Exploring Sustainable Solutions for Increasing Global Food Supplies Report of a Workshop (2011) / Chapter Skim
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4 POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND INSTITUTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND BARRIERS
4 POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND INSTITUTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND BARRIERS
Pages 65-80
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From page 65... ...
The session began with discussions on environmental externalities and the costs of natural resource degradation; political economy issues, priorities and political will; and incentives and limitations to action by civil society and private sector. The last panel session considered ways to confront trade-offs, remove national and international externalities, seek multiple wins, and establish coalitions as well as partnerships to ensure sustainable food security for all.
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From page 66... ...
It depends on the issues being compared and the methodologies being used. What is clear moving forward, however, is that regardless of the technologies in use or the scales of production, whatever per capita impacts are acceptable with 7 billion people will not be with 10 billion.
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From page 67... ...
POLITICAL ECONOMY ISSUES, PRIORITIES AND POLITICAL WILL37 Robert Paarlberg, Wellesley College How can we persuade government officials to take the actions needed to increase global food security? If there were an easy answer to this question, it would have been done already.
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From page 68... ...
These NGOs have little influence over African spending decisions; the rural services delivered by NGOs can even give governments an excuse to do less, rather than more. In the end, the job of encouraging national governments in Africa to make larger public investments in the farming sector falls heavily on the bilateral and multilateral donor community.
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From page 69... ...
INCENTIVES AND LIMITATIONS TO ACTION BY CIVIL SOCIETY38 Brian Greenberg, InterAction Brian Greenberg began his presentation with an overview of the civil society sector and the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as it relates to agricultural development and food security.
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From page 70... ...
Characteristic strengths and capabilities of NGOs include sustained community engagement, the use of predominantly local staff, and a reliance on partnerships with other civil society organizations, governments and the private sector. Productivity gains and market participation that serve the interests of smallholders are important to the NGO agricultural development community.
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From page 71... ...
This lack of understanding has in part been responsible for the fall in support for agricultural development in recent decades. In an environment of greatly reduced resources for development assistance, it remains to be seen whether the trend of underinvestment in agriculture can be reversed by recently escalating food prices and the rising number of hungry people.
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From page 72... ...
It is imperative that thought leaders such as the National Academies -- the nation's preeminent source of high-quality, objective advice on science, engineering, and health matters -- balance the dialogue and shape sound policies, inform public opinion, and advance the pursuit of sustainable food production. Dennis Treacy provided an overview of Smithfield's experience in sustainable intensification, with examples of existing barriers and limitations to sustainable food production, as well as opportunities that may enhance sustainable practices.
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From page 73... ...
In 2002, the company produced its first Corporate Social Responsibility Report, detailing early improvements in the environmental arena and, through stakeholder input, now uses the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) metrics as the basis for documenting the environmental, social and economic impacts of its operations.41 Market Demand for Protein The United Nations projects that world population will reach at least 9 billion people by 2050 and has called for an increase in world food production by 100 percent within the same timeframe.
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From page 74... ...
Corn-based ethanol is the only product that is supported three ways by the government: with a 45 cent per gallon tax subsidy, a 54 cent per gallon tariff on imported ethanol, and a mandate that forces the public to buy the fuel. Although many in the food industry support development of alternative energy sources, it should reject a flawed corn-based ethanol policy that results in higher food prices for the consumer and limited net benefit on greenhouse gas (GHG)
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From page 75... ...
Conclusion Although no single strategy will solve the global food problem or fully address the challenge of feeding nine billion people, Smithfield's experience in sustainable intensification helps inform the discussion. Modern, large-scale animal agriculture can help meet the sustainability challenge and often does so based on fundamental business priorities.
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From page 76... ...
Melinda Kimble's presentation42 focused on the institutions required to manage the global commons and to meet the challenges of achieving global food security. She highlighted the work of the UN High Level Task Force on Food Security, which was modeled on the World Economic Forum's (WEF)
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From page 77... ...
The new Committee on Global Food Security includes a broad coalition of agencies: FAO, World Food Program, International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) (all Rome-based)
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From page 78... ...
Other USDA international efforts include work with the Commission on Sustainable Development that looks at the issues on agriculture, rural development, land, drought and desertification associated with agriculture has been inserted in the task force on poverty. She noted, however, that most USDA resources are spent on U.S.
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From page 79... ...
2010. Corporate Social Responsibility Report: 2009/10.
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From page 80... ...
2011. Corporate Social Responsibility Report: 2010/11.
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