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The Dominican Republic
National System for Food and Nutrition Sovereignty and Security
(Sistema Nacional de Soberanía y Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional)
The Dominican Republic coordinates food and nutrition policy through a system established in law: a council of ministers chaired from the Ministry of the Presidency, a technical secretariat that runs day-to-day coordination, and a network that carries civil society participation from municipal level upwards.
Institutional set-up and structure
Created in 2016, the System comprises the National Council for Food and Nutrition Sovereignty and Security, chaired by the Minister of the Presidency; the Technical Secretariat, which leads day-to-day coordination; and the National Network, which elects representatives from municipal assemblies through provincial level to a national coordinator who sits on the Council. Working groups are convened around specific programmes, including zero hunger and the environment.
Mandate and decision-making power
The System channels national efforts to guarantee the right to adequate food and sustainable food and nutrition sovereignty and security. The Technical Secretariat designs the public policies required and works to consolidate the social protection system towards that guarantee. Decisions are taken by the Council and the Secretariat; the National Network functions as a space for information sharing and dialogue.
Across its bodies, the System is tasked with the following roles (building blocks):
Agenda setting: advocacy and dialogue; deciding on goals and strategic priorities
Policy formulation and decision making: providing technical advice; coordinating policy development; developing policies for consideration by the relevant authorities; deciding and enacting them
Implementation: coordinating policy and programme delivery; coordinating financial resources and the budget
Monitoring and evaluation: tracking progress, evaluating and reporting
Who is involved
Government: 11 ministries and other public institutions; agriculture is the most closely involved, followed by health
Civil society: local non-governmental organisations and neighbourhood associations, through municipal assemblies and an elected national coordinator
Development partners: United Nations agencies
The breadth of ministries brings cross-cutting themes into the System, including gender through the Ministry of Women.
How it works in practice
The Council holds ordinary sessions quarterly, with extraordinary sessions as required
Priorities are set at the start of each four-year government term through the national planning system
The national food and nutrition plan is updated in step with ministries' own strategic plans, which secures resourcing
The national statistics office supports the Secretariat's working tables
A strengthened monitoring and evaluation system accompanied the 2025 to 2028 plan
Accountability reporting is currently informal
Opportunities for improvement
Strengthening the participation of local authorities would help tailor policy to different territories in both design and delivery
Formalising accountability through regular quarterly reporting would build on current practice
A communications unit and outreach strategy would inform the public and support citizens to engage with the System
Evidence base: key informant interviews and policy documents, 2026. Last updated: September 2026.
Strengths
A founding law integrates a wide set of ministries, making this an inter-institutional state policy rather than one ministry's programme
Chairing by the Ministry of the Presidency puts a first among equals in the chair, close to the presidency and to the coordination of ministries
The breadth of participating ministries strengthens cross-cutting themes
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