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Policies Against Hunger Conference, Berlin, 21-23 Nov.

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On 21-23 November 2011 FIAN will take part in the German Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection- sponsored high-ranking conference series Policies against Hunger in Berlin. This year's focus will be on the problems of access to natural resources for food security.

The FAO member states unanimously recognised in the voluntary guidelines on the right to food that sustainable, non-discriminatory and safe access to land, water, forests and plant genetic resources is an important prerequisite for the realisation of the right to food. Above all, this applies to small farmers, women, pastoralists, indigenous populations and landless farm workers whose income is generated by agricultural activities.
Yet what does this mean at international, national, regional and local level? What political, legal and institutional conditions are required to ensure fair and sustainable access?

The aim of the conference is to develop strategies and recommendations for action for policies, civil society, science and the private sector. Under the aspect of safe and fair access to resources to secure food and nutrition, five working groups will deal with the following topics:

1.   Voluntary guidelines for responsible governance of tenure of land and other natural resources, fisheries and forests
         What special challenges can be anticipated in implementing the guidelines at the global, regional, national and local levels and what are realistic goals for implementing the guidelines?

2.   Land and water
         What investments are needed to reinforce safe and fair access to land and water, in particular for women, and to promote sustainable agriculture for small farmers? How can discrimination in access to land and water be effectively counteracted?

3.   Fisheries and aquaculture
         How can access by the local population to fishing grounds be protected? What international and national instruments can promote the balance between small-scale and industrial fishing? What instruments promote the participation of women in fishing and aquaculture?

4.   Forests
         Today, protection of the forests is discussed mainly with regard to climate and environmental policy aspects. The role played by the forests in food security and the fight against poverty is just as crucial. How can sustainable forest management that equally meets all of these concerns be achieved and effectively implemented?

5.   Plant genetic resources
         Plant genetic resources are elementary for food security. Is the gene bank system efficient; can it ensure sufficient access for all? What about in-situ storage of seed? What contribution do international agreements provide?

As well as advising the Ministry on overall concept, providing input and background on content and ensuring that social movements and organizations from the South are adequately represented, FIAN will take part in the discussion on the voluntary guidelines for responsible governance of land tenure, for which the Access to Natural Resource Programme Coordinator, Sofia Monsalve, served as key civil society representative during the negotiations at FAO in October.

Other participants of the conference will include Alexander Müller, Assistant Director General at the FAO, Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, representatives of various civil society organizations and social movements, academics and members of governments from around the world.
The results and recommendations of the working groups will be presented in the plenary meeting, discussed and submitted to the Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection.

For more information on the conference, please visit www.policies-against-hunger.de