The Committee on World Food Security, the UN forum for reviewing and following up on policies concerning world food security, has just issued two reports prepared by its High-Level Panel of Experts.
Food security and climate change urges every country to develop its own strategy to manage climate change and risks. The coping capacity of the poor will have to be strengthened, since poor nations and the poor in all countries will be the first and hardest hit by adverse changes in climate, the report says. Action will be needed to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities. Countries will also have to be prepared, where necessary, to resettle “climate refugees”.
The report says that food production has to be insulated to the extent possible from climate change impacts, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, which are among the most vulnerable regions to changes in temperature and precipitation and also the regions with the highest rates of malnutrition.
Social protection for food security recommends that all countries design and implement a comprehensive legally empowered social protection system to provide every citizen an opportunity for a productive and healthy life. It notes that whereas families and communities used to look after their most vulnerable members, now governments are assuming the responsibility for providing appropriate social protection measures to prevent poverty-induced hunger.
At the global level, the report recommends that the Committee on World Food Security help in bringing out an Annual Social Protection Monitor, which would provide data on the steps taken in different countries to achieve the goal of sustainable food security through a rights and life-cycle approach to entitlements. Indicators to measure the impact of social safety net programmes should include a gender audit as well, the report says.
Read more: Food security and climate change | Social protection for food security
