Ending Hunger in America, 2014 Hunger Report Full Report | Page 174

Todd Post/Bread for the World

Agnes Kirabo of the
Ugandan civil society
organization VEDCO
addresses members of
a community who have
been forcibly displaced
from lands held by their
families for generations.
Poverty reduction in
Africa is directly related
to improving land
governance.

164? Chapter 5

n

Ban Ki-moon have endorsed a goal on peace and effective governance based on the rule of
law and sound institutions.
Strengthening local capacities and institutions remains a major challenge for the effective design and implementation of development programs and policies. Some past efforts
to strengthen local capacity have been hindered by a lack of focus on indicators of success
and whether there are, in fact, any
concrete results to show improved
capacity. Capacity development
has traditionally been associated
with knowledge transfer and
training of individuals, yet it is
a complex, non-linear and longterm change process in which no
single factor (e.g., information,
education and training, technical
assistance, policy advice) is by
itself an explanation for the development of capacity. Development
results should be measured not
only by short-term outputs, or
even by longer-term outcomes,
but also by how well actors such
as donors, civil society, the private sector, and national governments engage local, national, and
regional leaders in strengthening country systems. Ultimately, developing capacity is about
addressing the specific needs of partner countries and communities through three interlinked dimensions: individual, organizational, and enabling environment.
The United States through its USAID Forward reform agenda should continue to emphasize a results-driven and systemic framework—based on rigorous needs assessment, innovative change process logic, and participatory implementation—that is driven by genuine local
ownership, adaptive management, and measurable results. Within the USAID Forward
reform agenda, Feed the Future is a good place to start. Its implementation should be used
to illustrate the value of the U.S. government’s renewed commitment to strengthening local
capacity in countries.
At the global level, good governance of the food system is an indispensable element
for achieving food security and nutrition, and it calls for greater transparency and food
policy coherence. This means that improving the likelihood of reaching the hunger target
depends not just on increased productivity, but also and quite critically on an enabling
policy environment for responsible investments. Realizing this goal will require expanded,
less restricted regional and global trade to make food production more efficient and ensure
that agricultural crops and livestock are produced in countries with the most abundant or
inexpensive inputs. The Group of 20 (G-20) and others should also make more effort to
liberalize trade in agriculture and agree to avoid export restrictions on food.

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