The Committee on World Food Security (CFS)

CFS Annual Sessions and UNSCN Contributions
Global Strategic Framework
Social Protection For Food Security and Nutrition

The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) was set up in 1974 as an intergovernmental body to serve as a forum for review and follow up of food security policies. In 2009 the Committee went through a reform process to ensure that the voices of other stakeholders were heard in the global debate on food security and nutrition. The vision of the reformed CFS is to be the most inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for all stakeholders to work together in a coordinated way to ensure food security and nutrition for all. CFS was reformed to address short term crises but also long term structural issues. The Committee reports annually to Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC). (for more information on the CFS you can visit the official website here or download the brochure).

The CFS Bureau and Advisory Group

The Bureau is the executive arm of the CFS. It is made up of a Chairperson and twelve member countries. The Advisory group is made up of representatives from the 5 different categories of CFS Participants. These are:

UN agencies and other UN bodies;
Civil society and non-governmental organizations particularly organizations representing smallholder family farmers, fisherfolks, herders, landless, urban poor, agricultural and food workers, women, youth, consumers and indigenous people;
International agricultural research institutions;
International and regional financial institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, regional development banks and the World Trade Organization;
Private sector associations and philanthropic foundations.

The Advisory Group helps the Bureau advance the Committee's objectives in particular to ensure linkages with different stakeholders at regional, sub-regional and local levels and to ensure an ongoing, two-way exchange of information.

The Secretariat

The CFS has a permanent Secretariat located in FAO Rome which includes members from the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Its task is to support the Plenary, the Bureau and Advisory Group and the HLPE in their work.

The UNSCN as part of the Advisory Group

At the 36th Annual Session of the intergovernmental CFS in October 2010 it was decided to:

- include the UNSCN into the Advisory Group of the CFS in addition to the present Advisory Group members, taking into account UNSCN's special nature as a UN coordination mechanism and platform in its own right, with its own stakeholder consultation mechanisms;
- entrust the CFS Bureau with looking into ways to invite and include the UNSCN or one of its member organizations in the Joint Secretariat of the CFS;
- suggest that the UNSCN works in coordination with the CFS to establish synergy and close coordination between their respective processes, mechanisms and proposals.The UNSCN has since been attending the CFS Bureau and Advisory Group meetings and will continue to play the role of nutrition advocate, communicator, catalyst and bridge builder towards the CFS community. Through participating in the CFS, the UNSCN establishes a two way communication avenue between the food security and nutrition constituencies by:
- exchanging information on nutrition with the food security constituency and bringing food security considerations to the attention of the nutrition constituency.
- encouraging and providing advice so that nutrition considerations are included in all CFS work streams:
- bringing to the attention of the CFS Member States new nutrition related issues as they emerge
- avoiding duplication of efforts related to improving food and nutrition security globally

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The Committee on World Food Security (CFS)

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