FAO-WFP Joint Strategy on Information Systems

for Food and Nutrition Security

TOPS Meeting May 9, 2011

Rationale and Purpose of the Joint Strategy on ISFNS (1)

Mutual need to:• Respond to Joint Evaluation of FAO/WFP (2009)• Sharpen response to known and emerging

threats to food security• Provide timely and reliable demand-driven

products and services• Improve internal and external communication

channels

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Rationale and Purpose of the Joint Strategy on ISFNS (2)

Purposes:• Provide roadmap for joint work on four “pillars”

– Capacity development– Assessment– Standards– Statistics/analysis

• Advance the twin-track approach• Prioritize capacity development needs • Contribute to both agencies’ work under UNDAF

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Known and emerging threats to food security

• Climate change

• Volatility in Agricultural Commodity Markets

• Urban Malnutrition

• Trans-boundary Threats

• Biofuel – Food Trade-off

• Gender Issues

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Vision statement

“FAO and WFP will work together to promote informed food and nutrition security decisions by strengthening national and regional capacity to

undertake comprehensive, credible, relevant and timely assessments and analysis and being a global reference for food and nutrition security

standards, statistics and information.”

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Guiding Principles

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Joint Strategy on ISFNS: Guiding Principles

1) Aligned with MDGs, Paris Declaration, CFS

2) Addresses availability, access, utilization, stability

3) Covers emergency, recovery, and development

4) Addresses emerging issues

5 ) Products and services consider gender

6) Demand-driven and timely response

7) Sustainability through national ownership

8) Applies and develops innovative methods and tools

9) Fosters inter-agency collaboration and partnership

Strategic Pillars

Capacity development in food and nutrition security data collection and information analysis methods

In-country assessments to address food insecurity and malnutrition

Standards, methods, and tools for information systems on food and nutrition security

Statistics and analysis on food and nutrition security

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Capacity development in food and nutrition security data collection

and information analysis methods Assessment of stakeholder capacities and constraints Identification of partners Regional and country support

WFP: -rapid assessment -emergency response-HH livelihood assessment -long-term vulnerability assessment-cross-border trade -local market analysis

FAO: -agricultural statistics -global price monitoring-remote sensing-cross-border data: pests, pathogens, livestock

Policy dialogue

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In-country assessments to address food insecurity and malnutrition

Organized around geographic and functional levels

WFP: • trend analysis related to markets, livelihoods, and food and nutrition security at HH and community levels

• work w/ government bureaus of statistics to integrate the food consumption score in Living Standards Measurement

FAO: -long-term development -food crisis prevention-crop monitoring -disaster risk management-contingency planning -post-emergency reconstruction

Continued collaboration on emergency needs assess.

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Standards, methods, and tools for information systems on food and nutrition security

FAO lead:• ISFNS community of practice • global ISFNS network • identification of FNS indicators and measurements

WFP lead:• thresholds for food security indicators• guidance on Food Consumption Score, Coping Strategies Index• emergency assessment standards (HH level; DRR)

Continued collaboration: CFSAM, response analysis, IPC

Opportunities: gender, markets, nutrition, disaster risk reduction/management, urban FS, climate change

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Statistics and analysis on food and nutrition security

Wide spectrum of statistics and analyses generated by both organizations

Objectives: • Harmonisation of global public goods. Organize by:

o Data and statisticso Food security monitoring, analysis, and early warning; ando Policy analysis and perspective studies

• Seamless data stream• Timely dissemination; accessibility• Responsive to users

FAO has lead role

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National Government Ownership

• Locus of collaboration = country and regional

• Government priorities, needs and capacities define the areas where FAO and WFP must work together

• Systematic and purposeful inclusion of governments in planning and decision making with respect to all pillars

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Collaboration Mechanism• Steering Committee: 10 members • WFP and FAO = co-chairs

– Heads of VAM and ESA– Steering committee incorporated into their functions

• WFP and FAO have one representative for each pillar – Two-year term

• Quarterly meetings• Steering Committee = liaison to CFS, et al.

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Communication Protocol• Steering Committee establishes systems and

protocols for horizontal and vertical information sharing

• Internet-based solutions

External communications • Joint strategy supports individual strategies• Joint mechanism for communications regarding

shared work• Shared Internet-based platform: one-stop shop

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Partnerships

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Key Partners

CFS (core members)

UN Food Security Cluster (co-chairs)

UN Nutrition Cluster (members)

UNHCRUSAID/

FEWSNETUSDA SC-UK

Oxfam CARE World Bank UNDP

IFAD IFPRI World Resources Institute

Institutions with remote sensing capabilities (JRC, USGS)

regional and local partners

academic/research institutions

Decisions to be Taken

1) Reach agreement on all components

2) Presentation to respective boards

3) Establish Steering Committee

4) Operational Plan Regional and country levels Partners

5) Communication protocol

6) Funding

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