Against hunger in developing countries: EU food security commitments

In 2010, the European Union (EU) and the EU countries sought to address food and nutrition security (FNS) by adopting an EU-wide policy framework for food security. An implementation plan of this policy was also approved in 2013 in this regard taking the form of a Commission staff working document called ‘Boosting food and nutrition security through EU action: implementing our commitments’ .

ACT

Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - Implementing EU food and nutrition security policy commitments: first biennial report (COM(2014) 712 final of 2 December 2014).

SUMMARY

In 2010, the European Union (EU) and the EU countries sought to address food and nutrition security (FNS) by adopting an EU-wide policy framework for food security. An implementation plan of this policy was also approved in 2013 in this regard taking the form of a Commission staff working document called ‘Boosting food and nutrition security through EU action: implementing our commitments’ .

This first joint EU-EU countries report presents the main results of the implementation of EU FNS policy commitments in 2012.

WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THE REPORT?

Worldwide, one in eight persons goes hungry every day - mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa and in southern Asia. Hunger affects not just the individual. It also causes serious economic burden on communities and the sustainable development of countries. The FNS policy is then a key priority of EU development cooperation.

The EU’s FNS is about ensuring that everybody is able to access sufficient, affordable and nutritious food. Through its support, the EU seeks to build resilience to food crises and help countries ensure that no one is left hungry.

An EU plan has been set up. It focuses on six priorities:

• 1.

  improving smallholder resilience and rural livelihoods (e.g. providing people in the countryside with the necessary tools to manage and diversify their crops, reduce post-harvest losses and improve storage facilities);

• 2.

  supporting effective governance (e.g. helping to ensure responsible leadership and policymaking);

• 3.

  supporting regional agriculture and FNS policies;

• 4.

  strengthening social protection mechanisms for FNS (i.e. developing nationally owned and led comprehensive social protection systems that support the most vulnerable in periods of hardship);

• 5.

  enhancing nutrition in particular for mothers, infants and children;

• 6.

  enhancing coordination between development and humanitarian actors to build resilience and promote sustainable FNS.

This first joint EU-EU countries report presents an analysis of EU donors’ alignment with the six priorities of the plan and its consistency with the EU’s development cooperation ‘3Cs’ objective (coherence, complementarity and coordination). Its main aim is to enhance the efficiency of EU intervention.

KEY RESULTS OF THE REPORT

The main results listed in this first implementation report are linked to the EU’s and EU countries’ commitments:

• EU FNS policy is a significant component of EU development cooperation with almost EUR 3.4 billion spent in more than 115 countries in 2012 alone (countries in Sub-Saharan Africa receive most of the support);
• the majority of the interventions were focused on threepriorities in 2012: improving smallholder resilience and rural livelihoods (60 % of intervention), enhancing nutrition (14 %) and supporting effective governance (12 %);
• EU donors could operate more efficiently, whether jointly or individually, and strengthen their complementarity on the ground under partner countries’ leadership;
• demand-led research, extension (advice and support services) and innovation need more attention in terms of investments and local impact;
• dialogue with national stakeholders is a clear advantage, particularly with farmers’ organisations, local and international NGOs and the private sector, i.e. regarding national programme formulation and implementation;
• EU donor coordination should focus on sharing information at country level;
• joint programming in FNS needs to be strengthened for more effective result-based frameworks, monitoring and evaluation;
• EU joint reporting on FNS needs to be focused on specific topics, results and impact assessment;
• the EU and the EU countries should act as single voice for a greater coverage and more visible EU aid.

For further information, see the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development website.

RELATED ACTS

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - An EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges (COM(2010) 127 final of 31.3.2010).

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - The EU approach to resilience: learning from the Food Security Crises (COM(2012) 586 final of 3.10.2012).

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - Enhancing maternal and child nutrition in external assistance: an EU policy framework (COM(2013) 141 final of 12.3.2013).

Commission Staff Working Document - Boosting food and nutrition security through EU action: implementing our commitments (SWD(2013) 104 final of 27.3.2013).

Commission Staff Working Document - Action plan on nutrition (SWD(2014) 234 final of 3.7.2014).

Commission Staff Working Document - Accompanying the document report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council implementing EU food and nutrition security policy commitments: first biennial report (SWD(2014) 343 final of 2.12.2014).

last update 23.07.2015