Regional exchange to share findings and call for action on food system transition and climate resiliency

Regional exchange to share findings and call for action on food system transition and climate resiliency
October 12, 2023 / 3:30 – 5:00 pm Manila time (GMT+8)
Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87320327385
Zoom Meeting ID: 873 2032 7385

Background

From August to September this year, AFA, together with its members and partners, convened 12 national consultations (with 3 more to be conducted this month) with  representatives  from government, non-government, and private actors in the agriculture-fishery sectors to deliberate on four key questions:

1. What are the latest commitments and/or actions related to UNDFF, UNFSS, UNCBD, UNFCC/COP28, and land rights programs?
2. In what ways can farmers’ organizations and other stakeholders engage and contribute to improving the implementation of action plans related to UNDFF, UNFSS, UNFCC, UNCBD, and land-related programs?
3. How to create synergy among actors and various initiatives?
4. How can farmers raise their voices in COP28?

These national consultations are in line with the call for a just transition toward resilient and healthy food systems and greener economies, which are inclusive of small-scale family farmers. In more specific terms, they aimed at i) widening the opportunities for small-scale family farmers to fully participate in crafting and implementing national-level policies, programs, and financial mechanisms that are related to UNDFF, UNFSS, UNCBD, and UNFCCC  and ii) galvanizing partnerships among family farming stakeholders. 

Small-scale farmers hold a big part of the solutions yet they are among the most vulnerable groups affected by climate change, energy crisis, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss among others. Therefore, farmers’ engagement in all related programs on climate action, biodiversity conservation, and food systems transformation, and farmers’ representation in decision-making processes at all levels must be ensured to achieve a just transition and to take full advantage of the solutions in the hands of small-scale farmers. 

Also, access to financial resources is crucial for smallholders. In Africa, Latin America, and Asia, there is a substantial funding gap of approximately 170 billion USD. Financial institutions often view investments in smallholders as high-risk ventures, and there is generally a lack of recognition regarding farmer organizations as effective conduits for financial investments.  As a result, small-scale family farmers struggle to access the necessary financial resources and extension services to adapt to climate change and improve their farming practices.

Objectives 

The purpose of this regional-level meeting is to share the consolidated results of the national consultations and generate feedback and support from partner NGOs and development agencies. The results of these consultations will be a key basis for crafting messages that can feed into the UNFCCC COP28 Call of Action from Family Farmers as non-state actors, as well as our reference for our interventions during policy spaces in other climate-related, food system processes such as UNCBD UNDFF and Food summit.

Program