| EP Public hearing addresses challenge of food security in developing countries |
 |
 |
|
The hearing saw the participation of Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs that outlined the European Commission’s (EC) development efforts in the agricultural sector. “What is to be taken for granted by us is a luxury in many developing countries. And this is not acceptable anymore in the 21st century”, Piebalgs said, pointing to the need to address food insecurity through increased provision of aid and comprehensive policy responses. Aid will however only have a significant impact on the fight against hunger “if we address each and every part of the chain, from access to land and water to seeds, from infrastructures to storage, from transport to distribution, etc.”, the Commissioner stressed. Gabriele Zimmer MEP, the co-author of the resolution, entitled “EU policy framework to assist developing countries in addressing food security challenges”, emphasised the need to not only ensure food access but to also consider the quality of the food provided if hunger is to be tackled effectively. In this regard she commended the Commission’s efforts in recognizing the human right to nutrition. Participants moreover called upon the EU to make sure that member states stick to their commitment to provide 0,7% of their GNI in aid. The importance of investing in developing countries was stressed, as was the need to have proper mechanism to ensure that the member states meet their aid commitments. Commissioner Piebalgs was reminded of the importance to invest in infrastructure in rural areas and urged the EC to improve its co-operation with local governments. Speaking on behalf of West African small holder organisations, Mr Sall pointed to the need to link food security policies to different factors, dealing with productivity, sustainable natural resource management and integration into the local economy. If the EU is to empower small holder farmers, linking those factors will be indispensable, Mr Sall said, emphasising the need to base those approaches on the respect for human rights. Participants further raised concerns regarding the domination of economic interests in the agricultural sector and called upon the EU to address speculation in agricultural commodities and land grabbing issues. Answering to the questions and comments raised during the discussion, Piebalgs announced that the new communication on EU development policy entitled “Agenda for change” to be published on 13 October would be more focused on local empowerment and private sector involvement initiatives than the current framework. Piebalgs further stressed that more integrated approaches to tackle food insecurity will be ensured as the Commission’s strategies will focus on agriculture, food security and nutrition. He also pointed to the need to address land grabbing through transparency initiatives and the importance of sustainability that will be increasingly supported. Piebalgs’ speech: EUROPA - Press Releases EP resolution: European Parliament - Texts adopted Source:  |
On 4 October, the European Parliament (EP) hosted a public hearing on food security in developing countries following the adoption of a non-legislative resolution in the plenary last week. Participants stressed the need for EU Development Policy to have agricultural development as one of its core aims and called upon the European Commission (EC) to strengthen the capacity of small scale farmers to contribute to food production in rural areas.
