Urbanisation, Rural Transformation and implications for food Security and Nutrition
Coordinators:
Elene Shatberashvili – Biological Farmer Association Elkana/LVC
Nadjirou Sall – ROPPA
Technical Facilitators:
Paola De Meo – Terra Nuova
Member of the CFS Technical Task Team (TTT):
Emily Mattheisen – FIAN
Paola De Meo – Terra Nuova
To see the full list of members of the Working Group please click here
To join the Working Group please write to the CSM Secretariat at cso4cfs@gmail.com
Chair of the CFS OEWG:
Ambassador Hans Hoogeveen (The Netherlands)
Background
The CSM Working Group on Urbanization, Rural Transformation and implications for Food Security and Nutrition was established in January 2016 with the task to elaborate the CSOs position on this new topic of the CFS Policy Agenda for the biennium 2016-2017. In 2018 two inter-sessional events were scheduled to take place with the aim to further explore inputs on the rural-urban linkages and continuum, specially focusing on lower income groups, youth and women. The CFS is now called to decide the future of this workstream in CFS.
Process 2018-2019
October 2019
CFS 46th Plenary Session
This session presented the outcomes of two CFS intersessional events on “The Food Security and Nutritional Impacts of Urbanization and Rural Transformation on Lower Income Groups” and “Promoting Youth and Women Engagement and Employment in Food Systems across the Rural‐urban Continuum” that will be included in the CFS 46th Final Report. This workstream gets to an end within CFS, but CSM asked CFS members and participants to include the important perspectives of this topic within the upcoming policy convergence processes on Food Systems and Nutrition and Youth. Find here CSM Plenary Statement (only available in Spanish) and CFS Verbatim of the session.
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4 February 2019
Second Inter-sessional event: “Promoting youth and women engagement and employment in food systems across the rural-urban continuum”
Over the next 15 years, it is estimated that about 1.6 billion people will reach working age in low and middle-income countries. How can food systems and enhanced rural-urban linkages provide more and better jobs for women and youth? What are the key driving factors and enabling conditions for food systems and enhanced rural-urban linkages to create employment and decent work? What is the role of small cities and rural towns in promoting women and youth employment in the food systems? And what is their role in linking producers to diverse and more equitable markets?
Inclusion of youth and women in the food system labor market will be paramount to achieving food security and nutrition for all. Following the first intersessional event on The Food Security and Nutritional Impacts of Urbanization and Rural Transformation on Lower Income Groups, through an interactive format, this event will focus on policy approaches that support employment opportunities, improved livelihoods and adequate working conditions for youth and women, across food systems and across the rural-urban continuum.
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19 November 2018
First inter-sessional event: “The Food Security and Nutritional Impacts of Urbanisation and Rural transformation on Lower Income Groups”
Urbanization and rural transformation present both challenges and opportunities for urban and rural areas alike. The transformation of rural areas stimulated by interactions with urban centers can deliver positive impacts in terms of sustainability, as well as in terms of access to services and higher incomes. This transformation, however, can also result in certain areas being left behind and in creating pockets of poverty and obliging people to escape from their areas of origin in search of better living conditions.
How do inequalities differ in the rural and urban context? How are rural and urban areas connected and what role do the interconnections play in addressing inequalities? What are the advantages of a territorial approach to food security and nutrition? And what is the potential of food systems in supporting smoother transitions in a context of changing rural-urban dynamics? These are some of the key questions that, through an interactive format, will be discussed during this first intersessional event.
From a policy perspective, identifying vulnerabilities of groups and individuals, understanding how they vary in rural and urban areas and how they’re likely to evolve in the context of ever-changing rural-urban dynamics, is essential to designing policies that address their needs. It is also fundamental to include these marginalized individuals and groups in the design and implementation strategies at local, national, regional and international levels.
Process 2017-2018
3 May 2018
CFS Advisory Group and Bureau Meeting
- CSM Contribution on this item (highlighted in yellow)
31 January 2018
CFS Advisory Group and Bureau Meeting
- Draft CFS Concept Note for the Inter-sessional event of 6 April 2018 “The food security and nutrition impacts of urbanization and rural transformation on lower income groups (smallholders, landless, net food buyers, informal sector traders, low income urban consumers) and how to address them and their root causes”
- CSM Contribution on this item
IV.C URBANIZATION, RURAL TRANSFORMATION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION
The Committee:
a) Expressed its appreciation for the work of the OEWG on Urbanization, Rural Transformation and Implications for Food Security and Nutrition, chaired by H.E. Hans Hoogeveen (Netherlands);
b) Recalling para 32 e) of the CFS 43 Final report, acknowledged the compilation of experiences and effective policy approaches contained in the document CFS 2017/44/6 “Addressing food security and nutrition in the context of changing rural-urban dynamics: experiences and effective policy approaches” as an informative exercise to help develop a common understanding of issues among CFS stakeholders and possibly lay the basis for informed CFS policy convergence and coordination work;
c) Took note of the thematic areas identified in the document as entry points to addressing food security and nutrition in the context of rural-urban linkages and of the knowledge gaps and policy implications emerging from the review;
d) Took note of the outcomes of the OEWG discussions, particularly of the areas identified by Members and Participants as requiring further attention: (i) the impacts of urbanization and rural transformation on the food security and nutrition of the most vulnerable and on lower income groups (smallholders, landless, net food buyers, informal sector traders, low income urban consumers); (ii) addressing the areas in point (i) through promoting youth and women engagement and employment in food systems across the rural- urban continuum including linking producers to markets; (iii) the development of a vision for food systems; and (iv) local and regional governance of food security and nutrition and the role of small/intermediate cities;
e) Agreed that CFS should continue its work in 2018 to carry out further exploratory work through two intersessional events in order to determine at CFS 45 the feasibility of working towards policy convergence to support governments and other stakeholders at the national and local level in addressing food security and nutrition within the context of changing rural-urban dynamics as elaborated in paras 19-27 of the 2018-2019 CFS Multi- Year Programme of Work (MYPoW).
Process 2016 - 2017
02/12/2016
CFS OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
CFS OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
11/05/2017
CFS OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
CFS OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation (One Day)
08/06/2017
CFS OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
CFS OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation (Two Days)
CFS 44 Plenary Session Outcomes -13 October 2017
- CFS Final Report
- CSM Final Statement
- CSM Intervention:
Intervention of Elene Shatberashvili, Biological Farmer Association Elkana/LVC, Georgia, on behalf of the CSM Working Group on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
We strongly believe that the CFS as the overarching body working across the food systems and nutrition based on the human rights approach is the best place to discuss urbanization and rural transformation in a holistic way, from the point of view of territorial approaches and overcoming rural-urban dichotomies. In this sense, it is fundamental to take into account the potential of agro ecological food systems in creating a space for youth & women employment opportunities, including resilience to climate change, use of traditional knowledge and agricultural biodiversity, giving more space for peoples innovations and autonomous production.
However, we also have to take into account, that while the UN institutions have an important role in knowledge sharing, they are not the only producers of knowledge and solutions. In this sense it is especially important to build on the knowledge from the grassroots, which have to be considered not only as the recipients of the “modern knowledge”, but the contributors and definers of both problems and solutions. Keep reading…
Intervention of Nadjirou Sall, ROPPA, Senegal, on behalf of the CSM Working Group on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
We already said we are not comfortable with this methodology. We wouldn’t have problem to present one of our experiences if requested at due time. I am a farmer and livestock keeper from Senegal, member of Roppa (network of peasant organisation and agricultural producers from West Africa) which, in turn is member of PAFO. I have to specify that PAFO is not member of the WFO (by decision taken in Feb 2017). We have two themes selected for this workstream, now we should see how to feed them with the different existing experiences. We are worried because we are losing the control over our basic resources, as land. Keep reading…
Intervention of Emily Mattheisen, FIAN, Germany, on behalf of the CSM Working Group on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
I first to start up by clarifying our previous unease; our seemingly boring statements come from a long process of consultations.
Urban/rural sectors have traditionally been treated separately, to the detriment of rural areas. Urbanisation has been driven by policies that have privileged urban areas and penalized rural economies, leading to deterioration of rural spaces (such as accelerated exodus from rural areas). This fragmentation tends to be perpetuated in the SDGs and Habitat III. CFS is the legitimate space in which to overcome this dichotomy, using food security and nutrition and sustainable food systems as the entry point.
- The root causes, regional specificities and localized solutions for intergenerational change in agriculture and the abandonment of rural areas by the young, which is becoming an irreparable, inadmissible trend affecting the future of the sustainable food systems; Keep reading…
Intervention of Christiane Costa, HIC, Brazil, on behalf of the CSM Working Group on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
A territorial approach aims at overcoming the rural-urban dichotomy, which is one of the causes of food insecurity in both rural and rural areas, and from this perspective, particular attention should be paid to the following issues:
The need to identify strategies that view the territory in a comprehensive way. Solidarity economies and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) are significant parts of inclusive territorial food systems, and these can substantially contribute to guaranteeing socially inclusive access to fresh fruit and vegetables, which are good for our health. One case in point is the food and nutritional security system in Brazil, where local small-scale producers are actively participating in developing public policies through Food Policy Councils. Keep Reading…
CFS Plenary Session – 9/13 October 2017
20 July 2017
CFS Advisory Group and Bureau Meeting
11 July 2017
Extraordinary meeting of the OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
23 June 2017
Meeting of the OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
The OEWG will focus on: a) Presentation by the Technical Task Team members of the Background document and discussion; b) Discussion and agreement on the MYPoW proposal for this workstream; c) Discussion and agreement on the draft decision box for the Plenary Session of CFS 44.
Background documents:
- Agenda
- MYPoW Proposal
- “Addressing food security and nutrition in the context of changing rural-urban dynamics: experiences and effective policy approaches” (and annexes)
- Draft decision Box
- CSM Proposal for the MYPoW
- Revised MYPoW proposal submitted by the Chair during the meeting
16 June 2017
Informal meeting of the OEWG on Urbanisation and Rural Transformation
This informal consultation aims to start exchanging preliminary feedback both on the document and on the expected scope, objectives, outcomes and process for this workstream over the next biennium.
Webcast link http://www.fao.org/webcast/en/
Background Documents:
- “Addressing food security and nutrition in the context of changing rural-urban dynamics: experiences and effective policy approaches” (and annexes)
- MYPoW Proposal
May 2017
The OEWG Chair shared the English copy of the document “Addressing food security and nutrition in the context of changing rural-urban dynamics: experiences and effective policy approaches” (and annexes) prepared by the Technical Task Team following the global call on the FSN Forum (the language versions will be available from 2 June). The document provides a compilation of selected experiences and policy approaches that identify some key messages relating to addressing food security and nutrition in the context of changing rural-urban dynamics. Besides informing CFS actors, the document also seeks to stimulate further discussions on governance, rural-urban linkages, sustainable food systems and the role CFS might play going forward. On this note, the OEWG Chair convened an informal consultation on Friday June 16 to start exchanging preliminary feedback both on the document and on the expected scope, objectives, outcomes and process for this workstream over the next biennium. This will allow to better prepare for the June 23 OEWG meeting and to consolidate our inputs to the MYPoW 2018-19 process.
February 2017
Call for contributions for changing urban-rural dynamics!
3 February 2017
CFS OEWG on Urbanisation, Rural transformation and implications for FSN
Webcasting will be available at http://www.fao.org/webcast/en/ in all UN languages.
Message from the OEWG Chair Hans Hoogeveen
As per the attached agenda, the main objective of the meeting is to discuss and agree on the content of the draft call for submissions and draft submission template aimed at soliciting experiences and effective policy approaches in addressing food security and nutrition in the context of changing urban-rural dynamics. The call will be launched on the FSN Forum starting February 7th until March 15th 2017. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to discuss next steps in the process including expectations around the format and desired outcome of the OEWG meeting on 23 June. In discussing the proposed approach the Technical Task Team focused its discussions on the following key points, which you will find reflected in the attached draft call and submission template document:
– The need to keep rural-urban linkages as the primary focus for the experiences and policy approaches, with four additional thematic areas acting as additional filters;
– The importance of including social and economic equity issues (in addition to governance, sustainability and food systems) as a means to capture the vulnerable and marginalized individuals and groups dimension;
– The need to have criteria that would not only allow us to stay on topic (focus on rural-urban linkages, impact/relevance to food security and nutrition) but also to capture elements related to process, change and innovation in policy making, equity and coherence with human rights frameworks;
– The need to keep the submission template simple and relatively “open” so as to encourage a large number of submissions from a wide variety of stakeholders.
Background Documents:
- Agenda
- Addressing food security and nutrition in the context of changing rural-urban dynamics: proposed process for the compilation of experiences and effective policy approaches
- Call for experiences and effective policy approaches in addressing food security and nutrition in the context of changing rural-urban dynamics
- CSM Contributions to the meeting
- CFS Meeting Outcomes
2 of December 2016
CFS OEWG on Urbanisation, Rural transformation and implications for FSN
Background Documents:
- Draft Agenda
- Proposed Process
- Background Document to the Forum on Urbanisation, Rural Transformation and implications for Food Security and Nutrition at CFS 43
- Outcome of the Forum on Urbanisation, Rural Transformation and implications for FSN at CFS 43
- Draft outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III)
- Templates for submissions: a) Experiences and best practices on the use and application of the VGGT; b) Case studies on Building knowledge, skills and talent development of youth to further food security and nutrition; c) Good practices on promoting decent rural employment.
- CFS Outcomes of the OEWG
- Revised Proposed Process
Process 2016
22/02/2016
CFS Technical Workshop
On 22 and 23 of February will take place the first CFS Technical Workshop on Urbanisation, Rural Transformation and implications for Food Security and Nutrition (Iran Room, FAO HQs)
12/03/2016
Zero Draft of the Background Document
The Secretariat publishes online the Zero Draft of the Background Document that will be discuss during the Forum on Urbanisation, rural transformation and implications for food security and nutrition, that will take place during CFS 43 in October. The CFS actors have time until April 6 to submit their comments to the online consultation.
06/04/2016
Deadline for comments to the Zero Draft
Deadline to submit CSOs comments to the Zero Draft
29/04/2016
Draft 1 will be published
The 29th of April the CFS Secretariat will publish the new Draft, (Draft One) of the Background Document, that will be elaborated on the basis of the inputs received from the online consultation
07/06/2016
Second Technical Workshop
On June 7 it will take place the CFS Second Technical Workshop
October 2016
- CFS 43 Final Report
- Urbanization, Rural transformation and implications for food security and nutrition: key areas for policy attention and possible roles for CFS
- Agenda and Format of the CFS Forum
- CSM Plenary Statement
8 July 2016
Meeting of the CFS Bureau and Advisory Group
7 June 2016
Second Technical Workshop on Urbanization, Rural Transformation and implications for food security and nutrition
Read CSM Speaking Points
Read the Outcomes
May 2016
First Draft of the Background Paper to CFS 43 Forum discussion
March/April 2016
The Zero Draft of the Background Paper to CFS 43 Forum discussion is now available!
Read the Preliminary CSM Working Group’s Comments on the Zero draft submitted on the 6 April!
22/23 February 2016
First Technical Workshop on Urbanization, Rural Transformation and implications for food security and nutrition
A) Agenda
B) Participants List
Extract from the MYPOW 2016-2017 endorsed at CFS 42:
CFS Forum on Urbanization, rural transformation and implications for food security and nutrition – 2016-2017
- Rapid urbanization and the transformation of agriculture, the food systems and the rural space are creating new challenges as well as opportunities for inclusive growth, poverty eradication, economic, environmental and social sustainability, support of local food systems and economies, and food security and nutrition. Those interlinked processes are changing the traditional challenges for food security and nutrition with impacts in terms of income inequalities, vulnerability and exclusion. Efforts are required at policy level to find coherence between agriculture, food security and nutrition and the broader rural development and social protection objectives and actions.
- This workstream builds on outcomes of previous HLPE Reports and subsequent debates and intends to identify key areas for policy attention to deal with threats and opportunities arising from urbanization and rural transformation processes:
- A CFS Forum will be held during or back-to-back to CFS 43 in October 2016. The objective would be to reach better understanding of the issues at stake and identify areas of intervention and possible CFS roles
- Following the Forum, its outcomes and results will be reviewed and analysed by CFS participants in one-off open ended working group format of one or two days according to the needs with a view to identifying challenges and policy approaches that would contribute to overcoming existing constraints. The results of this work will be presented for endorsement at CFS 44 in 2017.