4 April 2013: The Global Thematic Consultation on Hunger, Food Security and Nutrition culminated in a High-level Consultation in Madrid, Spain, on 4 April 2013. The meeting, which was co-convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) and co-hosted by the Governments of Colombia and Spain, officially handed over the Synthesis Report of the Global Consultation to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The consultation aimed to stimulate a debate on how to include hunger, food security and nutrition (HFSN) in the post-2015 framework, and to propose a vision and building blocks for the post-2015 agenda. The consultation included plenary sessions, three discussion sessions, a synthesis session and a handover ceremony. Jose Graziano da Silva, FAO Director General, outlined several lessons learned from the consultation process, including on addressing food distribution and access, and transforming farming polices and income transfer programmes.

During the comprehensive vision session, Margaret Chan, Director General, World Health Organization (WHO), recommended addressing food security and nutrition together, noting food security is about quantity and nutrition is about quality. Participants highlighted, inter alia, prioritizing small producers and defining the right to safe food. On building blocks for a global agenda, participants suggested, inter alia: establishing goals on eradicating hunger and malnutrition and on transforming agricultural practices; going beyond poverty alleviation to improve agricultural sustainability; and supporting farmer innovation. On governance, accountability and means of implementation, participants discussed, inter alia, the role of the private sector and establishing baselines.

Summarizing the process, Jesus Gracia Aldaz, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Latin America, Spain, identified several building blocks, including: sustainable and resilient food production and consumption; efficient food distribution systems; overcoming challenges of over-nutrition and under-nutrition to provide “good” nutrition for all; and access to safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation, and education.

During the handover ceremony, Ban called for improved nutrition and access to safe food for women and children, and said climate change poses an additional challenge to food systems. Speaking as a once hungry child of war himself, Ban stressed that the positive experience of the Republic of Korea is indicative that global hunger and food security goals are achievable within a lifetime. [IISD RS Meeting Coverage] [HFSN Consultation Website] [FAO Press Release] [Consultation Background Note and Agenda]