1. Enhancing Policy Engagement through Local Food Security Plans Innovation Africa

2. Develop local food security plans that are based on a multi-stakeholder situational analysis and the evidence of local innovations through an inclusive participatory processes. Implementation: 2010-2012 EU-FSTP co-funding In food insecure districts: Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia Burkina Faso and Niger Innovation Africa

3. Capacity Building Training on Farmer Innovation and Food Security strategies at household level Training on Farmer-led Documentation (FLD) Training on basic concepts of Food Security and Local Food Security Planning (LFSP) Training on Policy aspects and Lobbying (by ODI) Main activities Study on local and national Food Security Policies and Strategies FLD documentation of farmer FS strategies Multi-stakeholder planning process for Food Security Study on Lobbying for Food Security Local Food Security Plan Lobbying Plan Final Results Innovation Africa: programme overview

4. Policy Engagement Decentralisation Capacities needed for local development planning Multi-stakeholder process Goal: policy influencing at provincial and national levels

5. Food Security Situational Analysis National programmes and policies have relatively little impact on local FS Local and regional food systems have their own dynamics and perspectives HH Coping strategies: Migration Off –farm activities Non-timber forest products Even in surplus food production areas majority of households are food insecure Seasonal changes in food availability

6. Farmer Innovations Farmer-led documentation of local innovations Soil and water conservation Value chain development Off season productive activities Social organisation But also adoption and adaptation of external propositions (mainly NGOs) In Niger over 50 local innovations identified.

7. Food Security Approaches National policies and programmes Food Insecurity and Early Warning Systems Local Food Systems and Farmer Innovations

8. Local Food Security Plans Part of district development process Based on local innovations and initiatives Make district actors together owner of the activities enhancing food security Develop policy influencing plans for provincial and national levels

9. Suggestions for the Food Security Research Agenda 1.What contribution can Local Food Security Plans make to the development of local /regional food systems? 2.How can local/ regional food systems bring together rural producers and urban consumers? 3.How do (inter) national policies interventions relate to local innovations and initiatives?