(Extracted from SPFS/DOC/24 Rev. 1)

Outline of an Aide-Mémoire

SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR FOOD SECURITY (SPFS)

EXPLORATORY MISSION TO INITIATE SPFS PROGRAMME

FORMULATION

(Name of the country)

AIDE MÉMOIRE

Introduction

Following the request made by the Government of ............. to participate in the SPFS, an exploratory mission visited the country from .... to .... (month and year) to: (i) brief the Government authorities on SPFS rationale, objectives, approach and implementation procedures; (ii) reach an understanding with the Government on the general framework for Programme activities; (iii) make arrangements for the formulation of the SPFS National Programme Document (NPD) and the project documents¹ for the Phase I; (iv) ensure practical arrangements for the implementation of the SPFS; (v) agree on the follow-up actions to be undertaken by the Government and FAO.

The mission, with the active participation of the FAO Representative and other FAO experts/consultants in the country and the full involvement of the National SPFS Coordinator designate, held meetings with Ministers of Agriculture, (Foreign Affairs) and (Planning), as well as with officials of other relevant government institutions, the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN System Representatives, international and regional financial institutions, and the donor community. A list of persons met is included as Annex 1.

Discussions centred on adapting the philosophy, rationale, objectives and approach to the SPFS as explained in the basic documentation provided by FAO ² to the particular needs of .............. (country).

This Aide Mémoire records the understandings and agreements reached between FAO and the Government.

SUMMARY OF UNDERSTANDINGS AND AGREEMENTS REACHED

The Special Programme for Food Security

The Government reiterated its commitment to the SPFS philosophy, objectives and approach and agreed to initiate a National Food Security Programme in accord with the SPFS principles, methodologies and with FAO's established procedures and technical guidance.

The Government presented its food security strategy and related programmes and confirmed that the SPFS approach was consistent with these, particularly in terms of improving food availability and reducing year-to-year variability of supplies.

(NOTE: In countries where there is not yet a food security strategy, the following paragraph could be used: The Government declared that the formulation of a national food security strategy is to be initiated, for which FAO will be requested to provide technical support. It also indicated its intent to apply SPFS concepts and methodologies in the strategy.)

With regard to the specific orientation for the SPFS National Programme, the Government stressed that this matter would be subject to detailed analysis by the National SPFS Coordinator and the National Formulation Team (NFT) during the formulation stage.

The Government acknowledged that the formulation of the SPFS is a national responsibility and agreed, therefore, to provide all necessary resources, starting with the required technical expertise and facilities for that purpose.

The mission, on behalf of the Director-General of FAO, reconfirmed that FAO stands ready to support the preparation and implementation of the Special Programme in the country and to allocate limited financial resources for the formulation of the Phase I.

Formulation of the SPFS National Programme

Agreement was reached that the following criteria would be applied in the process of preparing the SPFS National Programme:i.) The SPFS is a nationally owned programme to be prepared and implemented under national leadership, with the support of FAO;

• Its main objective is to help the country to improve its national food security by bringing about sustainable increases in food production and productivity as well as reductions in seasonal and year-to-year variability in production on an economically and environmentally sustainable basis; and improvements in people's access to food;
• Pragmatism, people's participation at all stages, multidisciplinarity, social equity, gender sensitivity and environmental sustainability are key elements in the SPFS. The Programme starts with activities which are simple and offer high returns. Field activities are implemented under farmer leadership, with the Programme providing technical assistance and the means and tools required for effective implementation. The Programme is multidisciplinary both in terms of commodities and production processes, covering the whole food chain in a systems context; it ensures that benefits flow to small farmers and poorer segments of society. Moreover, it provides for the productive and effective participation of women at all stages. Biodiversity, natural resources and the existing ecosystems are protected by promoting production techniques that do not harm the environment.
• The Programme should be planned for implementation in two phases, namely a Phase I and a Phase II which may, in certain cases, overlap;
• Demonstrations of improved technologies would be carried out during the Phase I in around 30 sites in the country, 3-4 of which would centre around urban and peri-urban agriculture. Particular attention should be placed on the designs of the demonstrations, which should meet scientific and statistical criteria (see SPFS/DOC/20 for details), and the choice of sites, for which a justification should be provided. Activities included in the Phase I would respond to the particular needs of farmers, as identified through a participatory approach, within the following four inter-related and complementary areas:
• water control including on-farm water management, water harvesting, small-scale irrigation and drainage; and post production operations;
• sustainable intensification of field, tree and vegetable crop production systems, including use of improved planting materials, integrated plant nutrition management, integrated pest management and improved post-production and harvest operations, combined with appropriate marketing and rural finance systems;
• diversification of farming systems through incorporation of small livestock (poultry, goats, sheep, pigs, etc.), aquaculture, artisanal fisheries, forestry and agro-forestry; small game farming, including production production and post-production operations;
• systematic analysis of constraints to improved food security, giving special attention to identifying and resolving social, economic, institutional, policy and environmental constraints impeding food production and productivity; and post-production operations.
• The Phase II would normally consist of a combination of a food security and agricultural sector policy programme which would address macro-level socio-economic constraints and create an environment favourable to expanded agricultural production, processing, marketing and trade and to access to food; an agricultural investment programme, aimed at overcoming physical constraints to expanded output, including infrastructure, and to increase the flow of private and public financing into agricultural activities and services; and the preparation of project feasibility studies of bankable projects.
• From the outset, the SPFS National Programme should be fully integrated into national programmes through appropriate institutional mechanisms at policy and technical levels, which will be replicated at regional/provincial levels, bringing together local leaders, farmers and technicians with expertise in all areas for activity covered by the SPFS.

One of the requirements for launching the Special Programme is the preparation by the Government, using methodologies which maximise stakeholders' involvement, of: (i) an SPFS National Programme Document (NPD), consisting of (a) a section setting out the country's food security strategy and showing how the Programme fits within this; and (b) a section containing a description of the SPFS components, including budgets for each component. This may be supported by additional project documents for each component of the Phase I for each set of activities to be financed by a different source of finance in the format required by the donor. A suggested table of contents for each of these documents as well as the schedule of activities for the formulation of the NPD and the outlines of project documents for each component, which were discussed and approved by both partners, is given in Annex 2.

The Government confirmed the appointment of a National Coordinator to lead the Programme and expressed its intention to establish a multi-disciplinary National Formulation Team (NFT) for programme and project formulation, which would include expertise in each of the Programme's main areas of activity. The composition and terms of reference for the National Coordinator and NFT, as agreed upon by the Government and FAO, are given in Annex 3.

The Government agreed in principle on the selection of sites for the implementation of the programme, and on programme components, as given in Annex 4.

In order to support programme formulation process, the Mission indicated that FAO is prepared to provide technical guidance and contribute to the costs, including those related to the hiring of national consultants and of extended staff visits to project sites for the purposes of providing technical services and involving intended beneficiaries in SPFS design. Terms of reference for national consultants are included as Annex 5.

The Government, in addition to utilising its own resources, committed itself to mobilise funding for SPFS activities from its development partners, including international and regional financial institutions, UNDP and other donors. FAO agreed to assist the Government in its efforts to raise funding from external donors for SPFS programme implementation.

The Government and FAO mutually agreed to expedite endorsement and approval of the National SPFS documents so as to facilitate a timely start of Phase I activities.

Implementation of the National SPFS

The Government has agreed to assign human resources at the level required to ensure an effective and efficient execution of the activities, as well as to allocate financial resources as will be indicated in the respective budgets in the NPD and project documents.

The SPFS Phase I will be implemented by a national team integrated into existing local institutions, and will be supported, as necessary, by technical assistance from FAO and other sources.

FAO agrees to provide technical assistance, supervision and backstopping during the implementation of the SPFS Phase I, as necessary, and in line with the requirements specified in the project document as finally approved.

Institutional Framework for the National SPFS

The Government has provided assurances that, from the outset, the SPFS will be fully integrated into national programmes through an appropriate institutional mechanism at policy and technical levels. Policy direction for the Programme will be provided by a National Steering Committee at Ministerial level. This Committee will be incorporated to the maximum extent possible into existing planning and implementation mechanisms, particularly those involved in food security, agriculture and rural development programmes and activities.

Likewise the Government has also agreed to establish a National Technical Committee which would involve Directors of relevant technical services, in particular, Crop, Livestock, Water Resources and Irrigation, Fisheries, Forestry, Food, etc., as well as other parties who could contribute substantively in Programme implementation, with the National Coordinator of the Programme serving as the Committee's Executive Secretary. Similar arrangements will be replicated for policy and technical guidance at regional/provincial levels. At field level, the Programme will be planned and overseen by a local level committee, bringing together local leaders, farmers and technicians with expertise in the main areas of activity covered by the SPFS (for terms of reference, see Annex 6 ).

Funding Arrangements

The Government, in addition to utilizing its own resources in-kind or in cash, expressed its readiness to ensure the continuation of whatever would be started with resources from FAO's Regular Programme, using either domestic or donor subscribed funds. FAO will be prepared to assist the Government in the preparation of the project proposals and supporting studies to obtain such funds. (See attached Outline ... Annex ...).

The Mission stressed that the SPFS Phase II would require considerably larger financial resources which would need to come from the donor community, multilateral and regional financial institutions, and the private sector, as well as from the Government itself. FAO will assist the Government to mobilise these resources. Innovative ways of ensuring that investment resources in local, national and donor budgets actually reach communities will also be required. These efforts should be based on the continuous involvement of, and interaction with, potential donors and private investors, both at country and international level, beginning at a very early stage.

24. The Government indicated its readiness to provide necessary personnel and resources for carrying out financial and economic analysis of activities for phase I, as needed to clarify the benefits and costs of investment alternatives to potential donors and private investors.

South-South Cooperation

The Government was informed of FAO's initiative on South-South cooperation, launched within the framework of the SPFS, as outlined in document SPFS/DOC/11 Rev. 1 "Special Programme on Food Security and South-South Cooperation", and confirmed its interest in exploring with FAO options for securing assistance under these arrangements.

Follow-up Activities

The National SPFS Coordinator, together with the NFT and with the assistance of the national consultants will work towards finalising the NPD and, as appropriate, other Project Documents for the Phase I by, respectively, ........ (date), ...... (date).

The Government will review the NPD and will approve them by ...... (date) and ....... (date), after which they will be submitted to FAO for consideration and approval. Cleared project documents shall be submitted to FAO for consideration and approval well before the beginning of the season, together with the time phased Work Plan for each site.

The Government undertook to design and establish, as soon as possible, the institutional framework for the National SPFS and to incorporate it in the NPD for the Phase I.

The FAO Representative in the country will monitor SPFS formulation and will periodically report on progress to FAO Headquarters.

If deemed necessary and at the request of the Government, FAO will provide technical support for the formulation of the NPD and the Phase I Project documents, and in preparing a detailed plan of work for the first season at each site.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Mission wishes to thank Government authorities, donors and international agencies' Representatives in the country and staff of FAO Representation for the interest and support provided during its stay in ........ .

Government Authorities:

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FAO:	Name and title: -------------------------------------------------

Date:

Annexes

Annex 1: List of Persons Met

Annex 2: Outline of National Programme Document

Annex 3: Terms of Reference of National Coordinator and National Formulation Team

Annex 4: Sites Selected and Details Project Components

Annex 5: Terms of Reference of National Consultants (if available)

Annex 6: Outline of a Project Document (if relevant)

1 The format of this document will depend on the funding source, e.g., project documents for funding from trust fund, SPFS, or UNDP, project agreement for funding from TCP, etc. Moreover, depending on availability of funding, this document could cover the whole programme or specific components.

2 Mainly SPFS/DOC/4-Rev-1 "Rationale, Objectives and Approach", but also SPFS/DOC/17 "Guidelines for the Special Programme for Food Security", related materials include SPFS/DOC/16 "Framework for the Formulation of TCP Water Control Projects in Support of the Special Programme for Food Security", SPFS/DOC/19-Rev.1 "Implementation of the Special Programme for Food Security within the Framework of the Follow-up to the World Food Summit -Introductory Note for Potential Partners", SPFS/DOC/22 "Diversification Component", SPFS/DOC/11 Rev. 1 "Special Programme for Food Security and South-South Cooperation" and SPFS/DOC/20 "Farm Demonstration Protocol Guide".