Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the progress that has been made on the reform process regarding the Committee on World Food Security and its role within the UN system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29665/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The first meeting of the reformed Committee on World Food Security (CFS) took place from 11th to 16th October 2010. The reform of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has been brought about both by the ongoing reform of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and by the increasing recognition, since the 2008 food price spikes, of the need to improve global governance in food and nutrition security.

These food price crises have brought greater focus on the role that this Committee can play. The vision of the reformed CFS is to be an inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for all stakeholders to work together to ensure food security and nutrition for all. The Committee is intended to be a central component in the global food security architecture and aims to; achieve greater inclusivity through strong involvement from Civil Society, increase capacity to address food insecurity thorough use of a High Level Panel of Experts to provide the most comprehensive scientific input, and develop greater policy coordination and coherence.

The main highlight of the new Committee was the increased involvement of civil society organisations. Non-governmental organisations participated in all the debates on the same basis as Member Governments and a formal mechanism was agreed for the ongoing involvement of, and support for, NGOs participation. Discussions at CFS concentrated on the issues of land tenure, price volatility and protracted crises. A set of international guidelines is currently being drawn up by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation on responsible governance on land tenure. The new High Level Panel of Experts has been asked to report on the issue of price volatility, including its causes and possible ameliorating measures. As part of the process of increased policy coherence, the CSF will commence work on drawing up a global strategic framework for food security and nutrition.

Ireland is very supportive of the ongoing reform and looks forward to further developments in this process. At the recent CFS meeting Ireland was represented on the Speakers Panel in an important side event to highlight the importance of the Nutrition Framework (SUN), which aims to support nutrition interventions in early childhood.