16 January 2012: The Secretariat of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) has published an issue of its newsletter, “Rio+20: Making It Happen,” focused on food security. The newsletter indicates that food security is one of the seven “critical issues of Rio+20.”

The first article defines food security and its role in greening the global economy, noting that it is also a basic human right recognized by the UN. According to the newsletter, food security and sustainable agriculture will be key to discussions at Rio+20, as a means to “mainstreaming sustainable development,” and in plans for future Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Another article highlights the message of the Major Group for Farmers to the UNCSD preparatory process. Farmers stressed the need for a modern extension services for women and the rural poor, enabling more interaction between the scientific and research community and smallholder food producers.

The newsletter also notes the development of an online game of managing restricted resources across social, environment and economic sectors.

This issue also outlines the UN system’s response to the current food crisis, which includes: the appointment by the Secretary-General of a High-level Task Force; a partnership between the World Food Programme (WFP) and Oxfam America, the “R4 Rural Resilience Initiative,” aiming to strengthen the food and income security of poor farmers and food-insecure households in the face of climate change; and the convening by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) of an international scientific symposium on food and nutrition security information. [Publication: Rio+20: Making it Happen, Vol. 3, Issue 1] [Publication: Issues Brief 9 – Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture]