Bi-annual global meetings

The first meeting of the Farmers’ Forum took place in Rome on 13 and 14 February 2006, bringing together 162 representatives at the ministerial level and more than 50 leaders, representing millions of small farmers and rural producers, from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Near East and Europe who interacted with IFAD staff and selected partners.

Participants were also invited to the Governing Council, where they were able to join in the three thematic round tables, in which several farmer representatives were also invited as panellists.

On the first day of the three-day meeting, participants broke into three regional groups – Africa, Asia and Latin American – where discussions were held on improving and institutionalizing IFAD/farmers’ organization partnerships. On the second day, three thematic working groups were set up to discuss:

• pro-poor access to land and land tenure security
• building capacity of grassroots rural institutions
• regional market integration and family agriculture

On the third day, a synthesis of deliberations was endorsed by the Steering Committee and the participants. It was read to the plenary session of the Governing Council by two representatives designated by the Farmers’ Forum.  

A synthesis of deliberation by the Forum was delivered to IFAD’s Governing Council by a farmers’ leader.

The main recommendations in the synthesis were related to:

• The opening of IFAD-led or IFAD-supported processes – such as the development of its strategies at national and regional levels and corporate levels; and the design, implementation and evaluation of programmes and projects – to the participation of farmers’ organizations
• The institutionalization of the Farmers’ Forum process
• Strengthening IFAD’s focus on the issue of access to natural resources through the facilitation of dialogue between governments and representatives of small farmers and pastoralists, rural women, indigenous peoples, coastal communities and other marginalized groups
• Supporting the capacity-building efforts of farmers’ organizations through the sustained provision of direct financing
• Deepening and broadening the support to the active engagement of farmers’ organizations in regional integration processes through an evaluation of the impact of regional market integration policies and market liberalization on family agriculture and the livelihoods of the rural poor.

IFAD’s President responded to the recommendations put forth by the Farmers’ Forum on the 37th World Farmers Congress of IFAP held in Seoul in May 2006,