Public Policy Overview
Public policy advocacy is one of the three pillars of the Foodgrains Bank’s mission of ending hunger. Changing public policies focuses mainly on Canadian government policies that affect the ability of people in developing countries to feed themselves. The current priorities of this work include:
1. Agriculture in Canadian Aid Programs – agricultural development is vital to the economies of most developing countries. Currently CIDA has no particular focus on agriculture. The Foodgrains Bank seeks to strengthen the case for a greater focus on small farm development in CIDA’s program
2. Canadian Food Aid Activities – Canada is one of the major contributors of international food aid. Our work seeks to improve the effectiveness of that food aid and to ensure a strong continuing role for Canada in international food aid.
3. International Agricultural Trade Policy – Canada has a strong influence in agricultural trade negotiations at the WTO. Developing countries and their own civil society organizations attach great importance to these negotiations and the effect of trade rules on their own ability to increase food security. The Foodgrains Bank seeks to research these issues and make representations to Canadian and other trade negotiators.
4. Human Right to Adequate Food – the task of ending hunger must be accompanied by the implementation of the human right to adequate food for everyone. Canada has in the past been a strong supporter of the right to food but in recent years this support has declined significantly. The Foodgrains Bank supports the implementation of the human right to adequate food in developing countries and in Canada.
The Foodgrains Bank works with its member agencies, their supporters and with other organizations in Canada and internationally to achieve these objectives.
The Public Policy team represents the Canadian Foodgrains Bank on the following coalitions:
Acronym |
Name |
Membership |
Where |
Mandate |
TAFAD |
Trans Atlantic Food Assistance Dialogue |
NGOs that program food aid |
International |
Monitor and improve use of food assistance |
FSPG |
Food Security Policy Group |
Development organizations and farm organizations |
Canadian |
Education and advocacy on global food security |
FSC |
Food Secure Canada |
Organizations and individuals concerned with food issues in Canada |
Canadian |
Education and advocacy on food security in Canada |
EAA |
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance |
Christian organizations involved in advocacy |
International |
Collective advocacy on food issues |
C4D |
Canadian Coalition on Climate Change and Development |
Development and environmental organizations |
Canadian |
Education and advocacy on climate change |
|
Mennonite Committee on Human Rights |
Organizations with Mennonite connections |
Winnipeg |
Exploration, education, action on human rights form a Mennonite perspective |
MaB
|
More and Better Campaign |
Development organizations |
International |
International campaign for food, agriculture and rural development aid to eradicate hunger and poverty
|