FSN Policy dialogues: contributing to food security and nutrition policy processes at the country and regional level
11-12 December 2015
FAO Headquarter, Rome
FAO Regional priorities and FSN policy processes in Europe and Central Asia
Eleonora Dupouy
Food Safety and Consumer Protection Officer
FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia
REU SO1 Focal Point

• Diverse: 54 members (one organization (EU) and
53 countries), including :
– EU countries
– Non-EU developed countries
– Eastern Europe and Caucasus countries
– Balkan countries (in process of EU accession)
– Central Asia countries
• Relevant for all countries
• Remarkable achievements: in 2014 only five countries with over 5% undernourishment, including three below 10%

Food security: condition 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”
FAO World Food Summit, 1996
• Different conceptualization at country level, different context, policies and outcomes

• EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) promote food security with integrated food quality, food safety and environmental sustainability
• Food self-sufficiency: BEL, RUS, KAZ, TKM, UZB
• Food independence: BEL, KYR, KAZ, KYR, RUS,
TAJ, TKM, UZB
• Improved food availability, access for poor and higher quality diets: ARM, AZE, GEO, KYR, MOL,
UKR

• Common problems across the region: high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, growing overweight and obesity, unhealthy dietary pattern as leading driver for NCDs
• High rates f poverty in rural areas
• “Feminization” of agricultural sector in Central Asia counties linked to labor migration
• Statement on right to food exists in most national legislation, however not always successfully realized without compromising access to other essential goods
• Integration of nutrition into agricultural and rural development, into value chains requires rising knowledge and capacities
• Integration of inter-sectoral policies and participatory perspective – not easy process

• Overall protectionist-type domestic agricultural policies and import substitution agendas are still of high priority among countries in EuCA region
• Several regional geopolitical issues and sanctions have affected trade and reoriented agri-food flows
(both exports and imports)
• Divided trend in regional market integration - for EU and for Eurasian Economic Union raised the challenge on standards compatibility and compliance with standards

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• Comprehensive concept of food security and nutrition need better understanding by major stakeholders
• Systemic and institutional modernization in many transition economies
• Setting effective linkages between different dimensions and sectors relevant for food security and nutrition (ag, health, education, social protection, R&D)
• Policies to promote nutrition sensitive food systems, address malnutrition and NCDs
• Better quality data for evidence based policy making: revision of indicators and alignment with SDGs
• Strengthening governance and inter-sectoral coordination of food security and nutrition policies
• Need in dialogue, formal spaces for dialogue and expert facilitators: functional and technical advantage of SFN Forum online tools

• Online survey
• "Regional consultative process with civil society organizations and other stakeholders“ October
2015 in collaboration with the Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development.
• Objective:
• Better inform FAO REU on how to support the participation and inclusion of relevant Civil Society
Organizations in national and regional policy discussions and programmes as the first step of the
Regional Consultative Mechanism for Civil Society development.
• FSN Forum Workshop
• “Inclusive policy dialogue to make trade policies conducive to food security and nutrition”
December 2014 in collaboration with the Trade and Markets Division. Participants from the stakeholders from Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia region.
• Objective:
• Stimulate the debate on trade and food security and nutrition policies and strategies that will feed into national and regional policy processes
• Online Consultation
• "Addressing the main challenges of food security and rural poverty reduction by incorporating
social protection into national strategies and actions“ September 2015, in collaboration with the
Social Protection Division.
• Objective:
• Add value to a regional study on the current status of the social protection reforms in the post-
Soviet countries in order to help REU in formulating regional and country initiatives on social protection

• Strengthening, enlarging and rising participation in the
REU FSN Network (ESA led with support from REU)
• Strengthening governance for food security and nutrition in Tajikistan (EU-supported project led by
ESA)
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• Opportunities of Russian Federation supported regional project on strengthening food security and nutrition (policy, governance and capacity building aspects) in three REU countries (Armenia, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan – ESA led in collaboration with REU)

Thank you !
FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia
Benczúr utca 34., 1068 Budapest, Hungary
Tel: 06 1 4612000
Fax: 06 1 3517029 http://www.fao.org
http://www.fao.org/food quality-safety http://www.fao.org/europe
E-mail: Eleonora.Dupouy@fao.org