Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development

Sustaining Family Farming in Asia-Pacific through Inclusive Farmer-Driven Approaches

Learn more about the opportunities presented by the UN Decade of Family Farming and other global processes to promote the welfare of farmers

Watch and learn from 18 resource speakers

On October 6-7, 2020, 180 women and men representatives of farmer organizations, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, public and private stakeholders, and advocates from 12 countries in the Asia and the Pacific region, gathered in a virtual conference entitled, “Sustaining Family Farming in Asia-Pacific through inclusive, family-driven approaches”. Discussions revolved around the critical role of family farmers in transforming agriculture and food systems, especially during this pandemic.

The aims were to promote and strengthen multi-actor partnerships and to contribute positive policy changes to support family farming within the framework of the UN Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF). The regional forum was organized by the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), the International Land Coalition (ILC), and the People’s Campaign for Agrarian Reform Network (AR Now!). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also lent its technical expertise to the regional event. The event was supported by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Asia’s Strategic Collaborative Fund, which aims to foster regional cooperation and policy dialogue for sustainable development and environmental sustainability, through capacity building, knowledge sharing, and increased collaboration.

The Role of UD Decade of Family Farming

Watch and learn about the essential roles of family farmers and their farming systems in sustaining communities and the environment.

Nigel Brett, Director of the Asia and the Pacific Region of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), also talks about the formation of the UN Decade of Family Farming.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/Wffc1yvgJ58

Filipino: https://youtu.be/Q0dOIA5bg4Y

Hindi: https://youtu.be/zuiLD2ajbAM

Khmer: https://youtu.be/pdSAsr8NTCc

Lao: https://youtu.be/FfjLEzQZiKg

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/X5i2yOtNIUE

Nepali: https://youtu.be/NXplBIb5cMc

Russian: https://youtu.be/NHG0x5FsEiM

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/ru5aE5GiaWU

Farmers engaging at the regional and global levels

Watch and learn about the rationale for organizing the Regional Forum, “Sustaining Family Farming in Asia Through Inclusive, Farmer-driven Approaches”.

U Than Swe, AFA chairperson and President of Agriculture and Farmer Federation of Myanmar or AFFM, shares the similarities of challenges currently faced by AFA farmers and how regional farmers’ organizations such as AFA can consolidate their voice and engage at the global events.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/iShh0nObGSc

Filipino: https://youtu.be/nk-xXSrTcS0

Hindi: https://youtu.be/DMFRldTly-8

Khmer: https://youtu.be/ARQL2DHax3Q

Lao: https://youtu.be/ieCIiipWdFs

Nepali: https://youtu.be/AokvAEKV0ak

Russian: https://youtu.be/d6fS2amQ9fM

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/Ch0RWSUy1lM

The UNDFF and Global Action Plan: Improving family farming to achieve SDGs

Watch and learn about the transformative role of UNDFF and what it intends to achieve for family farmers.

Laura Lorenzo, Executive Director of the World Rural Forum and Vice-Chair of UNDFF International Steering Committee, shares how the UNDFF “leverages on family farmers’ unique potential to promote transformative changes in food systems to fully achieve the SDGs.”

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/wS_LtiA0jTo

Bengali: https://youtu.be/wbW0ZuPVXuI

Filipino: https://youtu.be/gSweOgJYfWo

Hindi: https://youtu.be/d4wRPdmgQXI

Khmer: https://youtu.be/B4WOQELDvz4

Lao: https://youtu.be/cewXz88PIw0

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/r10PU6HZV9U

Nepali: https://youtu.be/lnPqSVix4-g

Russian: https://youtu.be/SSLvvgNF2pY

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/m4IWfN3DBGs

Family Farmers and the challenge of building sustainable food systems

Watch and learn about the complex issues confronting family farmers; and the role of global processes and framework and what needs to be done at the national and local levels to address systemic challenges.

Thanawat Tiensin, Chairperson of the Committee on World Food Security, discusses how the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is helping family farmers in building sustainable food systems by giving them the platform to speak out and helping them produce concrete solutions together with the government, civil society, private sectors, and other stakeholders.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/FXomxcYKDfw

Bengali: https://youtu.be/fyrbd-KI-po

Filipino: https://youtu.be/ocbbZUB4zh0

Hindi: https://youtu.be/IoKglecBuyk

Khmer: https://youtu.be/AcsuV8fGVbg

Lao: https://youtu.be/-OJLyFylvzQ

Russian: https://youtu.be/rELpSGed_uA

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/VUkvKlRB2YU

Sustainable food systems and the Food Systems Summit

Watch and learn about the focus of the 2021 Food Systems Summit and ways to engage.

Agnes Matilda Kalibata, UN Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit (FSS) speaks about how the FSS will allow family farmers to be heard and to engage with various stakeholders. The summit will look into elevating “the conversation around food systems, to understand what is wrong with our food systems, and to understand what we need to do differently, to ensure that our food systems can help us come through on some of the challenges we faced” to build consensus and encourage stakeholders to work together.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/9gfekOYCJvI

Bengali: https://youtu.be/dJNT9q36tqk

Filipino: https://youtu.be/D4JGIaxfw2A

Hindi: https://youtu.be/7Qw89M_pUAI

Khmer: https://youtu.be/GT1lZCODCVQ

Lao: https://youtu.be/F1lE7-Y08dk

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/X1hPu-W6XTQ

Russian: https://youtu.be/geHkQwVDLCw

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/SEpl–HtH_s

Land rights and COVID-19: From recovery to resilience building

Watch and learn about land rights and food systems – four immediate actions for recovery and eight contributions from the land rights sector to move to more resilience and more sustainable economies and societies.

Ward Anseeuw, a Senior Technical Specialist at ILC and CIRAD Researcher Knowledge, Learning and Innovation, highlights that it is a strategic time to look ahead and understand and promote land rights, as being the center for new opportunities to build better in the future in the medium and longer-term.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/xhM23WGlVko

Bengali: https://youtu.be/pPIIj1rSayw

Filipino: https://youtu.be/owukJKyEMCk

Hindi: https://youtu.be/13w8raw25WU

Khmer: https://youtu.be/bo0-gGx_g3w

Lao: https://youtu.be/FgoacRi9fMA

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/Fqgm6yEUQKs

Nepali: https://youtu.be/wHqF3KUtiNs

Russian: https://youtu.be/QqHn_2gYkxw

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/rB0M82DLPi0

Impacts of COVID-19 on market and rural economies

Watch and learn about the impacts of COVID-19 on local food systems and rural areas.

Ron Hartman, Director of the Global Engagement Partnership and Resource Mobilization of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), also imparts response measures that can enhance farmers’ capacities, including the repurposing of funds to ensure that food systems function effectively, knowledge and policy support, and establishment of Rural Poor Stimulus Facility (RPSF).

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/Kf1ibK9znbE

Bengali: https://youtu.be/TjKcrMq4J7c

Filipino: https://youtu.be/Qwdw1PUYBp4

Hindi: https://youtu.be/13w8raw25WU

Khmer: https://youtu.be/UdLosraDAPw

Lao: https://youtu.be/LuHujKx6SD4

Nepali: https://youtu.be/GZWDBz0RBH4

Russian: https://youtu.be/31aU7RdsrGs

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/OTwK_ibQkWE

Land Rights, Food systems and COVID-19: Regional perspective

Watch and learn about the various ways that we can build back better learning from the weaknesses of existing systems.

Nathaniel Don Marquez, Executive Director of Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC), discusses the need to focus on strengthening local food systems and small food producers. Local markets are where small producers have direct access and where they receive fair prices for their produce.

Land Rights, Food systems and COVID-19: Nepal experience

Watch and learn about the impacts of COVID-19 on land issues, land rights, and food systems in Nepal.

Jagat Deuja of Community Self Reliance Center and Nepal Land Rights Forum presents the urgent actions to respond to land rights and food system issues. There is a need for larger debate and campaigns about the importance of sustainable use and equitable distribution of resources, underlying causes of poverty, and hunger much more than before.

Land Rights, Food systems and COVID-19: Indonesia experience

Watch and learn about the initiatives of the Indonesian Consortium for Agrarian Reform (KPA) in advancing peasants’ land rights and how to foster a solidarity economy.

Dewi Kartika, Secretary-General of KPA, Indonesia talks about the challenges of peasants in Indonesia and how they address market problems by linking with labor unions, fisherfolks, and urban poor communities.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/ys3h3bLA3Ho

Filipino: https://youtu.be/U3JC_xKHykk

Hindi: https://youtu.be/9IFjW_yNc5E

Khmer: https://youtu.be/EilzpiKd0A8

Lao: https://youtu.be/HN5Cj7eK_bs

Nepali: https://youtu.be/XjTKsAM13J0

Russian: https://youtu.be/pJY4dGqky08

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/QTbbw38b3o8

Sustainable Agriculture and COVID-19: A Holistic Perspective

Watch and learn about the current food systems and how it has contributed to undesirable health and nutrition outcomes, climate change, biodiversity loss, shifts in nutrient cycles, and land use beyond the capacity of our planet.

Normita Ignacio, Executive Director of Southeast Asia Initiatives for Rural Communities’ Empowerment (SEARICE) discusses the need to transform the current food system, shift to agroecological farming systems, and why governments need to invest in an inclusive program for family farmers, women farmers, and youth.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/QeOr3u2ez_o

Bengali: https://youtu.be/0HQpIorMeZM

Filipino: https://youtu.be/-e7CUWeEMdY

Hindi: https://youtu.be/8LY2T5NL1a8

Khmer: https://youtu.be/JFJ3pJh-_PQ

Lao: https://youtu.be/GJmk_PCrjv0

Nepali: https://youtu.be/51G_-38aGRM

Russian: https://youtu.be/kVhPE6PfZXY

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/f3UuRPq1AK8

Sustainable Agriculture and COVID-19: The Case of SALIKA Cooperative

Watch and learn about SALIKA Cooperative’s Integrated, Diversified, Organic Farming Systems (IDOFS) Program for its members.

Jon Sarmiento, Farmer and Manager SALIKA Cooperative, explains how IDOFS helped them achieve food security and sustainability in farming, while also contributing to environmental restoration. In the video he also discusses 3 key strategies they have implemented being 1) family farm planning, 2) implementation, and 3) cooperative commodity cluster organizing.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/W93NYc8QzZE

Bengali: https://youtu.be/s7n6P0UQD08

Filipino: https://youtu.be/IpXnwWpssDo

Hindi: https://youtu.be/I3luK_g_7iU

Khmer: https://youtu.be/h420Ri4lE1U

Lao: https://youtu.be/fF2SlcTqS4k

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/JGW21_0z7TA

Russian: https://youtu.be/HfqsISwaGRE

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/xnq5wKhJMxU

Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems and COVID-19: The Case of Lao PDR

Watch and learn about the impacts of COVID-19 in Lao PDR’s agriculture sector and the Green and Sustainable Agriculture Framework.

Dr. Vongpaphane Manivong, Director of Socio-Economic and Marketing Policy Division-Department of Policy and Legal Affairs, Lao PDR Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, shares about the opportunities and challenges for smallholder agriculture in Laos. Laos small-scale farming systems are considered resilient, however, farmers also faced market issues.

Market Access and Covid-19: The case of AgriCOOPh

Watch and learn about Coops4Food, a business model that directly links farmers’ cooperatives to the consumers’ cooperatives.

Cresente Paez, CEO of AgriCOOPh talks about the elements of the Coops4Food:

Focusing on the production of vegetables, fruits, and rice to ensure food security
Establishment of an alternative supply chain framework strategy to work around the “new normal”
Creation of a team who handles the Coops4Food business model

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/scFM2OV-1hI

Bengali: https://youtu.be/12ZTKrZDL6k

Filipino: https://youtu.be/0wSgKU0Qw8Q

Hindi: https://youtu.be/7YUQ9izVXWA

Khmer: https://youtu.be/isiHjbh7Obo

Lao: https://youtu.be/M6ONDynyS9U

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/9wH6Yp-u5EQ

Nepali: https://youtu.be/8oKxB5QN8Ew

Russian: https://youtu.be/AngLvZJ11rE

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/omkVOdkqLxQ

Markets and COVID-19: Regional perspective

Watch and learn about how market access is affected by COVID-19 and four areas of concern that Grow Asia recommends to be looked at by policymakers and food systems actors.

Reginald Lee, Director of Partnerships for Grow Asia shares his observations:

The pandemic has contributed to a negative impact on the supply chain such as decreased sales and problems in logistics
Digital technologies are important in connecting buyers to sellers and facilitating trade and payments

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/7_tPNF29tkw

Bengali: https://youtu.be/gvylfmMD7a4

Filipino: https://youtu.be/cFgBgG1HOCc

Hindi: https://youtu.be/RC794AbFSs8

Khmer: https://youtu.be/qIcION678wU

Lao: https://youtu.be/vY4W3mt6H_w

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/qqQsoUiLzT8

Nepali: https://youtu.be/EFJBpVgzLlM

Russian: https://youtu.be/RSmCH_UxybY

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/LqmWGnUk8lg

Market and COVID-19: The Case of Herders in Mongolia

Watch and learn about the impacts of Covid-19 on herders in Mongolia based on the research undertaken by the National Federation of Pasture User Groups.

Namuulan Gankhuyag of National Federation of Pasture User Groups, Mongolia presents the methodology and how the results were used to raise awareness on the needs of herders and engage the government on policy measures. The federation asked the following questions:

Did the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 affect your livestock income?
Is there are price difference for livestock raw material due to COVID-19?
Were there any difficulties in repaying your loans?

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/Skm_KxUdguY

Bengali: https://youtu.be/Cf9pZE9Vbxs

Filipino: https://youtu.be/FzMcJBfMzXM

Hindi: https://youtu.be/XPtojbyKEso

Khmer: https://youtu.be/3BcUaZ2OD8M

Lao: https://youtu.be/ZfV7BZ2Rfrs

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/B5qJIbm2vE0

Nepali: https://youtu.be/QLX4lfekfsQ

Russian: https://youtu.be/G9qaEchRjwM

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/4tmsRgK_6wI

A Young Farmer’s Journey

Watch and learn about Jumer Marcaida’s journey as a young farmer and how he, along with other members, was able to foster the strengthening of their cooperative.

Jumer Marcaida, Young Farmers Committee Chair, Asian Farmers Association (AFA), and Chairperson of Golden Parauma Producers Cooperative discusses the importance of capacity building program for farmers not just in farming technologies but also to actively participate in decision-making processes that affect farmers.

This video is available in:

Bahasa Indonesia: https://youtu.be/w2nzteo56WQ

Bengali: https://youtu.be/vSRvJ2ZgT5c

Filipino: https://youtu.be/5ID05vkld7c

Hindi: https://youtu.be/XPtojbyKEso

Khmer: https://youtu.be/TYeBUpFY5gE

Lao: https://youtu.be/Y_YqCMYILp0

Mongolian: https://youtu.be/CQQtr53eiLE

Nepali: https://youtu.be/lxyjibff71E

Russian: https://youtu.be/v-giQdU5B_U

Vietnamese: https://youtu.be/7GtfiY5Q3vk

Family Farming Business models: What support are needed

Watch and learn about concrete steps that can be taken to make Family farming business models viable and sustainable.

Hubert Boirard, Director, Asia and the Pacific Region, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) elaborates on necessary actions at the policy and grassroots levels to achieve sustainable food production at the national level. Actions include negotiation, evidence, and broad-based partnership among others.