Sunday, February 16, 2014

The fifth global meeting of the Farmers' Forum


What is the Farmers’ Forum?
It is an on-going, bottom-up process of consultation and dialogue between small farmers’ and rural producers’ organizations (FOs), IFAD and governments, focused on agricultural and rural development and poverty reduction. The Forum is rooted in concrete partnerships and collaborations at the country and regional levels. The Farmers’ Forum was born in 2005 and it meets every two years for a global consultation, in conjunction with the Governing Council of IFAD.
Who will be attending?
 Farmers’ representatives attending the global meeting of the Forum are nominated by its Steering Committee. On 17 - 18 February 2014, over 90 farmers’ leaders, representing millions of smallholders and rural producers from all over the world, will come together to celebrate the International Year of Family Farming, to interact with IFAD staff and selected partners, including FAO, AgriCord, the European Commission (EC), Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation (BMGF),  research institutes and NGOs. The Forum will be opened by the President of IFAD, Kanayo Nwanze.  Its closing session, in the afternoon of Tuesday, 18 February, will be open to the representatives of IFAD's Governing Bodies.  


Fishers in the spotlight
During the global meeting of the Farmers' Forum in 2012, a working group was organized to discuss how fishers’ organizations and collective actions can contribute to sustainable management of marine resources. One of the recommendations that came out of this working group was to "hold a special session on small-scale fisheries during the next global meeting of the Farmers’ Forum to promote understanding of their role in food security and increase the recognition and visibility of their sector before policy makers." Therefore, a special session was held on 8 February 2014 to better define the process for the development of more structured operational partnerships between IFAD and fishers’ organizations on small-scale fishery development and support to the implementation of the Small-scale Fisheries Guidelines. 


Partnership and operational matters
The 2014 edition of the Forum provides space for discussion on operational matters and for dialogue on thematic issues of interest to both FOs and IFAD. These themes have been selected by the Steering Committee in the context of the International Year of Family Farming 2014 and in relation to the overall theme of the Thirty Seventh session of the IFAD Governing Council: “Investing in smallholder family farmers for the future we want”.

Programme of events
15 February - preparatory sessions of the Farmers' Forum (Barceló Aran Park Hotel)
9:30 - 13:00: Farmers’ Forum Steering Committee meeting
Afternoon: Preparatory meetings of networks of farmers’ and rural producers’ organizations (FOs)
14:30 - 18:30: Registration of participants
16 February - preparatory sessions of the Farmers' Forum (Barceló Aran Park Hotel)
Morning: Preparatory meeting of networks of farmers’ and rural producers’ organizations (plenary)
Afternoon: Preparatory meeting of networks of farmers’ and rural producers’ organizations (plenary)
17:00 - 18:00: Farmers’ Forum Steering Committee meeting
14:30 - 18:30: Registration of participants

Fifth global meeting of the Farmers’ Forum (IFAD HQ)
17 February 2014
9:00 - 10:15 - Opening session
  • Presentation of the agenda
  • Address by the President of IFAD
  • Interventions by members of the Steering Committee
  • You can follow the event via webcast and by following #fafo2014
10:15 - 10:30 - Coffee break
10:30 - 12:30 - Plenary session: trends and developments in IFAD’s partnerships with FOs; IFAD presentation of “Partnership in Progress 2012-2013”; plenary discussion and wrap-up of key issues for the thematic working groups
  • You can follow the event via webcast and by following #fafo2014
12:30 - 13:00 - Plenary session: Feedback from the Special Session on small-scale fisheries
  • You can follow the event via webcast and by following #fafo2014
13:00 - 14:30 - Lunch
14:30 - 17:30 - Parallel thematic working group sessions: presentation of case studies and discussion of good practices
    • Roles of FOs in linking smallholder/family producers to local/regional markets on better terms – Staple crops / Italian Conference Room - English | French | Spanish
    • Roles of FOs in linking smallholder/family producers to local/regional markets on better terms– Fisheries, livestock & dairy / Oval Room A - English | French | Spanish
    • Building inclusive agricultural policy dialogue platforms at national and regional levels: achieving policy results for smallholders' and family farmers / Oval Room B - English | French | Spanish
    • Regional programmes in support of FOs: sharing the experience of Support to Farmers' Organizations in Africa Programme  (SFOAP) , Medium Term Cooperation Programme (MTCP) in Asia and prospects for scaling up / Room C 300 (3rd floor wing C) - English | French | Spanish
18:00 - 19:30 - Moving forward: breaking the glass ceiling - Strengthening women’s presence and influence in farmers’ organizations (organized by IFAD’s Gender Desk) Executive Dining Room


18 February 2014 (IFAD HQ)
8:30 - 10:45 - Parallel thematic working group sessions:
Continuation of thematic working groups:  findings from day 1 of the working groups and implications for the partnerships between IFAD and FOs
10:45 - 11:30 - Coffee break
11:30 - 12:30 - Plenary session: reports of the five thematic working groups
    • You can follow the event via webcast and by following #fafo2014
12:30 - 14:00 - Lunch
14:00 - 16:00 - Plenary session: discussion on how to improve the partnership between farmers' organizations and IFAD based on recommendations and outcomes of the working groups' discussions;  presentation of the Statement prepared by The Farmers' Forum Steering Committee to be delivered during the IFAD Governing Council
16:00 - 16:30 - Coffee break
16:30 - 18:30 - Final plenary session (open to representatives of IFAD Governing Bodies)
    • Discussion on the outputs of the working groups and proposals to improve the partnership between IFAD and FOs
    • Reactions of IFAD management (Associate Vice President, Programme Management Department)
    • Exchanges with representatives of IFAD Governing Bodies
    • Closure of the Farmers’ Forum by the Vice-President of IFAD
    • You can follow the event via webcast and by following #fafo2014

19 February 2014 (IFAD HQ)
11:00-12:30 - Meeting with Asia and the Pacific Division / Room C500 (5th floor wing C)
14:00-16:00 - Meeting with West and Central Africa Division / Room C300 (3rd floor wing C)
14:00 - 16:00 - Presentation of “More and better public policies in support of family farming – the experience of REAF Mercosur" / Room C400 (4th floor wing C)
16:30-18:00 - Presentation and discussion of the draft IFAD toolkit on "How to engage with farmers' organizations to link smallholders to markets" / Room C300 (3rd floor wing C)
16:30-18:00 - Family farmers of the world, organized by CIRAD / Room C400 (4th floor wing C)
During the day bilateral meetings between the participants of the Farmers'  Forum and the Directors of the Regional Divisions will take place. Additional working sessions may be organized – information will be available to participants on 17 and 18 February during the Farmers' Forum
The participants in the Farmers’ Forum are invited to the Governing Council with observer status. The Farmers’ Forum Statement is delivered to the Governing Council Plenary on 19 February

20 February 2014 (IFAD HQ)
9:00-10:00 - P4P - Purchase for Progress - organized by WFP / Room C300 (3rd floor wing C)
10:00- 12:30 - Farmers’ Forum Steering Committee meeting / Room C400 (4th floor wing C)
Side events of the Farmers’ Forum
14:00 - 16:00 - Side Event 1: "The International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) and the campaigns at national levels", organized by WRF and the IYFF campaign / Governing Council Premises - Plenary Hall
    • You can follow the event via webcast and by following #fafo2014
14:00 - 16:00- Side Event 2: " Agriculture Advisory Services and Farmers' Organizations",  organised by GFRAS and FAO/ Room C 300 (3rd floor wing C) - English | French | Spanish
16:00 - 16:30 - Coffee break
16:30 - 18:30 - Side Event 3: “Agro-ecological peasant agriculture, food production and fisheries are an answer to the food and climate crisis. Which support is effective?”, organized by La Via Campesina / Governing Council Premises - Plenary Hall - English
16:30 - 18:30 - Side Event 4: “Farmers in the governance of Agriculture Research and Innovation for Development”, organized by AFA and GFAR / Room C 300 (3rd floor wing C) - English | French | Spanish


Social media and webcasting
The plenary sessions of fifth global meeting of the Farmers’ Forum are an interactive event thanks to a number of social media components. Social reporters will keep the outside world informed through blogs, tweets, posting interviews and pictures on the following IFAD social media channels. You can follow the event via webcast and by following #fafo2014.

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