Presentación de Deep Ford, Coordinador Regional para el Caribe de la FAO en el marco de la XXXIV Conferencia Regional de la FAO para América Latina y el Caribe #LARC34

1. Transformation of the rural sector in
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
J. R. Deep Ford
FAO Coordinator, Caribbean Region

2. Organization of the Presentation
• What is successful rural transformation in LAC ?
• What are some specific challenges to be
addressed during rural transformation in LAC ?
• How do we achieve rural transformation in LAC ?
• Results – Virtuous circles of development

3. WHAT IS SUCCESS
IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE RURAL SECTOR IN LAC?
• Increased Food and Nutrition
Security
• Sustainable Use of Natural
Resources
• Dynamic Food and Agricultural
Systems and Rural Development

4. WHAT IS SUCCESS
IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE RURAL SECTOR IN LAC?
• Social Inclusion
• Capacity Building, Access to
Resources and Services, Innovation
and Knowledge Sharing
• Poverty Reduction and Stable
Growth Paths

5. SPECIFIC CHALLENGES IN LAC
High Rural Poverty Rates (especially,
among indigenous and afro-
descendants)
 According to ECLAC in 2014 there
were 167 million people in
situations of poverty (28% of the
total population), of whom 71
million (12% of the total
population) were indigent.
 The majority of Indigenous and
Afro-descendants in Latin
America and the Caribbean live
below the poverty line.
 34.9 million of undernourished
people in LAC (5.6% of population).
 29.2% average prevalence of
anaemia among pregnant women
and 34.6% among children <5 years
in LAC.
 Average Obesity in LAC - 24.5%
males, 44.1% females (BMI ≥ 30
kg/m², > 30 years)
High Food Insecurity and
Triple Burden of Malnutrition

6. SPECIFIC CHALLENGES IN LAC
High heterogeneity of the Latin American and Caribbean economies
 GDP per capita the region ranges from 824 US$ in Haiti to
22,217 US$ in The Bahamas
 GDP Growth from -4% in Venezuela to 7.3% in Dom. Republic
 Food Imports as a % of Total Imports from 2.4% in Argentina to
35.5% in Antigua and Barbuda
 Undernourishment from <5% in 8 countries to 53.4% in Haiti
 Agriculture as % of GDP from 0.6% in Trinidad and Tobago to
20.5% in Paraguay
 Unemployment from 2.7% in Bolivia to 21.2% in Guyana;
 Employment in Agriculture from 0.5% in Argentina to 35.8% in
Honduras

7. SPECIFIC CHALLENGES IN LAC
Selected LAC Countries
Population below
national
poverty line,
total, %
Population
below national
poverty line,
urban, %
Population below
national poverty
line, rural, %
Argentina 4.7
Bolivia 45 36.8 63.1
Brazil 8.9
Chile 14.4 12.4 27.9
Colombia 30.6 26.9 42.8
Costa Rica 22.4 19.5 30.3
Dominican Republic 41.1 36.3 51.2
Ecuador 22.5 16.4 35.3
El Salvador 29.6 26.2 36
Guatemala 53.7 35 71.4
Haiti 58.5 40.6 74.9
Honduras 64.5 60.4 68.5
Jamaica 19.9 10.6 25.1
Mexico 52.3 45.5 63.6
Nicaragua 42.5 26.8 63.3
Panama 25.8 13.8 49.4
Paraguay 23.8 13.8 33.8
Peru 23.9 16.1 48
Uruguay 11.5 12 3
Venezuela 24.2
AVERAGE 32.4 25.2 46.3 Source: UN MDG
High rural vs urban poverty

8. SPECIFIC CHALLENGES IN LAC
Increased Impact of Natural
Disasters/Climate Change
Income Inequality
and Lack of Social Inclusion
Caribbean
South America
Central America
119
159
159
152
304
152
Occurence of Natural Disasters
2005-2015 1995-2005
 Average GINI coefficient in LAC is 48.1.
 The richest 1% in Latin America and
the Caribbean owns 41% of the
region’s total wealth (Oxfam, 2015).

9. How do we achieve rural transformation in LAC ?
Effective Policies
Coordination and
integration
across
Governments,
Civil Societies
and Private
Sector
Support for Family
Farming
Strengthening rural-
urban linkages for
territorial
development
Support for
farmers'
organizations and
Rural
Entrepreneurship
Promotion of value chain
development for
sustainable food systems
Development of coping
mechanisms and risk
management strategies
Strengthen the
capacities of local
institutions and
provision of public
goods
Access to Rural Services,
Land and Productive
Resources

10. HOW DO WE ACHIEVE RURAL TRANSFORMATION IN LAC ?
EFFECTIVE POLICIES
Support for Family Farming
 Competitive as an intensive farming unit
 Social, cultural and environmental role
 Differentiated public policy and targeting
 Incentives to facilitate entrepreneurship
 Farmer organization strengthening

11. HOW DO WE ACHIEVE RURAL TRANSFORMATION IN LAC ?
EFFECTIVE POLICIES
 Small and medium sized cities as poles of
rural development
 Reduce contrasting urban/rural livelihood
realities – increases decentralization of
rural services
 Strengthen local institutions and civil
society
 Farm and non-farm investment synergies
Strengthening Rural Urban linkages
and Territorial Development

12. HOW DO WE ACHIEVE RURAL TRANSFORMATION IN LAC ?
EFFECTIVE POLICIES
Value Chain development for Dynamic and
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
 Increased resource use productivity
 Public Private Partnerships
 Increased product transformation
 Farmer to market linkages
 Segmented markets, facilitation of
market entry and promotion

13. HOW DO WE ACHIEVE RURAL TRANSFORMATION IN LAC ?
EFFECTIVE POLICIES
 Social protection to break poverty cycle
 Agro-ecosystems that have greater
resilience
 New more stable ways of living –
consumer and producer choices
 Responsibility and self reliance
 Improved governance systems
Support for coping mechanisms and risk
management strategies

14. Importance of Governance
“ Good Governance is
perhaps the single most
important factor in
eradicating poverty and
promoting
development”
Kofi Annan, UN
Secretary General, HDR,
2002.

15. Governance for
Food and Nutrition Security
Good Governance for FNS is
underpinned by principles
such as responsiveness,
accountability and
transparency, participation,
effective management and
commitments to inclusion
and rights.
Achieving Good Governance for FNS implies an integrated, inclusive and
holistic approach that coordinates the actions of different sectors,
stakeholders, institutions and policies creating a framework of trust,
coherence and multi institutional collaboration dedicated to FNS Goals.
POLITY
Institutional
Framework
POLICY
Public
Policy
POLITICS
Political
Process

16. Process Results – Integrated Effective Institutions
FNS
Agriculture
Trade
Health
Education
Social
Protection
Nutrition
Climate
Change
Adaptation
Disaster Risk
Management
Economic
Growth
Food and Nutrition Security is about much more than agriculture and food.
We need to move to more integrated approaches !

17. Process Results – Social Protection Policy Impacts
School Feeding
Improved
Health and
Learning
Higher
Productivity
More
Efficient
Family Farms
More
Income
Opportu
nities
More
Investment and
Employment
More Social
Expenditures
Improved
Public Policy
Interventions

18. Process Results – Rural Territorial Development
Improved Rural Services and
Infrastructure management
Increased Access and
Resilience of
livelihoods
Diversification
of value chains
Increased
Incomes
Rural
Development
Economic
Development
More Rural
Prosperity
Public Policy
Intervention

19. Process Results – Dynamic sustainable rural businesses
Value-chain Development
Incentives
Improved
Production
Systems
Increased
access to
markets
Increased
revenues
and
income
Increased
Investment
Increased
Efficiency and
Growth
Social and Environmental
development
expenditures
Public Policy
Intervention

20. Roles and Responsibilities
• Facilitate coordination and provide
supplementary and complementary support,
public policy and proposal development
Local
Government
• Delivery of public services, use of public
finances for inclusive development
Public Sector
• Investments in the agriculture and food
industry, engagement in cooperation,
partnerships and equitable development
Private Sector
• Establish dialogue and collaboration -
greater understanding, responsibility and
accountability
Civil Society
•Provide knowledge of local needs and
priorities, successfully implement Public Policies
FAO

21. Ultimate Result -- Improved Food Security, Reduced Poverty
and Sustainable Food Systems
More Healthy Consumption
Decisions (nutritional
education, increased
production of local food)
Sustainable Production
Systems ( dynamic,
sustainable and resilient
value chains)

22. Let’s work together!