Vanuatu Food Security Stakeholder Consultation Meeting Port Vila 22 November 2012

1. Vanuatu Food Security Stakeholder Consultation MeetingPort Vila22 November 2012

2. Purpose of the Meeting • Purpose: • To develop policy options for improving food and nutrition security for Vanuatu • Objectives: • To review and revise the national plan of action on food security prepared during the National Food Summit in September 2009 • To identify policy options for improving food security and maternal infant and young child nutrition • To discuss options for establishment of a coordinating body (Food Security Council) to coordinate national food security activities

3. What is food security? Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (World Food Summit, 2009)

4. Background • The 7th Meeting of the Pacific Ministers of Health, 2007 recommended the organisation of a Pacific Food Summit • The 39th Pacific Island Forum Leaders’ Meeting, 2008 • Recognised the importance of food security • Food security should be addressed across all sectors of governmentt

5. Background contd. • Pacific Food summit concept endorsed by Ministers of Trade, Agriculture and Health at their respective meetings throughout 2009 • A multi-agency Food Secure Pacific Working Group was formed to lead the development of a regional framework for action and organization of a Pacific Food Summit in 2009

6. Country consultations and multi-sectoral action • National Food Summits • Samoa (2009), Vanuatu (2009), Fiji (2009), Cook Islands (2009), FSM and Kiribati (2010) • Purposes (variations between countries) • Advance food security interventions at national levels • Promote multi-sectoral collaboration and establish mechanism for coordination and collaboration • Provide input to the Regional Framework for Action • Develop national action plans and policies

7. Regional events • Pacific Food Summit (April 2010) • Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting (August 2010) • Ministers of Health Meeting (June 2011)

8. Improving food security is everyone’s responsibility and requires: • Leadership and cooperation • Regulatory frameworks, enforcement and compliance and public-private sector collaboration • Enhanced and sustainable production, processing, marketing, trading and use of safe and nutritious local food

9. As well as… • Protection of infants and vulnerable groups • Consumer empowerment and mobilization of partners • Food security information systems • Enhanced land tenure systems and land-use policies, energy, transport, education and communication systems to underpin food security

10. Recommendations for national action • Develop and strengthen national implementation plans • Implement and strengthen a multi-sectoral approach to national food security policy • Establish a cabinet sub-committee on food security • Establish high-level coordinating mechanisms for food security • Develop a M&E mechanism for national implementation plans • Mobilize resource for food security interventions

11. Vanuatu • 2009 Food Summit • Purpose: • Dialogue between Gov, Food Producers, Food Traders, UN & Regional Agencies on ensuring a secure & healthy food supply • Draft Action Plan with 38 actions organised under 6 thematic areas

12. Vanuatu Action Plan – key action areas • M&E and research • Coordination and leadership • Partnerships – working with food industry • Enhanced & sustainable production, processing, marketing and trading of foods • Legislation & standards to promote fair trade and protect health • Enhanced food security for infants & vulnerable populations

13. Progress? • Limited at best • food security activities happening at various levels but uncoordinated • Barriers identified in 2009, still same today • Limited enforcement of legislation • Lack of investment in agriculture • Lack of good information to guide policy decision making & awareness among consumers • Lack of multisectoral cooperation in Gov • Poor engagement with food industry

14. Why food security is important - Health • Epidemiological • Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) increasing • Communicable diseases still present – Malaria, TB, food borne illnesses • Double burden of disease • Nutritional • Diets rapidly changing • Over nutrition – overconsumption of poor quality diet that is high in fat, refine sugar and salt • Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, some cancers • Under nutrition – diet not containing adequate energy and essential nutrients for good health • Micronutrient deficiencies – Vitamin A, iron, iodine • Double burden of malnutrition • Urbanisation - changes in lifestyles, less active , over crowing & poor living conditions contributing to rising incidence of communicable diseases • Globalisation - increasing global influence, increasing susceptibility to global economic & environmental shocks • From a health perspective, Vanuatu is NOT food secure

15. Government priority • Priorities and Action Agenda 2006-2015 AN EDUCATED, HEALTHY AND WEALTHY VANUATU • Having secure and sustainable access to safe and nutritious food is fundamental to HEALTH. • Healthy people are productive people • Productive people ->enhanced economic development • Is Vanuatu food secure? Do people have access to healthy foods all the time? • Is food security a government priority?

16. Ensure a food secure Vanuatu • Requires • Strong leadership and coordination mechanisms to promote and support multi-sectoral collaborations and partnerships • Enhanced implementation of food security interventions at national, provincial, district, community and household level • Evidence based information of what does and does not work through robust M&E information systems and locally driven research agenda

17. Way forward • Finalise the action plan for food & nutrition security • Advocate for strong and robust leadership and coordination mechanism to drive the implementation of food security interventions at national, provincial, district, community and household level • Strengthen partnerships and collaborations amongst stakeholders • Robust M&E information systems to provide timely information to guide implementation progress