Public support to food security in India, Brazil and South Africa: Elements for a policy dialogue

[Introduction ...] Following this introduction, Section 2 presents the conceptual framework on food security that guides this study, and offers succinct data on the three countries based on leading international measures. Section 3 offers a general presentation of the food-security policy agendas, highlighting their broad comparative elements. It explores the leading conceptions, orientations and measurements used. Section 4 deals with the rights-based approach to food security, focusing on the current legal apparatus and accountability mechanisms. Section 5 examines how different stakeholders, particularly civil-society organisations and various levels of government, take part in public interventions. Section 6 considers food production, highlighting two particular issues: how the promotion of small-scale farming is taken into account in food-security policy, and how environmental matters are considered in public support for food production. Section 7 explores major public initiatives on access to food, and draws attention to some relevant experiences of cash transfers, in-kind transfers and public works. Section 8 assesses key challenges and achievements relating to food security in the three countries. Section 9 points out the main issues that could be explored in further policy dialogue. Finally, a summary table of the major themes considered throughout the text is provided in the Annex.