Archive for March, 2009
Published March 19th, 2009
SorKorPor Solidarity Statement for PAKISAMA
On the occasion of the 7th National congress
Dear Brothers and sisters: our comrade in PAKISAMA
We, the Thai farmer’s Association (SorKorPor) want to talk and express our solidarity with you on the special important event in your history the 7th National congress on March 18 – 20, 2009 with the theme “Unity Amidst Challenges of the time”.
The Crisis of the global financial meltdown, climate chomge, food crisis and bad governance give a big chance of small farmers’ small fishers and indigenous peoples.
“Why and How to work – hard” this is the question,
You and other farmer’s Organization must give the best answer for the farmers, and the answer is the goal we must walk together.
We hope you can use the 7th National congress to build common understanding in “strength, weakness, Obstacles and opportunities” in your organization and create strategic plan and tactical Action plan for solve the solution.
We also hope that after the 7th National congress, your organization will strengthen and more stronger and can do more works for your farmers, fishers and indigenous peoples.
May PAKISAMA young youn!
Long live PAKISAMA!
In solidarity
Prawit Panchareon
Chairperson of SorKorPor
March 17, 2009
Published March 17th, 2009
Solidarity Statement for PAKISAMA on the occasion of its 7th National Congress
Dear Friends in PAKISAMA,
We, the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), would like to express our solidarity with you on the occasion of your 7th National Congress on March 18-20, 2009, with the theme “Unity Amidst Challenges of the Time.”
This is a very important event not only for PAKISAMA, but for all the peasants in the Philippines, who continue to struggle to own land, improve their livelihoods, and uphold their dignity.
More than two decades ago, PAKISAMA was born out of the need for a strong national farmers’ alliance that will push for genuine agrarian and aquatic reform in the country.
Two decades later, the need for a stronger and more united peasant alliance has become even greater.
The nation’s supposed lawmakers seem intent on killing the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, by refusing to pass a law extending and reforming it, as mandated by the Constitution, and by passing a bogus resolution that removes the provisions on compulsory acquisition of the land, which is the very heart of land reform.
These challenges are heighted by the global financial meltdown, climate change, food crises, and bad governance in the lives especially of millions of landless and struggling women and men farmers, small fishers, and indigenous peoples.
We are one with you in this struggle as comrades from different Asian countries.
For it is only under a united front that we, small men and women farmers of Asia, will succeed in bringing about a better future for ourselves, our children, and our children’s children.
Mabuhay ang PAKISAMA!
Long live PAKISAMA!
In solidarity,
Ms. Sudaporn Sittisathapornkul
Chairperson
Ms Esther Penunia
Secretary General
Published March 17th, 2009
PAKISAMA holds 7th National Congress
Dear friends,
PAKISAMA, as a national confederation and movement of farmers, fishers, and rural women organizations, will be holding on March 18-20, 2009 at Riverbend Hotel, Riverbanks Center, Marikina City, its 7th National Congress since it was founded 23 years ago. We expect 150 official provincial peasant federation delegates, observers and guests coming from 40 provinces across the country. We will be approving our strategic direction and amendments to our Constitution, and elect a new set of national and regional officers.
Our theme “Unity Amidst Challenges of the Time” speaks of our commitment to further unite ourselves to face head on the challenges posed by the global financial meltdown, climate change, food crises, and bad governance in the lives especially of millions of landless and struggling women and men farmers, small fishers, and indigenous peoples.
As esteemed colleague in the broad peasant struggle in the Philippines, in Asia, and in the world, we seek your prayers and written expression of solidarity to this important event in our history.
Sincerely yours,
Raul Socrates C. Banzuela
National Coordinator
PAKISAMA
Published March 5th, 2009
AFA participates in IFAD’s discussion on research and innovation for smallholders
Feb 18, Rome – AFA Secretary General, Esther Penunia, participated as one of the panelists during a round table discussion (RTD) on “ Research and Innovation for smallholder farmers in the context of climate change”, organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), last February 18, in Rome , Italy. The RTD was one of the three concurrent sessions that IFAD conducted that day, as part of the 32nd session of its Governing Council.
Click here for the full presentation entitled “Upscale Sustainable, Integrated, Diversified, Organic Agriculture by Smallholders Farmers To Adapt and Mitigate Effects of Climate Change”
Click here for more information on the “Governing Council Roundtables: Smallholder agriculture and food security in the twenty-first century” at the IFAD website
Published March 5th, 2009
Upscale Sustainable, Integrated, Diversified, Organic Agriculture by Smallholders Farmers To Adapt and Mitigate Effects of Climate Change
by the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
(Paper presented during the Round Table Discussion “Research and Innovation for Smallholder Farmers in the Context of Climate Change”, organized by IFAD during the 32nd session of IFAD’s Governing Council, 18 February 2009 by Ma. Estrella A. Penunia, Secretary General, AFA.)
Good afternoon to everyone. Thank you for attending this round table discussion.
First of all, we would like to thank IFAD for giving us the opportunity to share with you our experiences, perspectives and ideas on agricultural research for smallholder farmers in the context of climate change. Indeed, it is a very timely matter for discussion, as we are experiencing rapid climate change. In the Philippines where I come from, the months from December till April should be dry months. But we are experiencing lots of rainfall, even flooding in areas that normally are not flooded. In the Southeast Asian region which we are part of, we have experienced in recent years extraordinary flooding in some areas and droughts earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis in some other areas.
Climate change affects everyone in the planet, but smallholder men and women farmers are one of the most affected, if we may say. We rely so much on our communion with nature and climate for our livelihoods and way of life. The warming of the earth changes weather patterns, disrupt ecosystems, and with it, unusual droughts, floods, storms, heat, pests, and diseases, all of which can spell insecurity, illness, disaster, hunger and even death and tragedy among us.
Published March 2nd, 2009
Promote Sustainable, Organic Agriculture in ASEAN to Ensure Food Security and Reduce Poverty
Press Release
March 1, 2009
As heads of state conclude the 15th ASEAN Summit today with declarations and agreements to help the region respond to the issues of the global financial crisis and food security, leaders of the Asian Farmers’ Association (AFA), an alliance of national farmers’ organizations with 10 million members in Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, called on ASEAN to promote sustainable, ecological-friendly agriculture in the region.
“We are pleased to know that ASEAN has signed an ASEAN Integrated Food Security Framework. However, we want to place emphasis on the massive promotion of sustainable, integrated, diversified, organic agriculture (SA) to ensure food security. SA is the way to go if we want to ensure food security and reduce poverty among small scale farmers, fishers and indigenous peoples, “said Ms. Sudaporn Sittisathapornkul, Chairperson of AFA.
