Planning Session on CSO consultation at FAO Regional Conference for Europe and Central Asia Budapest December Draft summary report

Transcription

1 Planning Session on CSO consultation at FAO Regional Conference for Europe and Central Asia Budapest December 2011 Draft summary report The meeting: expected outcomes and summary of results The meeting aimed at advancing the preparation of the civil society consultation, to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan in relation to the 28 th FAO Regional Conference for Europe and Central Asia (ERC) (19-20 April 2012) and 37 th European Commission on Agriculture (ECA) (17-18 April 2012). In particular, expected outcomes were as follows: Draft the agenda of the Regional Civil Society Consultation at the ERC building on lessons learned from previous conferences and the CFS process. Establish working groups to support the preparation of CS contributions to the ERC. Identify elements for long term FAO-CSO collaboration in the region. The planning session facilitated an exchange among participants of their respective organizations work and priorities. It provided extensive background information on the ongoing preparation of the ECA and ERC, including provisional agendas of the meetings, as well as other policy discussions impacting the regional debate. It also addressed CS attendance and participation at the ERC, including the modalities to intervene as observers and presentation of a CS statement or other materials. The meeting succeeded in consolidating a preliminary agenda of the NGOs/CSOs consultation, including strong linkages with items from ECA and ERC provisional agendas. Informal working groups were formed for each agenda item and focal points were identified, acting as facilitators for further consultation with organizations and networks. The Participants The participants invited to the planning session represented national, regional, and global organizations and networks working on Food Security in the region and collaborating at various levels with FAO. The 18 participants (complete list see Annex III) represented: Major regional producers organizations and networks, including cooperatives Peoples movements Rural and food workers National NGOs based in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including the hosting NGO for the consultation, selected among those closely working with the FAO Regional Office International NGOs and their regional/global networks Consumers Organizations CSM members of Coordination Committee and Advisory Group based in the region Public and independent research institutions 1

2 All participants confirmed their interest in taking part in the process and committed to sharing the results with their constituencies and partners, ensuring the broadest possible dissemination of information across the region. Summary of planning meeting sessions Presentation of FAO regional priorities (Mr Reimund Jehle, Secretary ERC, Ms Fernanda Guerrieri, ADG REU). The new Governance of FAO includes the Regional Conferences (RC) as an integral part of FAO s strategic planning. The new Governance structure, piloted in 2010, will be fully operationalized in 2012 and assign RCs the crucial role of providing inputs on biennial priorities and work for the Organization. A better harmonization of FAO work between the global and the regional/sub-regional levels will allow for FAO to better respond to contemporary challenges. Civil society s role, in the conference and beyond, is crucial in order to ensure that citizen concerns and perspectives are represented and voiced in FAO deliberations. The FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia assists its Members, in particular Eastern European and Central Asian countries, in achieving food security and collaborates with civil society across the region. The work in the region reflects the complexity and the variety of its membership, and attempts to respond to the needs of countries with very different social, economical, geographical and cultural backgrounds. This complexity provides a challenge for the Regional Office to take into account several factors, such as different methods of implementation, measuring the impact of policies, the balance in trade policies between importers and exporters, the diversity of resources and their sustainable management, the role of key players like the EU and the Russian Federation, etc. The work is divided into the following priority areas: - Food and Nutrition Security and Food Safety - Policy advice to countries through up-scale and dissemination of good practices - Availability of public goods, including advocating for those most in need - Support to small holders, including production support and compliance with climate issues. All of the above cannot be done by FAO alone. Non-state actors are, and will continue to be, involved at all levels. Consultation with civil society, as well as their lobbying capacity is extremely important for the success of FAO work. This includes the participation of CSOs in the deliberations of ERC, and the office stands ready to lobby in support of civil society participation. Mapping of organizations constituencies, geographical coverage, and areas of intervention In working groups and plenary discussions, the participants compiled a chart summarizing their respective organizations constituencies, geographical coverage and priority areas of work. (See List of Participants in Annex III). The consolidated map highlighted the necessity to reach out to specific actors, as well as organizations based in particular sub-regions. In particular participants committed to mobilizing their networks and partners to reach out to herders, pastoralists, and indigenous peoples, as well as NGOs/CSOs based in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. 2

3 Background information on ECA, ERC, and other ongoing policy discussions with regional implications, including the CFS, including modalities for CSO contribution to the Members deliberation were presented by the Secretary of ERC, and Mr Price, Chief Partnerships with Civil Society and Private Sector Branch. In particular, ongoing debates of the CFS, notably the consolidation of the Global Strategic Framework and the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Land Tenure, Fisheries, and Forests were presented. Participants agreed that consultation should include relevant matters discussed at both ECA and ERC, as well as support the positioning of CFS related issues in the regional policy debate. Azerbaijan, a short trip to the country AIM provided a compelling overview on the country, including information on the culture, nature, local traditions, traditional production models, and major challenges faced by the rural sector. Draft agenda of civil society consultation The participants composed a preliminary list of items to be discussed at the CSO consultation, selected among the priorities of the participants organizations, as well as the items of particular interest to civil society among those included in the draft agendas of ECA and ERC. In a plenary discussion the list was reduced and consolidated, and the elements of the programme were identified as follows: Sunday afternoon - Informal CSM meeting: Global, Regional, National Governance on Food and Agriculture Preparations for multi-stakeholder discussion on CFS related matters Presentation of CSM, its role and functioning First draft of the Global Strategic Framework Adopted Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Use of Land tenure, Forestry, and Fisheries Linked to the CFS-led multi-stakeholder session organized on Tuesday 17 April. - CSM constitutional document - Report of the 1st meeting of CSM held in Rome in October st Draft of the Global Strategic Framework - Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Use of Land tenure, Fisheries, and Forests. Focal Points CSM Coordination Committee and Advisory Group members based in the region. Monday morning: - Access to land and commons Mapping the situation Evaluation of current land policies 3

4 Differences and commonalities across the region Youth and women access to land and other resources Identify possible solutions The regional implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Use of Land tenure, Fisheries, and Forests. Sharing information on good practices Support policies and infrastructures. Preferred access to resources and services for women and youth Linked to ECA agenda items (4) Land reform and farm performance in Europe; and (5) Women in Agriculture - Closing the Gender Gap for Development in Europe. - Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Use of Land tenure, Fisheries, and Forests. - Background document of ECA (ECA/37/12/3) - State of Food Insecurity in the World (SOFI) Report of the First Global Forum on Food Sovereignty, Nyeleni Focal points Annelies Schorpion, EuroVia (lavia Campesina), Belgium Nazakat Bayverdiyeva, AIM, Azerbaijan Judith Hamburg, BCE Innovációs Központ Nonprofit Kft, Hungary Monday afternoon - Policies on Food and Agriculture Ensuring Policy coordination and coherence Food Sovereignty Solidarity economy Support to sustainable agriculture Development of sustainable value chain Best practices to connect producers with consumers The notes of the break out sessions that suggested the contents of each agenda items are enclosed in Annex XX (1 of the group notes missing). Linked to the ERC agenda item (6) Ministerial round table - Policies for Food Security in the Region: Challenges and Perspectives - Food Outlook toward Solidarity Economy, produced by the European Consumers Network - ERC background document (ERC/12/3) Organizational matters for further follow-up 4

5 Confirmation of availability of funds supporting the CSO consultation. Select participants to CSO consultation (see suggested quota system enclosed in Annex VI) Selection of the CSO supporting the organization of the meeting in coordination with AIM, the hosting organization. Annexes I. Annotated Agenda of the Planning Session II. Time table of the meeting III. List of participants IV. Working groups notes on articulation of agenda items V. Draft agenda of CSO consultation VI. Suggested quota system for selection of CSO participants 5