Thumbnail Image

Working across sectors is crucial for food security and nutrition in Fiji

Copyright licence

Year of publication 2020

Place of publication Apia, Samoa ;

Pages 4p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Category Brochure

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) This policy brief provides some key take aways from a comprehensive policy effectiveness analysis carried out by the FIRST Programme (an EU-FAO partnership) in Fiji. The thorough analysis shows that, while important and useful, multisectoral coordination is not enough to achieve sustainable agriculture and food systems: every sector needs to take action. Therefore, mainstreaming nutrition in agriculture and making it profitable as a first step towards achieving a healthier food environment. However, increasing availability is not enough: evidence is needed on the capacity of the Fijian food system to provide accessible diverse and nutritious foods for all. Accessibility to nutritious foods needs to be paired with awareness and demand for healthier diets.

Last updated date 08/09/2020

Cite this content as:

​FAO. 2020. Working across sectors is crucial for food security and nutrition in Fiji. Apia

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Technical book
    The role of diets and food systems in the prevention of obesity and non-communicable diseases in Fiji
    Gathering evidence and supporting multi-stakeholder engagement
    2021
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Despite the lack of literature and inconsistencies in research aims and methods, it is evident that dietary intake has been shifting from traditional food consumption patterns to diets that are heavily reliant on imported and increasingly processed foods in Fiji. Availability of food items varies depending on location, however there is evidence of food environments with high availability of energy dense, nutrient poor foods, in both rural and urban locations. Food environments around vulnerable populations, for example schools, are of concern, with 80 percent of the outlets surveyed within 400 m school zones selling sugar-sweetened beverages. While the process of developing policies that support a healthy diet is enabled by Fiji’s whole-of-government commitment to improving food nutrition security, there are competing priorities and points of incoherence that deter this, particularly relating to economic growth. A range of specific policy measures have been introduced in Fiji by different government sectors that influence all facets of the food system. However, capacities required to develop and deliver policies are limited across government, primarily by the allocation of resources and technical expertise. This reduces the effectiveness of existing policy measures to support healthy diets, and the progression of new measures. A range of gaps and opportunities exist among the policy measures identified, and entry points lie throughout the food system and associated policy environment to improve dietary behaviour in Fiji.
  • Thumbnail Image
    General interest book
    Evidence review for nutrition-relevant pricing policies and complementary measures in Fiji 2019
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    The Government of Fiji has identified action on nutrition and on diet-related Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) as a policy priority. The population of Fiji is experiencing a triple burden of malnutrition, due to the rapid dietary transition of the past five decades. Consumption of healthy traditional foods such as fish and seafood, staple root crops, coconuts and wild plants has decreased, while consumption of cereals and refined sugar has increased dramatically. The aim of this report is to establish an evidence base for the application of food and beverage taxes and complementary measures to encourage dietary substitution towards healthier, local food products in Fiji.
  • Thumbnail Image
    General interest book
    Developing Capacity for Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Selected Countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia
    Final report 2022
    2023
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    The FAO project “Developing Capacity for Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Selected Countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia”, funded by the Russian Federation, analyses the challenges and promotes cross-sectoral collaboration by providing adequate capacity to effectively pursue and manage coherence between agriculture, health, education and social protection sectors.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.