Food Security, the Right to Adequate Food and Food Sovereignty FAO, Rome

Comparison of Concepts Food Security - a technical concept Right to food - a legal concept Food Sovereignty - a political concept  the three terms/concepts are not strictly comparable because of their different scope

Food Security I Final Goal: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” World Food Summit, 1996

Food Security II FNS Availability Access Utilization Stability

Food Security III Twin Track approach: Track 1: improving long-run sustainability of food Track 2: addressing immediate food requirements Cross-cutting conditions: creating an enabling environment for food security

Right to food I Legal foundation: Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 25), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 11) Interpretation: General Comment No. 12 by CESCR Operationalization: Voluntary Guidelines

Right to food II Ultimate Goal: “The right to adequate food is realized when every man, woman and child, alone or in community with others, has physical and economic access at all times to adequate food or means for its procurement” CESCR, General Comment No. 12, para 6 Food Security = Right to food (goal, process)?

Right to food III Right to food vs. Food Security Rights holders – not “beneficiaries” Duty bearers – not matter of choice Human right – not charity Human rights principles (participation, non- discrimination, transparency, equity, interdependency of human rights e.g. food, health, education) Accountability Empowerment

Definition: “…the right of peoples, communities, and countries to define their own agricultural, labor, fishing, food and land policies which are ecologically, socially, economically and culturally appropriate to their unique circumstances. It includes the true right to food and to produce food, which means that all people have the right to safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food and to food-producing resources and the ability to sustain themselves and their societies. Food Sovereignty I

Food sovereignty means the primacy of people’s and community’s rights to food and food production, over trade concerns. This entails the support and promotion of local markets and producers over production for export and food imports.” NGO/CSO Forum’s Statement Food Sovereignty: A Right for All, 2002 Food Sovereignty II

That implies: Priority to food production for domestic and local markets; Ensuring fair prices for farmers; Redistribution of resources (e.g. land); Gender sensitivity; Community control over productive resources; Protecting seeds; No GMOs; Public investment in local markets. Food Sovereignty III

Key Areas I “Rights-based approach” Food Security  Needs based Right to food  Yes, but only IESCR Food Sovereignty  Yes, beyond IESCR (e.g. ‘right to produce’)

Key Areas II “Targeting” Food Security  Undernourished population Right to food  Malnourished population Food Sovereignty  Small farmers (less concern for urban and land-less poor, entitlements of the latter? )

Key Areas III “Development” Food Security  Integration in existing system Right to food  Integration in existing system but HR principles applied Food Sovereignty  An alternative policy proposal

Key Areas IV “Role of state” Food Security  No obligations; charity; matter of choice Right to food  Legally binding obligations; Government as duty bearer Food Sovereignty  Government as primary protector of farmers

FAO’s view I FAO promotes Rights-based approach to Food Security (SPFS new generation) Food security and right to food - Not contradictory but complementary concepts Promotes twin-track approach Current development framework is sufficient to achieve food security

FAO’s view II Promotes Voluntary Guidelines for the right to food Practical Tool Endorsed by Governments Based on Human rights Holistic view

FAO’s view III Opinion on Food Sovereignty: Laudable aim FAO agrees that international trading rules should have a development dimension FAO agrees on critique of the working of the AoA and TRIPS Evolving concept, still needs thought

FAO’s view IV Opinion on Food Sovereignty: FAO puts more emphasis on strengthening entitlements than promoting food production Right to food of landless and urban poor not sufficiently recognized Terminology unclear