Source: http://c4d.undg.org/
“The challenge to the international community and to decision makers at all levels of society is to work with family farmers, through their farmers organizations… Communication for Development is key to enable social inclusion and put forward our own development agenda.”
This was the message delivered by AFA Secretary General and FAO Special Ambassador for the IYFF in Asia Pacific Esther Penunia in a keynote address at the XIII United Nations Inter-Agency Round Table on Communication for Development with the theme “Enabling social inclusion to support food and nutrition security, resilient rural livelihoods and family farming” last September 16 at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy.
Highlighting the role of family farming for food security, nutrition, and resilient rural livelihoods, Penunia reminded the participants that family farmers produce 50-70% of the food in the world and 80% of the food in Asia Pacific. She also said that diversified family farms produce much more variety of food, and much more nutritious food, using farming systems that can adapt to climate change while mitigating it at the same time.
“[O]ne of our key messages for this International year of Family Farming is that small scale family farmers are key actors for food security, nutrition, sustainable, resilient agriculture that adapts while at the same time mitigates climate change,” said Penunia.
The XIII Round Table was held on September 16-18 for the purpose of upholding the fundamental role of Communication for Development in fostering dialogue, ownership and the active participation of stakeholders in development programmes, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It specifically focused on how communication can improve the quality of policy processes in Food and Nutrition Security, Family Farming and Resilient Rural Livelihoods through wider access to information, greater citizen – government interaction, public and private sector partnerships, and knowledge sharing.
“[T]ogether we make communications a powerful means to help family farming communities. And in the process, contribute to ending hunger and poverty, ensuring food securing and nutrition, and bringing smiles and joy to family farming communities,” Penunia said in her message.
Click here for the Keynote Speech of Esther Penunia
Click here for more information on the XIII Inter-agency Round Table
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