food and farming

systems. There is recognition that agriculture and food security depend not only on the biodiversity

of crops and livestock but also on land´s finite resources. Sustainable production respects the ability

of land to regenerate and provide multiple goods and services, including agriculture; and to

simultaneously reduce the ecological footprint of agriculture.

Discussions leading up to the Rio+20 UN conference emphasised the importance of sustainable

development and the protection of the environment. The dynamics of population change, ecological

degradation, and resource scarcity, and development policies and practices, all occurring in

complex and highly unstable geopolitical and economic environments, foster new challenges. The

dismal ecological and development records over the past two decades call for new directions.

Evidence shows how nutritional strategies help the agriculture sector to mitigate global climate

change (e.g. by increasing the consumption of more plants instead of animal products) and to adapt

to more biodiversity.

6.2

International Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020

Biodiversity is a key to sustainable, efficient, resilient and nutritious food production

. Governments

recognise that biodiversity offers a wealth of untapped potential for: livelihoods; health; nutrition; the

environment; economic development and strategies to help farmers cope with climate change.

Research over the last 15 years (e.g. Bioversity International and Diversifying Food & Diets: Using

agricultural biodiversity to improve nutrition and health

) has shown how science can help farmers

to use agricultural biodiversity and plant diverse varieties to reduce pest and disease loss.

Governments are therefore endorsing resolutions and pledging commitments (Aichi Biodiversity

Targets; ICN2 2014; Post-2015 SDGs; Expo 2015 Feeding the Planet; Global Partnership in

Mexico, April 2014) to ensure resilient and sustainable biodiverse food systems. The Convention on

Biological Diversity’s initiatives

stress the need for more: biodiversity for food and nutrition;

https://www.cbd.int/sp/

http://www.cbd.int/doc/newsletters/development/news-dev-2015-2013-07-en.pdf

http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781849714570/

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sustainable diets; and achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets including targets 1, 4-7, 12- 14

(table 1.), 18 and 19 all directly or indirectly related to health and endorsed during Rio+20.

Table 6-1 Health & Biodiversity linkages in support of the Aichi Biodiversity targets

Food underpins Health

Food



Species, varieties and

breeds including

domesticated and wild

components



Diversity of diet



Ecology of production

systems



Total demand on

resources

Health Sector Opportunity

Direct



Recognize and promote dietary

diversity, food cultures and their

contribution to good nutrition



Recognize synergies between

human health and sustainable use

of biodiversity (e.g. moderate

consumption of meat)

Indirect



Promote sustainable production

harvesting and conservation of

agricultural biodiversity

Benefits to Biodiversity

(Aichi Targets)

T1 (values of biodiversity)

T4 (sustainable production and

consumption)

T5 (reduce habitat loss)

T6 (sustainable harvesting)

T7 (sustainable management)

T12 (preventing extinctions)

T13 (genetic diversity)

T14 (ecosystem services)

T18 (local/traditional knowledge)

T19 (knowledge, science &

technology)

The focus is shifting from food being seen merely as a trade commodity to a public good that

satisfies a wide range of biodiverse, nutritious dietary patterns to support human health, protect the

environment and reduce poverty. By explicitly integrating nutrition into food security policies

environmental gains can be more readily delivered

6.3

Nutrition and Sustainability ICN

Seminar

A Nutrition and Sustainability seminar in preparation for ICN (International Conference on Nutrition

2014) included discussions on approaches to integrating climate change, biodiversity and

ecosystems with nutrition and health. Practical steps and recommendations included:

Case studies and resource sharing

from countries and policies in development on sustainable

diets/nutrition/climate change and food systems; and

insights from countries

including Malawi,

Spain, Colombia, Germany, Finland and Ireland

Increased attention to biodiversity

is important for both ecosystems and nutritional health.

Gender strategies

recognize that half of the world's farmers are women and that they have special

nutritional needs and concerns

Beyond 'eat local' campaigns

into more emphasis on how food is produced and transported; and

linking what is on the plate to improved agricultural and health policies

Guidelines for the catering sector,

a major player in food in many countries and their leadership

could transform food systems e.g. through public procurement e.g. Finland has examples of an

environment passport for catering services in development, checklists for consumers, and projects

that combine health and sustainability including climate-friendly lunches for catering

Clearly Green Growth cannot be achieved without improved health which leads to improved

personal and national income

Prompted by the 20th anniversary of the 1993 World Development

Report, a

Lancet

Commission

revisited the case for investment in health. A new investment

framework to achieve dramatic health gains by 2035 shows how this leads to improved wealth:

Productivity:

healthy employees are more productive and have lower rates of absenteeism.

Adapted from UNEP/CBD/COP/11/INF/27 September 2012 from http://www.cbd.int/doc/health/cop-11-inf-27-en.pdf

p. 7 http://www.mrfcj.org/media/pdf/2013-Uganda-Policy-Paper.pdf

ICN = International Conference on Nutrition

http://www.unscn.org/en/nutrition_and_climate_change/

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)62105-4/fulltext

http://www.thelancet.com/commissions/global-health-2035

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Education:

healthy children are more likely to attend school and have greater cognitive capacity for

learning; improved education is a powerful mechanism for growth;

Investment:

increased life expectancy is an incentive to save for retirement, which has effect on

national savings, which in turn can boost investment and economic growth. Healthy populations also

attract direct foreign investments.

Access to natural resources:

control of endemic diseases can increase human access to land and

other natural resources

Demographics:

a fall in infant mortality initially boosts population growth but fertility then decreases

as families choose to have fewer children. This leads to an increased ratio of working-age people

(15-64yr) to dependent people (children and >65 yr) facilitating an increased GDP per head.

As stated in DANIDAs

food security policy note “Creating

an effective, dynamic relationship between

public and private players is key to advancing ambitious green growth, sustainable production and

food security. Each year in Copenhagen the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF) promotes tangible

green growth solutions……During the 3GF in October 2013 sustainable food production, natural

resources management and food security (was) among the prominent themes.”

Denmark could be

at the forefront of promoting a coherent approach to integrating climate change, biodiversity and

ecosystems, nutrition and health with food security to create an ambitious agenda for green growth.

7 Conclusion and Recommendations

The term “food and nutrition security”

(in Danish could be

“fødevare-og-ernæringsikring”)

reflects the

multisector collaboration needed between those working with food security and nutrition security.

The term expresses an integrated development goal to help guide implementation of policy and

cost-effective programmatic action: As agreed by FAO Member States

“Food

and nutrition security

exists when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to food, which is safe

and consumed in sufficient quantity and quality to meet their dietary needs and food preferences,

and is supported by an environment of adequate sanitation, health services and care, allowing for a

healthy and active life.”

Nearly 200 million are chronically undernourished (stunted) and this number

could double over next 15 years if development policies are not coherent. The food crisis in 2008

closely followed by the economic crisis drew stark attention this. Despite efforts by the international

community persistent chronic undernutrition exists and levels are even increasing. Food Security if

viewed through a policy coherent lens can successfully fight poverty and promote human rights by

considering the following:

DANIDA´s

Policy Coherence for Develoment

adresses both

“food security” and “climate

change”.

By ensuring nutrition is explicit in policies of the agriculture, health, environment

and education sectors, more coherent policies which stop unintentional harm and achieve

overall goals can be developed. For example investing in gender equality can improve

nutrition and reduce population growth which is expected to increase food demand by 50%.

Nutrition Insecurity

hinders development goals and policy makers should understand the

difference between “chronic undernutrition” and “hunger”.

The role of

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production is

primarily to feed people by

increasing availability, affordability and consumption of biodiverse, safe, nutritious foods

aligned with dietary recommendations and environmental sustainability.

Given that the number of chronically undernourished (stunted) could double over next 15

years, the

Post-2015 Agenda and its Poverty Reduction

strategies

present a renewed

opportunity to reduce stunted growth (both in economic and human terms).

Improvements in

Climate Change and Green Growth

can be achieved by the production of

biodiverse foods that underpin human health; food and nutrition security; ecosystem

resilience; sustainable livelihoods and the ability of farmers to cope with climate change.

ii.

iii.

iv.

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8 Appendix - Case Studies for Development

DANIDA is successful in engagement with other development partners including governments in

their priority countries, bilateral donors, the EU, the UN, multilateral banks and civil society.

8.1

Poverty, Women and Agriculture

Agriculture Investments

–

can promote growth, reduce poverty

and hunger and promote environmental sustainability but these

investments must be conducted in a responsible way with respect

to health and the environment. Their impact on nutritional health

must be considered. Especially for women heads of households

engaged in agriculture. In addition to facing extreme poverty,

weak property rights, poor access to markets and finance, and

limited ability to manage risks (such as biofuels provoking higher

food prices). Poor women are also those giving birth to low birth

weight infants and stunted young children who are at higher risk

of death and infectious diseases. Many women of child-bearing

age, due to their farm work in agriculture, may be unable to

breastfeed their infants exclusively for the 1

6 months and

appropriately feed and care for their young children during the first

1000 days. A vicious cycle of poverty and gender inequalities are

perpetuated, especially in regions largely dependent on

agriculture.

As stated in Danida´s “Right to better life” …“The right

to sexual and reproductive health is key to women’s ability to take

charge of their own lives and choose when to have children and

how many. The right to sexual and reproductive health is also

crucial in the fight against maternal mortality and in efforts to

promote gender equality and sustainable population growth”. In

addition women need support to be able to feed their infants and

young children according to WHO recommendations if levels of

stunting are to be reduced and poverty eradicated

8.2

Case studies in Bangladesh, Bolivia and Uganda

With the policy note on Food Security various successful examples of DANIDAs support to food

security programmes are presented including Bangladesh, Bolivia and Uganda. While nutritional

health is not explicitly mentioned in these examples within the policy note, it is clear that these

examples would not have been as successful if improvement in chronic undernutrition had not taken

place.

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For example:

1. Bangladesh: Inclusive education in Bangladesh with good results

–

Women farmers &

education

Since 2006, 3 million men and women have taken part in farmer field schools in Bangladesh funded

by Denmark. Through their participation in farmer field schools the participants, who are small-scale

farmers, have acquired tools that can help them improve their living conditions. Their earnings have

increased significantly, and particularly women have discovered new income opportunities. Women

also find that attending the field school has boosted their self-esteem and enabled them to gain

more influence over decisions regarding production and family income. The field school’s focus on

nutrition and hygiene has provided the women with knowledge which has resulted in fewer cases of

disease in their families. From DANIDA´s website it states that DANIDA is working on Agriculture

Extension in Bangladesh

and “puts increased emphasis on linkages between agriculture

production, food use and nutrition”

2. Bolivia land rights of indigenous population

As part of events around the 2013 International Year of Quinoa,

and during the Fourth World Congress on Quinoa

issues such

as how quinoa and Andean grains can improve the nutrition and

income of Andean communities to how the diversity of these

crops can be conserved through incentives to farmers was

examined. This work, supported by IFAD, has provided a better

understanding of the genetic diversity of these crops, their

conservation status, their traditional and potential uses, their

contribution to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmer

communities, and the policies in support of their sustainable

conservation and use today and in the future.

http://bangladesh.um.dk/en/danida-en/agriculture-sector-programme-support/asps-phase-ii/agriculture-extension-component/

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3. Uganda

–

the U Growth Programme in Uganda

including

Maize and Pulses

Denmark supports competitiveness of Uganda´s agricultural and agro-processing sector. It applies

a value chain approach with focus on maize, oils seeds, pulses and export of horticultural products.