Presentation hold by Philippe Thomas, Head of sector, Food Crisis at DG DEVCO, European Commission, as part of the first panel of the 30th edition of the Brussels Briefing on “Agricultural resilience in the face of crisis and shocks", organized by CTA in collaboration with the ACP Secretariat, the EC/DEVCO, Concord, and IFPRI on 4th March 2013. More on: http://brusselsbriefings.net/

1. Brussels Briefing n. 30
Agricultural Resilience in the Face of Crises and Shocks
4th March 2013
http://brusselsbriefings.net
The EU approach to resilience: learning from food
security crises .
Philippe Thomas, Head of Sector, Food Crisis, DG
DEVCO, European Commission

2. The EU Approach to Resilience:
Learning from Food Security Crisis

3. An increasing fragile World
Food and
nutrition
insecurity
Food prices
fluctuation Poverty and limited
access to productive
assets
Exposure to
economic shocks and Inappropriate
political conflicts land tenure
Food systems
crises
Exposure to Environmental
natural hazards degradation and
desertification
Demography
and Climate
urbanization change
Pressure on
natural
resources

4. Resilience - Definition
Resilience is the
ability of an
individual, a
household, a
community, a country
or a region to
withstand, to adapt,
and to quickly recover
from stresses and
shocks.

5. Resilience at different levels, with
various dimensions
International
National
Local/communities
Individual/household

6. Areas of resilience improvement
Strengthening Capacities
Availability Access
• Improved inputs (e.g. resistant • Social protection (e.g. social
varieties) transfers)
• Sustainable agriculture • Alternative incomes
• Good practices of DRR • Food self-production
Food
Crises
Stability
Utilization
• Food and agri-input stocks
• Hygiene and nutrition education
• Food assistance
• Diet diversification and food
• Strengthening of local markets
quality improvement
• Insurance schemes

7. SHARE and AGIR: 2 pilot initiatives
AGIR Initiative SHARE Initiative
Horn of Africa
protracted crises
Sahel recurrent
drought
• Environmental crises • Political, economic and
• 18 million affected people environmental crisis
• Major agricultural losses • 12 million affected people
• Food crisis • Soaring food insecurity and
undernutrition
• end hunger and malnutrition • Food crises
• achieve a substantial and durable
improvement in the resilience of the • treatment of severe malnutrition
most vulnerable populations in infants
• improved management of natural
Global Partnership between West resources, livestock health and
Africa countries and regional trade, agriculture
organizations (ECOWAS UEMOA and • alternative income generating
CILSS) and their international activities
partners, civil society and private • basic services (water, sanitation)
sector • DRR
500 m € for the EU Action Partnership with IGAD- Global
Alliance
Plan
260 m € for the recovery

8.  Resilience supported by EDF- Regional Programmes
Réserve régionale de sécurité alimentaire pour l'Afrique de l'Ouest
(pilot phase: 56 millions €, à partir de 2013)
« Répondre efficacement aux crises alimentaires aux côtés des Etats et des acteurs, tout
en contribuant à la mise en œuvre de l’ECOWAP/PDDAA dans une perspective de sécurité
et de souveraineté alimentaires régionales »
Three level of intervention:
- Local stocks (at local community level)
- National reserves (managed by each country)
- Regional reserves (managed through regional institutions)
Sites of storage:
1. North Nigeria/south Niger
2. South Mali/South Burkina/North Ghana
3. Senegal
4. Guinea/ Liberia/Sierra Leone
Mobilization of the stocks done on the pay back principle!!!

9. Sustainable agriculture
o Improved and more resilient agricultural techniques and practices
o Seeds varieties resistant to pests and extreme weather
o Sustainable use of water and other natural resources
o Improved positive interaction between agriculture and natural
resources
o Better management of waste and reduced post-harvest losses
o Reduce dependence from energy and non-renewable resources
(fossil fuels, mineral fertilizers)
o Sustainable intensification of agriculture

10. What is the Commission proposing? (1)
1. Resilience as a priority for EU funding: support to
partner countries' own resilience strategies
2. A new strategic approach
 - Address root causes of vulnerability
 - Long term commitment
 - Strengthening capacities at all levels – from individual to
regional institutions
 - Coordinated planning and programming between
humanitarian and development actors
- Flexibility and adaptation to changing circumstances
- Local ownership and working in partnership

11. What is the Commission proposing? (2)
3. Developping a deeper understanding of risk
reduction and management (methodologies+ replication
of successful approaches)
4. International advocacy
5. Developping new instruments: innovative
approaches to risk reduction and management, use
of trust funds…

12. Way forwards: Geographical evidence -
lack of resilience to food crises
?
?
?
?
?
LDC LMIC UMIC & Graduated

13. Next steps:
 - Action Plan in 2013
 - Council Conclusions
 - EDF / DCI 2014-2020 & AGIR
Political commitment should be translated into
practice ! …

14. Package for 2013: overview of EU policy initiatives
Nutrition policy
Food security policy (2013)
(2010) + Council + Commission Action Plan Resilience approach
Conclusions to achieve 2012 (2012)
commitment to reduce
stunting in 7 million
children by 2025 (annex)
Food and nutrition security implementation
plan (2013)
Joint undertaking: Commission and Member States

15. Thank you !