The Committee on World Food Security is the United Nations’ “most inclusive body,” providing a seat at the table for governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector. It operates by consensus, negotiating policy documents on key food security themes line by line — until everyone agrees.
But the inclusivity that some see as the body’s greatest asset is a hindrance to others, dragging down its ability to reach deals and affect policy on important issues affecting global food security — such as land tenure and nutrition — as prices of key staples remain elevated globally and hunger spikes.
The relatively little known CFS was created in 1974 and reformed in 2009 after a global food price crisis which resulted in a drastic increase in the number of people unable to feed themselves. It meets once a year and operates on what it calls a “multistakeholder approach,” ensuring everyone’s opinions are heard even as member governments have the final say.