Promoting resilient livelihoods

Radical change needed by addressing inequality

Thierry Kesteloot CTA Policy Briefing, March 2013

RESILIENCE IN TIMES OF FAILING FOOD SYSTEMS

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Resilience in times of failing food systems

• Persistent hunger

• Depleting natural resources

• Interwoven and mutually reinforcing crises

• Failing to incorporate externalities

• Markets failures and price volatility

• Early warnings but failure of humanitarian and development responses

• Failing institutional responses

• INEQUALITIES in facing increasing RISKS

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Inequality is cause for increasing vulnerability

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Inequalities increase by crisis of support

Contraction of public expenditures in 133 countries in 2012 (94 developing countries)

• Wage bill cuts or caps in 73 countries, reducing the salaries of public-sector workers who provide essential services to the population.

• Phasing-out subsidies (food, fuel, others) in 73 countries, despite record-high food prices in many regions.

• Cuts in social protection programs are under consideration in 55 countries, at a time when governments should be looking to scale up benefits

• VAT increases on basic goods and services that are consumed by the poor – that may further contract economic activity – in 71 countries(source : UNICEF, Ortiz & Cummins, 2013)

PEOPLE CENTERED RESILIENCE

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Resilience-building based on equity and rights

Poorer hurt subsequently :

- rights denied and left behind in the run-up to the crises

- most severely affected by crises

- more vulnerable towards increasing risks

- a few use power to reduce their own risks at the expense of more vulnerable

- suffer most from reduction in government expenditures

=> equity and rights based resilience-building should focus on the structural causes of inequality that underlie the vulnerability and disproportionate risk and uncertainty faced by poor and marginalised people (especially vulnerable groups and women) rather than merely addressing the symptoms caused by the impacts of stresses and shocks.

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Resilience-building based on equity and rights

Resilience as the ability of women, men and children to realise their rights and improve their wellbeing despite shocks, stresses and uncertainty.

• aspirational nature of ‘being resilient’• enable the poor and marginalised to not only ‘cope’ and survive, but also

empower to transform• challenges entrenched power and gender inequalities that perpetuate risks

and vulnerabilities for certain people • support the right to resources and capacities that people need to cope and

even thrive within contexts of long-term change, volatility and unexpected shocks

• responsibility for governments and institutions to account for addressing both impacts and root causes

=> Return to “normal” (pre-crisis) is not a the solution

INSTRUMENTS AND POLICIES FOR RESILIENCE

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Resilience strategies and Food Security

Source : HLPE report on Social Protection and Food Security

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Integrated approach for resilient livelihoods

Three pillars of Oxfam integrated program in Turkana, Kenya

• Livelihood promotionPoverty reduction by empowering pastoralists associations

(bargaining power, enhancing skills, promote governments support)

• Social protectionPublic support to allow pastoralists to take risks, absord shocks and cope

with chronic food insecurity

• Response to acute food insecurity in support of local economy

Cash transfers to strengthen local market system, strengthen women’s role

and status

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Resilience policies addressing inequalityFailures to Entitlements

Food Security Resilience instruments

Production Input subsidies Sustainable production methods, Agro-ecology

Livestock and crop insurances Climate adaptation production methods

Seed banks Strengthening smallholders knowledge systems

Water schemes Land reform and secure access to productive resources

Income and employment

Public Work Programmes Social protection Floor policies

Purchase for Progress Public Procurement Policies for Food Security

Trade Food Subsidies Decreasing food dependancy

Emergency reserves Integrated Food Reserves Policies

Forward & Future Contracts Price Stabilisation Policies

Transfers (un)conditional cash transfers Progressive tax system

Supplementary feeding Public investments to strengthen domestic food systems

Voice Collective bargaining Equitable Value Chains and Decent Work

Targeting most vulnerable Addressing causes of inequity through empowering

Vulnerable people as beneficiaries Human Rights norms and standards and gender equity

Public Goods Early warning systems Strengthening local knowledge systems

Integrated development programmes Public policies for access to health, education, credit…

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Resilience leading to tranformation of food system

Source : Agricultural Transition, 2012

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Lessons learned

Context sensitive (importance of good risk assessments) Convert uncertainties into risks (impact/probability) Manage the risks, not only the crises Essential role of public policies Twin-track strategies : essential assistance and protecting

productive and natural resources Flexible mechanisms and quickly adaptable to shocks Rights-based approach non-discrimination and equality,

participation, transparency and accountability Entails a transformation of food and agricultural systems by

addressing root causes of risks and inequalities Inclusive and accountable governance

Policy Recommendations for Resilience

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Funding Social Protection Floor for LDC

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Key policy recommendations

National governments :Increasing progressive tax revenues

Strengthen inclusive participatory decision-making processes

Invest in sectors that poor depend on for their livelihoods

Upgrade Social Protection policies and access to essential services

Address the specific gender vulnerability and inequality

International actors :Support social movements in addressing increasing risks and inequality

Addressing global risks in an ambitious, fair and sustainable way

Strengthen international governance and accountability based on HR

Insitute flexible long-term programming, adaptable to changing needs

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Thank you