Pastoralism in WRF conference on family farming
The 6th Global Conference on Family Farming hosted by the World Rural Forum (WRF) on 27–28 March 2019 in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain, celebrated that the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) has been proclaimed for 2019–28. As the International Support Group (ISG) for an International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) has an observer seat in the World Coordinating Committee for the Decade, Ann Waters-Bayer from CELEP attended the conference.
CELEP, the ISG and the International Land Coalition Rangelands Initiative (ILC-RI) prepared a 4-pager on “Pastoralists as family farmers“. This was distributed at the conference.
On the opening day, most of the numerous speakers from international, governmental and non-governmental organisations, including farmer organisations, did not mention pastoralists. A few participants (including Ann) raised issues about pastoralism in the plenary and working groups, but there was no room for discussing what issues or policies related to pastoralism (or indeed to family farmers) would be raised during the Decade.
The feedback to the plenary from the East African working group highlighted the need to regard pastoralists as family farmers, and a woman leader from Central Africa also raised this point. In the closing session, the women who spoke on behalf of the World Farmers Organization and Via Campesina both mentioned the importance of including pastoralists.
One possibility to draw more attention to the achievements and specific issues of pastoralists during the Decade would be to form an Action Network on this topic. CELEP, ISG and ILC-RI will explore this possibility.
A 2-page report on the conference – seen from the perspective of pastoralism – can be found here.
Posted on 22 April 2019 in CELEP Documents, News