Committee on World Food Security Works For Better Global Food Security Governance

The newly reformed Committee on World Food Security (CFS) started their 5-day intergovernmental meeting last 11 October 2010 at Rome, Italy. Since their last session in October 2009, the committee has been undergoing a major reform to make CFS the most comprehensive international and intergovernmental platform for all important stakeholders to unite towards ensuring food security and nutrition for all.

In the current meeting, more stakeholders, i.e. non-governmental organization, civil society organizations, other UN bodies, the private sector, and philanthropic representatives are participating in the Committee's discussions. CFS are also seeking advise from High-Level Panel of Experts in various fields concerning food security and nutrition. On an operational level, the CFS Secretariat is now composed of three Rome-based food and agriculture organizations-Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and World Food Programme (WFP).

"This week marks the launch of a strategically coordinated global effort to draw on the combined strengths of all stakeholders engaged in the fight against global hunger," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran. "With recent volatility in commodity prices and increased global demand for food this comes not a moment too soon. The reformed CFS has an opportunity and a responsibility to rally nations of the world to respond effectively, efficiently and coherently to provide vital humanitarian assistance when disasters strike and build long-term food security."

Read the complete news release at http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/46353/icode/.