20 March 2015: Biovision and the Millennium Institute have issued two briefs outlining their positions on the post-2015 development agenda with a focus on food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture, as well as a reaction to the zero draft of the outcome document from the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD 3).

According to the brief ‘Multi-Stakeholder Assessments for Long-Term Policy Planning,’ produced with the Sustainable World Initiative, multi-stakeholder assessments should inform national plans to implement all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It recommends including reference to multi-stakeholder assessments in discussions on means of implementation (MOI), such as in Target 17.9 and/or a chapter on capacity building. The brief highlights the four main elements of multi-stakeholder assessments: integrated and cross-sectorial analysis; involvement of all concerned stakeholders; long-term perspective; and natural resource sufficiency evaluation. It stresses the benefits of such assessments in revealing the status of sustainability, helping governments to identify, prioritize and sequence actions and policies necessary for achieving sustainable development and monitoring and evaluating progress. It emphasizes that such assessments would represent only a small fraction of government or donor budgets.

The brief titled ‘Role of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in the follow-up and review of the post-2015 development agenda’ suggests language reaffirming the role of the CFS and encouraging it to provide a platform for the follow-up and review of implementation of post-2015 development goals and targets related to food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture and food systems. The brief stresses that CFS’ inclusive and multi-stakeholder nature is a useful platform for discussing progress and sharing experiences from the post-2015 goals and targets.

On FfD, Biovision and the Millennium Institute recognize that the zero draft of the outcome document includes many of the key means to implement SDG 2 to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, while suggesting textual amendments related to multi-stakeholder assessments, trade and food price volatility, financing gaps and global partnerships. It recommends implementing evidence-based multi-stakeholder assessments to inform national planning to implement the SDGs. On trade and food price volatility, it recommends adding text on, inter alia: noting the “excessive” volatility of commodity prices, including in agricultural commodities; addressing the root causes of such excessive volatility; and facilitating efforts to provide food producers with timely access to accurate and transparent market information.

On financing gaps, the organizations recommend, inter alia: referencing the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the context of national food security; reaffirming commitments on the right of everyone to adequate food and freedom from hunger; and referencing small-scale food producers in reference to access to formal financial services. On global partnerships, it recommends referencing the work of the CFS’ work on the Voluntary Guidelines and the role of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) on agricultural research and development. [Publication: Multi-Stakeholder Assessments for Long-Term Policy Planning] [Publication: Role of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in the follow-up and review of the post-2015 development agenda] [Suggested Inputs on FfD Zero Draft] [IISD RS Story on Proposed Global Land and Soil Indicators]