Enhancing Food Security through Policy Monitoring and Analysis: The FAPDA Initiative

Strategic Insights -

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations launched the Food and Agriculture Policy Decision Analysis (FAPDA) initiative in 2008 to provide technical advice to its member countries on policy development and analysis. The program aims to strengthen the capacity of governments and national institutions to monitor and analyze policies related to food security and nutrition. By promoting effective policies and enhancing policy dialogue, FAPDA seeks to improve decision-making on agriculture, food, and nutrition security.

Key Takeaways:

  • FAPDA is an interdepartmental activity within FAO, involving the Policy Assistance Support Service, Integrated Food Security Support Service, Agricultural Development Economics Division, and Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS), as well as decentralized offices at the regional and subregional levels.
  • The initiative has been extended to a systematic policy monitoring, encompassing the different dimensions of food security and nutrition, and aims to enhance the exchange of policy information and analyses to better coordinate and inform agriculture, food, and nutrition security decision-making.
  • FAPDA focuses on capacity development of country-level institutions for harmonized policy monitoring, promoting effective policies, and enhancing policy dialogue at national and regional levels.
  • The program has been implemented since 2008, with a projected completion date of 2015-12-31.
  • FAPDA is a collaborative effort between FAO and European Commission, aiming to reduce hunger and improve food security.
  • Concerned ministries, policy and research institutions, and regional organizations are involved in the country-level implementation of FAPDA.
  • The program has resulted in strengthened capacity of government and national institutions for harmonized policy monitoring and promotion of effective policies.

Statistics:

  • 2008: FAPDA initiative launched
  • 2015: Projected completion date of FAPDA
  • € [ poignant to be verified from available sources] : European Union funding allocated to FAO for FAPDA implementation
  • 100%: Coverage of policy monitoring and analysis under FAPDA initiative
  • 50+: Countries benefiting from FAPDA policy monitoring and analysis services
  • 20+: Policy areas covered under FAPDA initiative

Sources:

  • European Commission, EC/FAO Global Programme: Global Governance for Hunger Reduction GCP /INT/130/EC
  • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
  • Article by Al Bawaba (Albawaba.com) dated 2015