Summary and highlights Prepared by B. Burlingame and J.Armstrong 8 December

 Presentations made by participants from:  Cambodia  Bangladesh  Philippines  Mongolia  India  Lao PDR  Farmers Forum 2

3 Across Asia, there have been improvements in various indicators of malnutrition and undernutrition, but MDG and WFS targets remain out of reach and trends are of concern. Focus on multisectoral, institutional arrangements within government, key strategy documents, national level initiatives.

4 Perspectives from Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Rural Development, Nutrition. Virtually all presentations highlighted strong political support at highest levels for food security and nutrition.

“We have more than enough strategies and policies [and plans of action, etc etc]- the question is how to implement them” 5

 Multisectoral or convergence approaches as the graveyard of good intentions, due in part to a lack of accountability of all actors, and a top-down approach.  Multisectoral initiatives are only as valid as how effective they are at the community level, not on how well planned they are. This must be a flexible, community-led process.  There is a need to scale DOWN nutrtion, not scale up. 6

 Extensive discussion of argoecology, of zero budget agriculture (knowledge, traditional practice, available biomass, etc)  Sustainablity issues (including diet, agriculutre and environment) as critical considerations, as indicated in the first presentation on day one.  There is scope for more extensive application of the Right to Food approach, in terms of land access and tenure issues.  FAO should consider supporting and mainstreaming agroecological practices for food security and nutrition. 7

 Livelihood strategies in agriculture are limited (as in the case of children not following their parents) and fragile. Trade considerations risk diverting household energies from nutrtion focused ag onto ‘high value’ crops.  Trade holds potential for better private sector engagement, something which thus far has been limited.  Public/private partnerships remain a possibility, but only if they address farmers at their level, within their own communities. 8

“How do you intend to utilize the full creative potential of ordinary poor people and farmers? Are they recipients or guides?” 9

“They know more than you know.” 10

 Recommendation: FAO should assist (not lead) the farmers to create a forum to invite researchers, politicians, and policymakers to listen to and learn from farmers.  In other words, the standard model for ‘capacity building’ should be inverted.  This should also include more opportunities for substantive participation from farmers in leadership roles, on budgets and planning,  not just for opening sessions…. 11

 Business as usual is not an option.  We need dramatic change.  And we need it now. 12

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