CFS Private Sectr mdalities APPROVED September 8, 2011 A. BACKGROUND 1. Fd security exists when all peple at all times have physical and ecnmic access t sufficient, safe and nutritius fd t meet their dietary needs and fd preferences fr an active and healthy lifestyle. CFS:2010/9 Achieving fd security fr all will demand engagement by multi-lateral bdies, gvernments, dnrs, private sectr and civil sciety. The Cmmittee n Fd Security was refrmed t better encurage the participatin f all facets f these grups. 2 As was requested by the CFS: Private sectr assciatins, private philanthrpic rganizatins and ther CFS stakehlders active in areas related t fd security, nutritin, and the right t fd are encuraged t autnmusly establish and maintain a permanent crdinatin mechanism fr participatin in the CFS and fr actins derived frm that participatin at glbal, reginal and natinal levels. They are invited t cmmunicate a prpsal t that effect t the CFS Bureau. (CFS: 2009/2 Rev. 2, para 17) 3. The mdalities described in this dcument represent the private sectr arrangements t crdinate participatin in the CFS. The private sectr has built its wn autnmus mechanism fr participatin in CFS activities, discussin, negtiatin and decisin-making. It is imprtant t underline that this builds n the existing netwrks t facilitate aggregatin f input frm the bradest range f cmpanies frm the greatest number f cuntries. The CFS is cmprised f the Bureau (Chairpersn and twelve members, tw cming frm each f the fllwing gegraphic regins: Africa, Asia, Eurpe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East, and ne frm bth Nrth America and Suth-West Pacific) and the Advisry Grup cmpsed f representatives f the UN system and the glbal mnetary system plus: -1 seat fr private sectr - 1 seat fr fundatins -4 seats fr civil sciety -1 seat fr internatinal agricultural research 1
4. The new CFS is nt limited t an annual meeting. Rather, it is intended that there will be an n-ging Wrk Prgramme implemented by the Bureau with inputs frm the Advisry Grup and the High Level Panel f Experts. All participants in the CFS prcess, including the private sectr, are invited t cntribute t inter-sessinal activities f the CFS at varius levels, frm natinal t reginal t glbal. The Wrk Prgramme will be used t prepare the CFS Plenary Sessins and fllw up n their cnclusins and decisins. It will include the gathering f lessns learnt frm natinal and reginal levels, the develpment f plicy guidance and the Glbal Strategic Framewrk, facilitating internatinal supprt t natinal plans f actin etc. Private sectr engagement n implementatin and investment is welcme. There are currently abut ne t three meetings a mnth in Rme at the FAO headquarters. B. ORGANISING PRINCIPLES 5. All the private sectr fd actrs wh want t participate can d s, with a particular emphasis n thse active in the area f fd and nutritin at any level, particularly thse that represent fd prducers, input suppliers, agr-retailers grain traders, fd manufacturers and retailers, and ther actrs directly invlved in prducing and selling. 6. The private sectr statement and submissins shall represent the maximum cnsensus pssible. 7. The submissins and statements will be respectful. 8. The submissin will be cnstructive, fcusing n mechanisms t imprve utcmes n fd security. 9. Shuld any private sectr grup wish t submit a separate/additinal paper it is welcme and encuraged t d s. 10. Statements at key events will be based n agreed submissins. C. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS 11. The essential rle f the private sectr mdalities is t facilitate the participatin f the private sectr in the wrk f the CFS, including input t negtiatin and decisin-making. T aggregate private sectr input int the CFS, the private sectr fcal pint (currently the Internatinal Agri-Fd Netwrk www.agrifd.net) will share dcuments, seek cmments, draft psitins, and facilitate timely respnse t CFS. It is a netwrk f the willing. The private sectr mdalities will present cmmn psitins t the CFS where they emerge and the range f different psitins where there is n cnsensus. 2
Activities may include: lbbying and advcacy, infrmatin sharing and eduatin, frmatin and participatin in specific wrking grups, capacity building, engagement n key issues, selectin f and utreach t high-level private sectr representatives and mnitring and preparatin f specific prpsals t be discussed by the CFS Plenary sessins. 12. The private sectr is a brad range f grups frm large multinatinal crpratins, t natinal cmpanies, t small and medium enterprises. The private sectr fcal pint (IAFN www.agrifd.net) has established a list serve f interested parties. Individual cmpanies, fundatins, NGO s with a mandate n fstering entrepreneurship, and assciatins are all welcme. Internatinal assciatins representing netwrks f cmpanies and natinal grups will be given apprpriate weighting in participatin t reflect their aggregating rle and glbal reach. 13. In rder t fulfil its facilitatin rle, the private sectr fcal pint will perfrm a series f functins including the fllwing: i) exchanging f CFS infrmatin, analysis and experience; ii) develping cmmn psitins as apprpriate; iii) cmmunicating t the CFS and, as apprpriate, its Bureau thrugh representatives designated by an internal self-selectin prcess; iv) cnvening a private sectr frum and/r ther events befre and in cnjunctin with CFS sessins. 14. The private sectr fcal pint will facilitate participatin in bth inter-sessinal activities (activities that take place between the annual CFS Plenary Sessins) and the CFS Plenary Sessins held in prximity t Wrld Fd Day in Octber each year. 15. The private sectr fcal pint will dialgue with the CFS Bureau regarding the allcatin f private seats in the annual CFS Plenary Sessins. D. FOCAL POINT 16. The fcal pint (Internatinal Agri-Fd Netwrk) meets in-persn nce a year and by cnference call as needed. Membership in the fcal pint is nt a requirement t participate in negtiatins, the list serve, r the CFS related events. All private sectr actrs are welcme. It shuld be nted that membership in the fcal pint des nt guarantee autmatic participatin in the annual CFS plenary sessins. 17. The fcal pint is respnsible fr ensuring that the functins f the private sectr mdalities are carried ut as effectively as pssible and accrding t the rganizing principles. 3
18. The fcal pint will be reviewed at the private sectr in-persn meeting in 2013 and every tw years thereafter. 19. The fcal pint will make decisins n the functining f the private sectr mdalities such as: a) participatin issues arising frm the private sectr mdalities, b) qutas fr participatin in the CFS Plenary c) selectin f private sectr member f the Advisry Grup d) and assisting in the rganizatin f the private sectr events related t the CFS. 20. Decisins will be made thrugh systematic cnsultatin with interested participants in the private sectr. Decisins will be made by cnsensus wherever pssible, and made thrugh vting if n cnsensus emerges. Vtes will be weighted t reflect any internatinal assciatins representing the breadth f an interested sectr. Silence will be taken as cnsent. 21. Any divergent psitins will be passed n t the Bureau and Secretariat when submitted in writing t the fcal pint. 22. The fcal pint will be respnsible fr dialgue with the CFS Bureau and Secretariat regarding the allcatin f private sectr seats in the annual CFS plenary sessins and psitin statements. E. MEETINGS 23. The fcal pint will facilitate the rganizatin f at least ne private sectr meeting every year. The meeting will be pen t all interested private sectr participants that are members f the private sectr list serve. Fr decisin making, a balance amng cnstituencies and regins is imprtant. Apprpriate mechanisms, including pssibilities t vte when cnsensus is lacking, will be established. The meeting will prvide an imprtant ccasin fr exchanging infrmatin, discussing pririty fd security and nutritin issues, identifying pririties fr private sectr advcacy and, eventually deliberating cmmn psitins t be taken t the annual CFS Plenary. If there is nt cnsensus, psitins presented t the CFS will state clearly the names f the rganizatins which endrse them. The rganizatins that supprt the statement are free t make thse statements available n their wn websites. In the case that there is n cnsensus r a dissenting pinin, private sectr actrs are welcme t prvide specific remarks in writing. F. PRIVATE SECTOR MEMBER OF THE CFS ADVISORY GROUP 24. The rle f the Advisry Grup is t bring the views f the nn-vting CFS participants, including the private sectr, t the Bureau f the CFS and t prvide input t the Bureau regarding the range f tasks which the CFS Plenary has instructed it t perfrm (CFS:2009/2 Rev.2, para.32). It als has a rle in nurturing and maintaining linkages with different actrs at reginal, sub reginal and lcal levels (CFS:2009/2 Rev.2, para. 23). 25. The refrm f the CFS prvides ne seat t private sectr and ne seat t fundatins. This seat is currently held by the Bill and Melinda Gates Fundatin. This dcument des nt deal with the mdalities fr fundatins. 4
26. T facilitate efficiency and c-rdinatin, a nminee frm the fcal pint will be appinted t the Advisry Grup fr a perid f tw years. The fcal pint will infrm the Bureau f that nminee. One alternate will be designated. 27. Key selectin criteria include: a) Ability t participate regularly in Advisry Grup meetings in persn r via telecnference and vide cnferencing facilities b) Demnstrable cmmitment t the CFS c) Ability t netwrk with a brad range f cnstituencies, rganizatins, netwrks and sectrs d) Cmmunicatin and netwrking skills e) The verall balance f the Advisry Grup seats shuld reflect the principle f gender balance and the pririty given t cnstituencies representing the agri-fd sectr. 28. The essential tasks f the private sectr Advisry Grup member will be t share infrmatin and t present the range f views f the private sectr, with an emphasis n any cmmn psitins that the private sectr may have develped. 29. The fcal pint will aim fr the maximum pssible participatin and the mst useful pints f participatin in the Bureau and the verall CFS prcess. The Advisry Grup will respect the rganizing principles f the private sectr, in line with the CFS: 2009/2 Rev. 2, para 17. G. ALLOCATING PRIVATE SECTOR SEATS IN CFS PLENARY SESSIONS 30. There may be a limit n private sectr seats in the CFS Plenary Sessins, and there will certainly be a limit n the number f private sectr participants wh are able t speak during the Plenary Sessins. Seats and speaking slts allcated t the private sectr in CFS meetings will be distributed amng interested parties and based n the key themes being addressed in the plenary. Direct links t fd security activities, gender sensitivity, and engagement in regins facing significant fd insecurity are pririties. 31. Pririty will be put n high level participatin and engagement by private sectr assciatins at the plenary. 32. Infrmatin abut annual CFS Plenary Sessins will be put n the fcal pint s website (www.agrifd.net) and sent t the e-mail list. 33. Organizatins wishing t attend the CFS sessin are requested submit infrmatin n their rganizatin, areas f wrk and rganizatinal affiliatins, which agenda item they are mst interested in, and what they think they can cntribute t the discussin. This des nt preclude practive slicitatin f participants thrugh the fcal pint. 5
H. COMMUNICATIONS 34. The fcal pint will establish an e-mail list and website. Infrmatin will be psted n the website in English. Any interested private sectr party will be able t sign up t receive the emails by registering their email address n the website. I. ACCOUNTABILITY AND EVALUATION 35. Elements f accuntability: a) The fcal pint will be accuntable t the private sectr wrldwide wrking n fd security and nutritin n the ne hand, and the CFS n the ther b) The fcal pint will maintain an updated website and email list and ensure private sectr psitins are develped n issues related t CFS. c) The annual in-persn meeting prvides a frum t reflect n the wrk f the fcal pint and the membership in the Advisry Grup. 36. In additin t at least ne annual in-persn meeting, the private sectr e-mail list and website will be the main tls fr utreach. The website will cntain the fllwing infrmatin which will als be distributed thrugh the e-mail list: a) The key current dcuments fr cnsultatin, with an emphasis n plicy develpment b) Link t the CFS website c) List f current fcal pint and advisry grup members d) Dates and agendas f annual CFS Plenary Sessins; number f seats allcated t the private sectr in CFS sessins and an nline t request participatin in the sessins e) Date f the annual meeting f the private sectr that will take place each year f) Any jint statements that are apprved by cnsensus 6