CARE’s Global Food Security Strategy; an Agenda for Action

1. CARE’s Global Food Security Strategy; an Agenda for Action

2. Agenda for Action : purpose • A proposed coherent framework for CARE’s role in responding to global food insecurity. • Drafted by members of the FSAG group in July • Now seeking input/feedback from throughout CI • Once there is consensus, turn this into a CI-wide position with an AoP and links to LOTE

3. Business model Food Security Advisory Group • A broad range of CARE Members • Both Emergency & Development • Both Policy/Advocacy & Programming • Bringing media & communications on board, need to increase CO & RMU representation • Regular conference calls & physical meetings

4. Agenda for Action: Internal issues CARE’ Agenda for Action proposes to focus on four core elements that support two aspects of food security:

5. Emergency Food Security Strategy; one element of CARE’s Global Food Security Strategy Draft

6. Background • CARE committed to build capacity in 3 core sectors in emergencies with a cross-cutting logistics capacity: 1) Shelter 2) Watsan 3) Food Security  CARE USA is taking work forward for CI • CARE’s Emergency Food Security Progress & Strategy • Foundational Work: CARE Emergency Food Security Capacity Review, Tufts University State of the Art Emergency Food Security Review, Emergency Food Security Forum hosted by Oxfam & CARE • CI food security strategy: 4 elements – includes emergency food security • Emergency Food Security Strategy: Under development – draft form -

7. Characteristic of Food Security • Food security crises are seldom discrete events, they have their roots in chronic vulnerability. Our guiding principle should be Disaster Risk Management – in all our programming. • Food insecurity is multi-dimensional and represents an outcome of a range of factors. In order to address it we need to address a range of issues.

8. Implications… Protect Lives and Livelihoods by Integrating Disaster Risk Management into both its emergency and development systems and structures • Integration into long term programming • Adapt CARE's emergency systems to slow onset emergencies • build upon and link to CARE’s longer term food security programming.

9. Implications.. Address the context specific drivers of food insecurity by having the capability to implement emergency interventions in three key sectors and cross cutting analysis: • Food Aid • Nutrition & Public Health • Livelihoods & Market support + Analysis Given the range of interventions that is required collaboration and coherence between units across the CARE Federation will be critical

10. Current State of the Emergency Food Security Sector • Disproportionate Responses The current system lacks the capacity to define and compare severity. • Late Responses Early Warning is not leading to early response • Inappropriate Responses Interventions are dominated by a core set of standard / default responses • Food First Bias

11. Emergency Food Security Strategy Objectives • Global: Contribute to the evolution of the global humanitarian food security architecture to ensure it addresses structural causes of vulnerability and poverty. • Organizational: Align and strengthen CARE’s organizational capabilities to be able to deliver more appropriate, proportionate and effective food security interventions before, during and after times of crisis. • Field: Support Focus Country Offices and emergency responses globally to implement CARE’s global food security strategy through a portfolio of comprehensive food security interventions that build upon and actively strengthen national institutions.

12. Objective 1: Global: Contribute to the evolution of the global humanitarian food security architecture to ensure it addresses structural causes of vulnerability and poverty. 1.1 Leverage CARE’s “Living on the Edge” initiative to help bridge the relief development divide and promote appropriate needs-based interventions. 1.2 Support a common, integrated approach to understanding and responding to hunger and vulnerability

13. Objective 2: Organizational: Align and strengthen CARE’s organizational capabilities 2.1. Improve CARE’s analytical capacity to design and trigger more appropriate & proportionate responses 2.2 Develop CARE’s capacity to implement early response & recovery interventions which protect livelihoods and mitigate the impact of crises. 2.3 Consolidate CARE’s existing capacity to implement comprehensive and robust food assistance & nutrition interventions that address the acute negative outcomes of food insecurity 2.4 Develop Strategic Partnerships to support a portfolio of interventions

14. Objective 3: Field: Support Focus Country Offices and emergency responses globally to implement CARE’s global food security strategy 3.1 Support Focus Country Offices and Emergency Responses globally to implement CARE’s global food security strategy. 3.2 Actively support and strengthen national institutions & local agencies 3.3 Address issues of Gender & Protection to minimize unintended Harm.

15. IMPLEMENATATION • Phase 1 (FY 2009): The final 6 months of FY 2009 will focus on broad consultation across the CARE Federation to finalize the Humanitarian Food Security Strategy and develop a detailed funding plan. • Phase 2 (FY 2010): The initial implementation of the Humanitarian Food Security Strategy will prioritize support to focus countries and global emergencies, the consolidation of CARE’s existing capacity and limited Global Advocacy. Broader capacity building will be carried out in phase three, but capacity building for market-based responses (cash & vouchers) will be fast-tracked to avoid CARE loosing significant ground to peer agencies. • Phase 3 (2011/12): The final phase of the strategy will involve broader support for focus countries and global emergencies, a scale up of capacity building and a greater integration of field operations and Global Advocacy.