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Zero Hunger Challenge (ZHC)
WORKING GROUP 4 - “100% INCREASE IN SMALLHOLDER PRODUCTIVITY AND INCOME”
Terms of Reference

TOR – Consultation process
Jointly agreed by the Co-Chairs: 9 December 2014
Circulated to WG participants: in process
Circulated to ZHC Global Focal Points:
Shared with HLTF Senior Steering Group for information: 10 December 2014 (version agreed by Co-Chairs)

Background

1. The High Level Task Force on Global Food Security (HLTF) was established in April 2008, to provide coherent, coordinated and effective support to countries endeavouring to cope with food insecurity. The HLTF brought together 23 agencies, funds, programmes, departments and coordinating bodies in the UN system “to create a prioritized plan of action and coordinate its implementation” . The Comprehensive Framework for Action on Food and Nutrition Security (CFA), which was first developed in 2008, and updated and summarized in 2010 and 2011 correspondingly, encouraged common positions on various aspects of food security across the UN system. Drawing on these positions, HLTF Chairman, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, launched the Zero Hunger Challenge initiative (ZHC) at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012.

The ZHC is a rallying vision for governments and other relevant stakeholders to scale up efforts to eliminate hunger through sustainable agriculture and food systems. Its five inter-related and mutually reinforcing pillars are that (1) every individual has access to adequate food all year round; (2) no child suffers from stunting; (3) all food systems are sustainable; (4) there is 100% increase in productivity and income of smallholder farmers, especially women; and that (5) no food is being lost or wasted.

ZHC element 4: “100% increase in smallholder productivity and income”

Working successfully on the “100% increase in smallholder productivity and income” pillar of the Zero Hunger Challenge will involve inter alia the following:

Reducing rural poverty and improving wellbeing through encouraging decent work, entrepreneurship, and increasing smallholders’ income; empowering women, small farmers, fishers, pastoralists, young people, farmer organizations, indigenous people and their communities; supporting agricultural research, innovation and adoption of good practices; improving land tenure, access to assets and to natural resources, making sure that all investments in agriculture and value chains are sustainable, responsible and accountable; developing multidimensional indicators for people’s resilience and wellbeing.

Implementation

In relation to the “100% increase in smallholder productivity and income” pillar, the HLTF will advocate for and coordinate their support to all stakeholders through the following:

1. A "working definition" of the various dimensions and implications of this pillar;

2. Approaches to measure progress in improving smallholder productivity and incomes approved by the Working Group;

3. A review of the key policy measures and approaches that have proved successful in substantially increasing smallholder productivity and incomes in different contexts;

4. A review of key successful approaches led by, or with a key role for, farmers' organizations, other civil society organizations, and the private sector.

More specifically, the following outputs will be produced:

1. A summary document on the“100% increase in smallholder productivity and income” pillar, laying out:

    a. The content and rationale of this pillar and its contribution to sustainable, inclusive and equitable development in all its dimensions (including food security and nutrition and inclusive and sustainable growth);

    b. A succinct summary of challenges confronting smallholder agriculture and affecting negatively productivity and incomes, through a gender-sensitive lens;

    c. Key policy measures related to enhancing smallholder productivity and incomes, taking into account that these are affected by a number of factors impacting on smallholders (including education, access to assets, finance, technology, markets, and decent jobs), that their livelihoods are often diversified and also rely on non-farm employment and/or social protection, and that gender-specific policy measures are typically required.;

    d. Key metrics for measuring progress;

    e. The role of non-state actors (civil society, farmers' organizations, private sector, and others) in enhancing smallholder productivity and incomes;

    f. Main relevant HLTF policies and programmes;

    g. Way forward and policy recommendations.

2. A more detailed document, documenting evidence-based good practices in addressing various challenges and constraints in achieving Pillar 4 – bearing in mind that this pillar is to be addressed together with the rest of the ZHC – that could be up-scaled and replicated in other countries/regions and serve as references for all relevant stakeholders;

3. Common positions/messages that the HLTF can take forward on various issues related to Pillar 4 (to be advanced through different fora, e.g. CFS or ECOSOC side events).

Working Group on ZHC element 4

Participation by HLTF entities in the WG4 is voluntary. HLTF entities wishing to participate in the WG4 should inform in writing the co-leads.

The WG4 will operate as a light touch mechanism with a time frame for the delivery of outputs of 4 months (December 2014 – March 2015).


1 HLTF entities include: FAO, IFAD, ILO, IMF, UNHCR, OECD, MDGs, UNICEF, UNCTAD, DESA, DPKO, DPA, DPI, UNDP, UNEP, OCHA, OHCHR, OHRLLS, OOSA, World Bank, WFP, WHO, WTO.
1Chief Executives Board communiqué, Bern, Switzerland, 29 April 2008