Follow our Activities at the Seventh Global Meeting of the Farmers' Forum!
The seventh Global Meeting of the Farmers' Forum (FAFO2020) is currently underway in Rome, Italy. Scheduled from February 6-11, 2020, FAFO2020 brings together smallholder farmers' organizations and rural producers from our member states, IFAD(link is external), and around the world to continue a bottom-up dialogue and consultation process.
Forum Background
The Forum is rooted in and aims to strengthen effective partnerships and collaboration between IFAD and farmer organizations with regard to country programs and investment projects. It also builds capacity within farmers' organizations and engages on policy dialogue initiatives. The Forum brings together more than 80 farmers' leaders from around the world, representing millions of smallholders and rural producers, who have interacted with IFAD and partner institutions.
Our Presence at the Forum
IFOAM is represented at FAFO2020 by a broad delegation of the representatives from the Intercontinental Network of Organic Farmers Organisations (INOFO) as well as our Farmers' Constituency consisting of:
- Shamika Mone (INOFO President and OFAI, India),
- Rowena Buena (MASIPAG, Philippines),
- Thales Mendonça (Rede Ecovida, Brazil),
- Charles K Mubanga (Mpongwe Bulima Co-op, Zambia),
- Famara Diédhiou (INOFO Secretary and FENAB, Sénégal),
- Janet Gracie (PGS South Africa, South Africa),
- Cristina Grandi (IFOAM - Organics International Chief Food Security Campaigner).
This weeks FAO2020 Highlights
During the opening session, Shamika Mone (INOFO President, and FAFO Steering Committee member), took to thepodium to highlight the need to recognize the role of “organic farmers as think tanks of traditional indigenous knowledge” and support them to mainstream indigenous seed varieties instead of spending loads of funds to create genetically modified crops.
Thales Mendonca, INOFO Latin America Convenor, raised questions about the need to better prioritize the inclusion of agroecology, organic practices, and youth in IFAD programs and projects.
INOFO representatives intervened in different sessions, asking IFAD and governments to shift their approaches to strengthen organic farming, because industrialized farming systems reliant on chemicals and GMOs are not compatible with solutions to minimized climate change impacts.
Looking Ahead: Next Week's Activities
On February 10, the INOFO “Youth in Agriculture – An Organic Perspective” side event is set to take place! These young organic farming leaders will propose solutions for empowering youth on farms and in rural areas over the long term.
Watch FAFO2020 proceedings via IFAD's livestream here!