"One of the most important goals that the campaign has achieved is the definition of criteria. We’ve worked for two years and finally decided on the characteristics of what we think should be more and better aid. "
In this interview, Ms. Mercy Karanja, Development Policy Coordinator for the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) and member of the More and Better Aid International Campaign, shares her views on the milestones reached by the campaign, the outcomes of their most recent meeting and ways More and Better and the International Alliance can work together at national level.
Two years have passed since the launching of the More and Better International Advocacy Campaign, what has been your greatest achievement up to now?
One of the most important goals that the campaign has achieved is the definition of criteria. We’ve worked for two years and finally decided on the characteristics of what we think should be more and better aid. Now we have six principles and this can definitely be considered a good milestone. We are also trying to disseminate the information of the More and Better campaign to a wider audience to enable more people to engage and lobby and do advocacy in line with these principles and of course others depending on the situation. Over the last two years, we have seen more and more interest in this campaign, there are many additional members adhering to it and there is quite a lot of action at the national level. We are slowly receiving reports from different constituents and different national organizations. This shows that there is really something happening at national level and in my opinion this constitutes a positive indicator.
How have these national campaigns emerged?
The idea of the More and Better Campaign is a gathering of various institutions to carry forth and be an owner of the message of more and better aid. Therefore, by mere participation, we assign ourselves to support this campaign. Since you believe in it, you are part of it and you go back home and share it with your constituents. Most of the action will happen at the national level.
The international level of the campaign helps to brainstorm and gather the ideas together. Today we are here representing all our organizations and our different entities but we should carry it forward towards national campaigns and inform others that are involved in food security issues, for example a committee or a group that can enhance this work at the national level. You shouldn’t ask people and then programme for them. The approach should be to ask people: “what do you do? Are you be able to adhere to some principles and lobby for this? Then, let’s come together and create synergies”.
Since you also represent the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP), can you tell us what has been concretely achieved in the area of farmers’ organizations in the context of the More and Better Campaign?
One of the aspects that we have been campaigning intensively is for farmers to be involved in the design, implementation and monitoring/evaluation of development programmes. From our perspective, the resources that are available for development should be directed to the priority areas of the farmers themselves. This is why it’s also critical to have guidelines which help people understand the conditions set when offering aid.
An important aspect for us is to give our members information, let them know that they have a say, a space and motivate them to use this space positively to establish the priorities that they think should be taken into account. I think this is a very strong message to our member organizations in the developing countries. This is working quite well in the design of the PRSPs, where you can see quite a lot of progress and engagement. A clear example is what has happened in Kenya where farmers have been engaged in poverty reduction programmes right from the start.
What future plans were decided upon during the meeting of the More and Better Campaign held in Rome?
We are very ambitious and we hope we will be able to achieve most of the goals we have set out. Of course, we have very little resources to do most of the things we want. One of our key objectives for the future is to have some documented key studies to illustrate the principles that we have already stated. These case studies will serve as inputs to others that would like to carry out similar work. The case studies will include a study on the PRSPs: How were they formulated? Where has it worked? What has specifically worked (or has not)?
Another aspect we decided to strengthen is the sharing of information among ourselves so we can learn from each other and improve our work. There are organizations that are very successful in campaigning and we could learn from them. What are the strategies they have implemented? What has worked and what hasn’t? How do they approach their governments to advocate for More and Better Aid for agriculture? We want to learn from others.
We also think we have a big role in emergencies like the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean . The best thing we can do is to be in the frontline. Those who are closest to the emergency should give a quick alert to the others and be involved in what is happening as soon as possible. We received three case studies from our partners involved in the Tsunami relief as part of the More and Better campaign. They managed to give information to other members and join in the work being done. We need to be part of a monitoring system at the local level. We don’t want a huge structure at international level.
The International Alliance also works both at national and regional level to foster political will to end hunger. What concrete activities could be carried out jointly?
In fact, they shouldn’t be a different entity. One of the major problems that I see is the high amount of diversified approaches at the national level. There are many entities working on the same subjects, they don’t meet and they don’t know what the others are doing. This causes great confusion to everyone: policy makers and actors on the ground. Everybody is trying to have their own area of work. From my perspective, the International Alliance could enhance the integration of all these initiatives. It can bring together the different entities as a whole and avoid the many different approaches. The alliance helps to establish common standpoints and principles, regarding what and where to advocate.
One of the problems we have in the field is the variety of voices that the government itself hears from civil society. Now that civil society is getting such strong space and a clear welcome to join, it’s time that we “organize our house” and this is a very tricky thing to do. At the national level, the Alliance should be a uniting body, neutral without taking positions. It should unify all the food security related actors and advocate so that we can share common views and directions. Otherwise civil society can keep making noise and government will continue to ask “what exactly is your message?” because we don’t have a common message. More and Better in this respect, has given civil society in a wider circle a common message. What are the few key issues we should be talking about? There is a need to prioritize to reach common goals. I believe these are critical aspects which the Alliance and the More and Better campaign can advance, especially at the national level.
For more information on the More and Better Aid campaign please visit their website at www.moreandbetter.org
