Established in 1997 by FAO and IFAD, in close collaboration with WFP, the ACC Network on Rural Development and Food Security is a new partnership approach towards tackling rural development challenges at the country level. It brings together key actors for the achievement of the shared goals of food for all and rural poverty reduction. The Network is a mechanism for follow-up to the World Food Summit Plan of Action, which stressed the need for coordinated and focused action at the country level. Some activities on rural development and food security stimulated by the Network range from supporting the Special Programme on Food Security (SPFS), to developing Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information Mapping Systems (FIVIMS), from addressing El Niño effects on food production and to assisting the World Food Programme (WFP) in food aid.
The ACC Network on Rural Development and Food Security aims to mobilize support for government efforts to implement the World Food Summit Plan of Action and rural development and food security programmes; to reinforce ties between UN system organizations and other stakeholders and to foster complementarities and synergies, as well as the exchange and dissemination of information, experiences and best practices.
At the country level, the ACC Network consists of national Thematic Groups working on rural development and food security. At the international level, these national Thematic Groups are supported by a network of interested UN system organizations and associated international and regional NGOs.
The Thematic Group is an integral part of the ACC Network. Thematic Groups on Rural Development and Food Security have been established in 69 countries within the UN Resident Coordinator System, and are usually facilitated by the FAO or UNDP Representative. The Thematic Group typically comprises a cross-section of interested partners at the country level - representatives from UN system organizations, government, donors, civil society and the private sector. This broad-based membership creates a dynamic framework in which to plan and implement collaborative activities; identify resources for country activities; promote new projects; share information, knowledge and expertise; and ensure coordinated technical support to national efforts.
As of January 2002, 70 national Thematic Groups have been firmly established, and a further 13 national Thematic Groups are in the initial stages of development,in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Near East. Efforts are now underway to promote the establishment of such national Thematic Groups in Central and Eastern European countries.
Thematic Groups set an agenda and select priority themes for action, based on country-level needs and government-identified priorities. These topics are wide-ranging and typically include: food security, supply and aid; nutrition and health; activities in support of the food insecurity and vulnerability information mapping system (FIVIMS); gender and development; natural resources and the environment; emergency situations and natural disasters; strengthening the productive capacities of rural populations; development of the non-farm sector; water use and management; land tenure; animal husbandry; and agrarian issues.
UN financing agencies, such as UNDP, World Bank, IFAD, UNIFEM, UNICEF and bilateral donors are already funding rural development and food security activities within the framework of Thematic Groups.These activities range from the development of national food security strategies, country nutrition profiles, participatory needs' assessment, and information systems to the design and implementation of rural development programmes. Thematic Groups are increasingly creating strong linkages between sectoral programmes and broader, multisectoral UN system initiatives.
The ACC Network facilitates networking not only at the country level, but also promotes linkages between Thematic Groups both within and across regions, promoting partnerships between developing countries. Such linkages may lead to the creation of sub-regional, regional and cross-regional clusters of Thematic Groups based upon common interests, whether thematic, linguistic, geographic or agro-ecological. At the global level, the Network currently includes 20 interested UN system organizations, which participate in and support the country-level Thematic Groups. For this purpose, focal points in the different participating UN organizations have been designated and electronic conferences are used.
One of the guiding principles of the the ACC Network is that it be pluralistic, involving all stakeholders for coordinated efforts and knowledge sharing. A wide range of actors from civil society and NGOs already participate in the ACC Network, working in concrete areas to maximize synergy and complementarity and achieve maximum impact in development efforts.
The ACC Network Secretariat, located in FAO's Rural Development Division (SDA), is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Network. The Secretariat includes a Help Desk system of SDA officers, who, through e-mail and technical missions, provide direct and practical assistance to FAO Representatives and Thematic Groups; from help in the design and implementation of agendas to technical advice and information on issues related to rural development. The Help Desk system also facilitates linkages between Thematic Groups, UN organizations and other partners and promotes cooperation between Thematic Groups and the exchange of experiences at country and regional levels.
In addition, IFAD manages and maintains the on-line ACC Evaluation Knowledge Web (EVAK), a specialized evaluation forum that provides an opportunity for interested donors, governments, NGOs and others to exchange knowledge on selected topics such as land tenure, migrations and rural credit.
At the international level, cooperation with UN partners has mainly taken place through the ACC Network Website, where thematic articles have been contributed by UN focal points in IFAD, UNDP, UNEP, UNDCP, UNESCO, UNIDO and the World Bank. The newly re-designed ACC Network Website was launched on 12 November 1999. The site, available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish, will serve as an interactive forum for networking and the exchange of lessons learnt and best practices. Another important channel of communication between FAO Headquarters and national Thematic Groups is e-mail. The bi-monthly updates of the Network's Website are also distributed by e-mail to partners, an e-mail discussion list open to all Network members has been created and electronic conferences are planned for the near future. In addition, the publication 'Guidelines for Thematic Groups' (available in English, French and Spanish) provides advice in establishing and operating national Thematic Groups, describes the international support system and suggests possible courses of action.
ACC Network Secretariat
Rural Development Division (SDA)
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy.
E-mail: rdfs-net@fao.org
Fax: 00-39-06-57053250.