2008 fao report to copac
Post on 16-Feb-2022
5 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
1
2008 Annual Report on
FAO activities in support of producer organizations and
cooperatives
for the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of
Cooperatives (COPAC)
Prepared by E. L. Crowley
1, Chair, S. Gaona Sáez and Bernd Seiffert
FAO Inter-Departmental Committee and Inter-Departmental Working Group
on Institution Building for Agriculture and Rural Development
29 January 2009
The views expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
1 We are grateful to the members of the Inter Departmental Task Force, the Inter Departmental Committee on
Institution Building for Agriculture and Rural Development and the many other FAO officers and management
at headquarters (from AGNS, AGNP, AGSF, AGSP, AGST, AGPC, AGPP, AGAP, TCAP, TCES, TCEO,
TCOS, NRLA, NRLW, NRCB, NRRR, FIIU, ESTT, and decentralized levels (FAORLC, FAOSLC, FAOSNE,
FAORAP, FAORNE, FAOSAP, FAOSFC, FAOSFS) for their inputs, review, and guidance on this report.
2
3
List of abbreviations
ACP – Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific
AGA – FAO Animal Production and Health Division
AGAH – FAO Animal Health Service
AGAP – FAO Animal Production Service
AGN – FAO Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division
AGNP – FAO Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division
AGNS – FAO Food Safety and Quality Service
AGP – FAO Plant Production and Protection Division
AGPC – FAO Crop and Grassland Service
AGPP- FAO Plant Protection Service
AGPS – FAO Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Unit
AGS – FAO Rural Infra-structure and Agro-industries Division
AGSF – FAO Agricultural Management, Marketing and Finance Service
AGST – FAO Food Engineering Technology Service
ALA - Latin-American Poultry Association
APIPNM - Asia Pacific Integrated Plant Nutrient Management Network
AU - Agreement of Understanding
AVE - Assistance for the Epidemiological Surveillance of Geo-referenced Avian
Influenza
CA – Conservation Agriculture
CAADP - Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme
CARIFORUM/CARICOM – Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States /Caribbean
Community
CBOs - Community-Based Organizations
CDMP - Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme
CEP - Champs-écoles des Producteurs
CSO – Civil Society Organization
CTA - Centre Technique de Coopération Agricole et Rurale
DIVA - Diversification, Intensification et Valorisation des Produits Agricoles Locaux
EAAF – East African Farmers Federation
4
EC – European Commission
ECO – Economic Cooperation Organization
ESA – FAO Agriculture and Development Economics Division
ESAE – FAO Agricultural Sector In Economic Development Service
ESAF – FAO Food Security and Agricultural Projects Analysis Unit
EST – FAO Trade and Markets Division
ESTT – FAO Trade Policy Service
ESW – FAO Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division
FAORAP – FAO Sub-regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
FAORLC – FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
FAORNE – FAO Regional Office for the Near East
FAOSAP – FAO Sub-regional Office for the Pacific Islands
FAOSEC - FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Asia
FAOSFC – FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Africa
FAOSFS - FAO Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa
FAOSNE – FAO Sub-regional Office for North Africa
FBO – Farmer Based Organizations
FFS – Farmers Field Schools
FIEP – FAO Fisheries Development Planning Service
FII – FAO Fish Products and Industry Division
FIIT – FAO Fishing Technology Service
FIMA – FAO Aquaculture Management and Conservation Service
FIMF – FAO Fisheries Management and Conservation Service
FIRI – FAO Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service
FOE – FAO Forest Economics and Policy Division
FOEP – FAO Forest Economics, Policy and Institutions Service
FOIP – FAO Forest Products Service
FOM – FAO Forest Management Division
FOMR – FAO Forest Resources Development Service
FSCA - Food Security through Commercialization of Agriculture
5
FTJER - Evaluación del Programa de Fondo de Tierras y Joven Emprendedor Rural
GAP - Good Agricultural Practices
GI – Geographical Indication
GIAHS - Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems
GIPD - Gestion Intégrée de la Production et des Déprédateurs
HPAI - Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
IARBIC - Intensification de l’Agriculture par le Renforcement des Boutiques d’Intrants Coopératives
ICARRD - International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development
IDC – Inter Departmental Committee
IDWG – Inter Departmental Working Group
IFAD – International Fund for Agricultural Development
IIRR – International Institution of Rural Reconstruction
ILO – International Labour Organization
IPM - Integrated Pest Management
IPPM - Integrated Plant and Pest Management
ISFP - Initiative on Soaring Food Prices
IUF – International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’
Associations
JFFLS - Junior Farmers Field and Life Schools
KCEF – FAO Outreach and Capacity Building Branch
LADA - Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands
LEGN – FAO Development Legal Service
LTU – Lead Technical Unit
MERCOSUR – Common Market of the Southern Cone
MoA – Ministry of Agriculture
NARES - National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems
NEDAC - Regional Network for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific
NFP - National Forest Programme
NGOs – Non-Governmental Organizations
NRC – FAO Environment, Climate Change and Bioenergy Division
NRCB – FAO Climate Change and Bioenergy Unit
6
NRL – FAO Land and Water Division
NRLA – FAO Land Tenure and Management Unit
NRLW – FAO Water Development and Management Unit
NRR – FAO Research and Extension Division
NRRR – FAO Research and Extension Unit
PCA – Programme Cooperation Agreement
PES – Payment for Environmental Services
PFNL - Produits Forestiers Non Ligneux
PICTS - Pacific Island Countries and Territories
PMH - Petite et Moyenne Hydraulique
PRCC - Pacific Roundtable on Climate Change
PROPAC - Platform of Peasant Organizations of Central Africa
PSA - Participatory System Analysis
RKN - Rural Knowledge Network
RLCP - FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
ROPPA – Reséaux des Organisations Paysannes et de Producteurs Agricoles de l’Afrique de l’Ouest
RTM - Round Table Meeting
RUFIP - Rural Financial Intermediation Programme
SADC - Southern African Development Community Secretariat
SARD – Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development
SDAR – FAO Participation Service
SDR – FAO Research, Extension and Training Division
SLM - Sustainable Land Management
SME – Small and Medium Enterprise
SMFE - Small and Medium Forest Enterprise
SPFS – Special Programme for Food Security
SVO – State Veterinary Office
TCEO – FAO Emergency Operations Service
TCI – FAO Investment Centre Division
TCIS - FAO Investment Centre
7
TCO – FAO Field Operations Division
TCOS – FAO Programme for Food Security Management and Coordination Service
TCP – Technical Cooperation Project
UFA - Unités Forestières d’Aménagement
UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
UNIDO - United Nations Industrial Development Organization
WBGS – West Bank and the Gaza Strip
WFP – World Food Programme
8
Structure of the report
1. Summary and overview
2. Activities undertaken in 2008
a) Policy processes and advice to member countries on co-operative and
producer group enterprise development and support to producer organizations to participate in policy dialogue
(i) Farmer organizations and cooperatives
i.1 Regional
Africa
Asia
i.2 National
i.3 Global / cross-regional
b) Direct technical support services to field projects in member countries
(i) Farmer organizations and cooperatives
i.1 Africa
Regional
National
i.2 Asia and the Pacific
Regional
National
i.3 Europe
Regional
National
i.4 Latin America and the Caribbean
Regional
National
i.5 Near East
Regional
National
i.6 Global / cross-regional
(ii) Forest users organizations
ii.1 Africa
Regional
National
ii.2 Asia and the Pacific
National
iii.3 Global / cross-regional
(iii) Fisher organizations
iii.1 Africa
National
9
iii.2 Asia and the Pacific
National
iii.3 Near East
Regional
National
c) Helping to create an enabling environment
(i) Farmer organizations and cooperatives
i.1 Africa
Regional
National
i.2 Asia and the Pacific
National
i.3 Latin America and the Caribbean
National
i.4 Near East
National
i.5 Global / cross-regional
d) Good practices and success cases with evidence of impact
e) Meetings held and regional networking activities supported
Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Near East
Global / cross-regional
f) Any other relevant activities at national and regional level g) Knowledge platforms for producer organizations’ capacity development
Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Latin America and the Caribbean
Global / cross-regional
3. Activities for 2009-2010
a) Policy processes and advice to member countries on co-operative and
producer group enterprise development and support to producer organizations to participate in policy dialogue
a.1. Regional
Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Latin America and the Caribbean
Near East
Global / cross-regional
b) Direct technical support services to field projects in member countries
Africa
10
Asia and the Pacific
Near East
Global / cross-regional
c) Publications, issues papers and normative guidelines in support of producer organizations
and cooperative development
(i) Farmer organizations and cooperatives
d) Global and regional meetings to be held and networking activities to be supported Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Near East
Global / cross-regional
e) Other relevant meetings and activities at national and regional level
Africa
Asia and the Pacific
Latin America and the Caribbean
Near East
Global / cross-regional
11
1. Summary and Overview
The first year of the biennium 2008-2009 marked an increased recognition by FAO of the
importance of effective institutions, including producer organizations, for the achievement of
food security. The June 2008 FAO ’’High-Level Conference on World Food Security: The
Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy’’ inspired a resurgence of public interest in the
effectiveness and failures of a wide range of public and private institutions that play a critical
role in enabling producers to take advantage of the benefits and mitigate the risks of food
price volatility. This renewed interest led to a consolidation of FAO’s interdepartmental
working mechanisms for institution building2 and a re-examination of how best to address
institution building, including producer organizations, within FAO’s new Strategic
Framework 2010-2013 which is currently being refined and is expected to be approved by
FAO’s Governing Bodies in November 2009. Within that framework, technical support to
build capacity, particularly for rural institutions, is recognized as a crosscutting Core Function
of FAO and as such is in many respects being mainstreamed into other higher level priorities
of the Organization, while it provides substantial contributions to capacity building through
field programmes in many countries.
The vast majority of FAO’s technical support to institution building, focused on producer
organizations and cooperatives, is provided through sectoral programmes and projects3 by
over 20 technical units. These areas of support can be grouped roughly into the following
three areas:
1. Specific technical skills and knowledge (especially commercial enterprises
(agriculture, fisheries, forestry) farm management, food producer and consumer
groups, natural resource management, emergency and rehabilitation and disaster risk
management
2. Representation and participation of producer organizations (farmers, fishers, and
forest users) in agriculture and rural development policy formulation
3. Mainstreaming support to producer organizations in investment programmes and
national institutions (i.e. research and extension)
FAO has changed the balance in the nature of its support to producer organizations and
cooperatives, with increasing emphasis on development of professional organizations that can
provide commercially viable services to their members. FAO has moved away from directly
supporting producer organizations as local community organizations, now increasingly
working in the direction of helping to reinforce the roles that producer organizations and
cooperatives can play in supporting farm commercialization and integration of producers into
modernizing value chains.
Nevertheless, an important area of ambiguity remains: that FAO’s governing bodies have
never explicitly highlighted support to producer organizations and cooperatives as a priority
2 In 2008 the Interdepartmental Task Force that had coordinated FAO’s work on producer organizations, cooperatives, and chambers of
agriculture merged with an Inter Departmental Committee that was set up to support national level investments related to institution building
in the context of the Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP). The IDTF/IDC is now co-chaired by three divisions (Gender, Equity and Rural
Employment (ESW), Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries (AGS), and the Strategic Planning Unit (ODGS). Two task teams are orienting
institution building inputs to the ISFP Country assessments, FAO’s new Strategic Framework, the Medium Term Plan (2010-2013) and the
Programme of Work and Budget (2010-2011). 3 See Annex A for more details on projects by country, region and Lead Technical Unit (LTU): ftp://extftp01/es/Data/ESW/GeographicalDistribution/ and Annex B for more details on LTUs’ technical competencies:
ftp://extftp01/es/Data/ESW/LTUCompetencyTable/
12
area of work. The report of the Independent External Evaluation of the FAO (2007)
considered “institutional strengthening for farmer learning, agricultural education and research” to
be among the “...areas identified where there are gaps in the global architecture but to which
countries were not necessarily addressing high priority and where FAO would have difficulty in re-
establishing significant capacity without major additional resources...”(page 26)
This has led to an attrition in funding and technical capacities in FAO over the years. Yet
about a dozen Government requests (mostly from the Africa Region) are made to FAO each
year for this very type of support and at least one fourth of all governments who developed
NMTPFs since 2006 for the 2006 to 2013 period (eight Member Governments4) explicitly
mentioned institution building as a priority in their National Medium Term Priority
Frameworks (NMTPF). The priority that Governments place in this area of work is further
corroborated by a rapid survey undertaken by FAO’s Director General (2007/2008) which
confirmed the high priority that 35 Member Countries place in capacity building of farmer
organizations and cooperatives. Furthermore, producer organizations themselves continue to
lobby for increased involvement in the work of the Organization.
Yet, Government deliberations in 2008 associated with FAO Reform have resulted in an
Immediate Plan of Action and draft Strategic Objectives (approved by FAO’s 35th
Conference
in November 2008) in which support to producer organizations and cooperatives remain
notably sparse. The absence of a clear lead unit and the very limited capacity to respond to
government requests for cross-sectoral technical assistance and broad support to producer
organizations, cooperatives, and community based organizations in 2008, resulted in such
requests being handled as a temporary measure by FAO’s decentralized multidisciplinary
teams and the Technical Cooperation Department.5 This temporary arrangement has not been
fully satisfactory, and the setting up of an alternative mechanism is a priority for the short
future.
For the time being, FAO will continue to support producer organizations in its field
programme primarily “in those areas which are of priority nature in the framework of
medium and long term response to the food crisis’’. Other areas of institution building work,
such as restructuring of public institutions, which had been dropped from FAO’s work
programme in the same way, however, have subsequently been reabsorbed by other technical
units. However, to adequately address the wide range of institution building needs in the
agricultural sector and particularly given the important institutional reforms (Ministries,
research and extension systems, marketing, etc.), the sub-regional offices would need to be
strengthened by a position specialised in institution building. In 2009, special efforts will be
needed to ensure that institution building of producer organizations, cooperatives and other
institutions that support small producers is appropriately integrated into the Strategic
Framework to be able to respond effectively to demands from Member Governments over the
next four years. Finally, it is important to note that FAO has - and will continue to -
collaborate with other development partners to promote and strengthen institution building
and producer organisations through a range of activities and interventions - in alignment with
the Paris Declaration, efforts to improve Rome-based agency cooperation and the One-UN
system, and in support of the MDGs.
4These Member Countries are Cambodia (2006), Lao PDR (2008), Indonesia (2009), Pakistan (2007), Thailand (2007), Yemen (2006-2010),
Gabon (2009) and Democratic Republic of Congo (2009). 5
These concerns were raised and documented in a Special Meeting of the Field Programme Committee (FPC) in February 2008 and then
brought to the Director Generals attention in September 2008.
13
Notwithstanding the above, the discussions held during two recent important Conferences
may represent a turning point in the relations of FAO with producer organizations and
cooperatives. During the June 2008 High-Level Conference, a proposal to develop a Global
Partnership for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition with Civil Society Organizations was
launched by some FAO members, and reconfirmed at the more recent January 2009 ‘’Madrid
High-Level Meeting on Food Security for All’’ in its statement: participants ‘’agreed on the
importance of an inclusive and broad process of consultation on options leading to the
establishment of a Global Partnership for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition’’ and
emphasized the importance that ‘’the consultations should be open to the full range of
stakeholders involved in agriculture, food security and nutrition (including farmers’
organizations, civil society organizations, women’s organizations, private sector, developing
country governments, and both regional and international organisations)’’. The Meeting also
gave guidelines to start setting up a representative contact group, under the control of the
Committee on Food Security, accountable to all interested partners, to guide and oversee the
consultation process.
Selected achievements in 2008:
In 2008, FAO’s key achievements specifically relating to producer organizations include the
following:
o 10 major global and regional policy processes/initiatives were supported,
o some 22 publications were produced6
o 12 knowledge platforms/portals were developed or maintained,
o 21 relevant good practices were identified,
o 122 technical assistance projects were formulated or implemented, and
o 35 conferences/meetings/consultations/awareness raising/training events were
held, all of which were directly or indirectly supportive of organizations of farmers,
fishers, forest users, agricultural enterprises and cooperatives.
o FAO supported producer organizations in 120 countries.
Specific highlights among FAO’s organization-wide achievements include:
� As the Director General’s request, a state of the art paper on Strengthening
Agricultural Institutions to benefit smallholders in developing countries, was
prepared in the context of the ISFP and identified key information, organizational and
enabling environment failures that reduce smallholder production. The paper provided
operational guidelines for developing country level approaches to overcome these
institutional bottlenecks, identified six institutional good practices that have proven
effective in a number of country contexts, and provided investment templates for
institutional strengthening related to i) programme management for capacity
development of public institutions in Africa, ii) farmer organizations, iii) Farmer Field
Schools, iv) research and extension, v) access to quality seeds, vi) fertilizer and seed
distribution, vii) output marketing, viii) finance and credit, ix) livestock, x) meat for
Africa; xi) milk for Asia and xii) milk for Africa (see
ftp://extftp01/es/Data/ESW/StrengtheningAgriculturalInstitutions/)
6 Please see Annex C for recent publications, issues papers, normative guidelines, e-learning tools, policy briefs and workshop/conference
proceedings: ftp://extftp01/es/Data/ESW/RecentPublications/ and Annex D for an inventory of other FAO resources of value to producer
organizations and cooperatives: ftp://extftp01/es/Data/ESW/OtherResources/
14
� Improved access by internet users to 350 additional FAO publications and learning
resources and revised and updated institution building materials targeted to producer
organizations through FAO’s Capacity Building Portal. (see
http://www.fao.org/capacitybuilding/)
� Key service providers specialized in providing support to producer organizations
were identified, assessed and classified based on services offered/planned in 2008-
2009, nature of training activities, funding sources, geographic scope, key clients,
average size, etc. with the aim of selecting potential future partners
� A Partnership with ILO was initiated in the framework of the COOPAfrica and
FAO shared experience and materials at the Technical Workshop on Cooperative
Tools Development (27-29 August, Nairobi), as well as organized a field trip to a
dairy cooperative which uses open source licensed Enterprise Resource Planning
Software COOPWORKS. (For more information see
http://www.coopworks.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9&Itemid
=39). This collaboration is a continuation of the partnership with ILO in the areas of
agricultural cooperatives development and rural employment ( See: http://www.fao-
ilo.org/)
� Programme and project proposals were prepared for financial support for
Institution Building (EU Food Security Thematic Programme, Government of France,
the Soaring Food Prices Initiative, a subset of ISFP proposals) see: ftp://ext-
ftp.fao.org/ES/Data/ESW/EC_FAO_FSTP_identification/ and ftp://ext-
ftp.fao.org/ES/Data/ESW/AGSF_Farmer_organizations/
� the 14th UN International Day of Cooperatives was celebrated focusing on
Confronting Climate Change through Cooperative Enterprise in partnership with
the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC).
(see http://www.copac.coop/idc/2008-fao-en.pdf)
Plans for 2009
The focus of FAO’s institution building work in 2009 will be as follows:
� direct or indirect technical assistance to producer organizations in 69 countries in
Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Pacific7
� technically advice to the Initiative on Soaring Food Prices to help strengthen country
strategies for responding to food price volatility, by working to reinforce institutions
(including producer organizations and cooperatives) involved in distributing
agricultural inputs (seeds, tools, fertilizer, animal vaccines, etc.) to food producers, in
processing, storing, and marketing food, and in providing the medium and long term
research, extension, and market information needed to increase food production.
Investment templates developed for this purpose may also be used to support the
development of national investment plans on institution building to lay the
groundwork for the Conference on Feeding the World in 2050.
� guidance in revising FAO’s new Strategic Framework 2010-2013, Medium Term
Plan and Programme of Work to ensure that institution building is adequately reflected
7This refers to the information provided by relevant LTUs on both assistance that they already initiated in 2008, and that will continue
through 2009, and assistance that they will start in 2009
15
in the organizational results, indicators, and core functions and to improve the way in
which outcomes in this area are monitored, coordinated, and reported on in the future.
� preparation of a draft publication on Good Practices in Building Agricultural
Institutions, identifying innovative institutional models that merit greater global
attention and scaling up.
� continued collection and uploading of new FAO learning resources designed for
producer organizations on FAO’s Capacity Building portal.
� meeting with FAO’s Director General and a selection of representatives of producer
organizations in Bellagio, Italy (end May 2009) to define how to strengthen the
involvement of small producers in the work of the Organization. The development
of proposals for practical ways to develop partnerships with farmers' organizations and
their representatives will be a priority for the whole Organization in 2009.
� continued development of partnerships with organizations that strengthen the
capacities of key agricultural institutions or promote significant reinvestment in the
agricultural sector, while recognizing the inadequacy of institutions to support
smallholders in developing countries as a serious constraint to agriculture
development.
In 2009, FAO will also undertake analytical support to the identification of appropriate
institution building, under which at least the following outputs are expected in the first half of
the year:
� a paper evaluating recently implemented input delivery programmes to develop
insights for informing the design of future delivery systems in the context of higher
food and fertilizer prices.
� an assessment of alternative mechanisms by which state support has been used to
leverage greater private sector involvement in poorly functioning value chains.
� a review of existing organizational forms of smallholder farmers’ associations and
their contractual relationships with other market participants considering the
prevailing structure of sectoral value chains.
2. Activities undertaken in 2008
a) Policy processes and advice to member countries on co-operative and producer
group enterprise development and support to producer organizations to
participate in policy dialogue
(i) Farmer organizations and cooperatives
i.1 Regional
Africa:
• FAOSFS is currently completing thematic based policy review studies (crops,
livestock, natural resource management and forestry, fisheries, land, water and
irrigation, emergency preparedness, trade and marketing) for key sectors
related to food and nutrition security for selected countries in the sub-region:
16
Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The
policy review is meant to identify policy interventions, to be consolidated into
a policy synthesis paper that should contribute to strengthening the resilience
of the countries’ food and nutrition security systems to climatic and economic
shocks. The identified policy interventions include support for stronger farmer
(producers, co-operatives, interest-based groups) associations for the
agriculture, forestry, fisheries and related sectors.
• Improvement of Food Security in Cross-border Districts of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, in Support of the Modernization of Agriculture under NEPAD Framework (GTFS/RAF/391/ITA – LTU: AGSF / 2006/2009) and
Inter-Country Coordination for Projects GTFS/SEN/060/ITA, GTFS/MLI/030/ITA, GTFS/GBS/028/ITA, GTFS/SIL/028/ITA and GTFS/LIR/010/ITA (GTFS/RAF/426/ITA – LTU: TCOS / 2008/2011). With
funding provided by the Government of Italy, support is being provided to
reinforce the management, market linkage and services provision capacities of
farmer based organizations in 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Burundi,
Ruanda, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal and
Sierra Leone (please refer to the further direct technical support section for
more information on these projects).
Asia:
• FAORAP provided technical and policy support and training materials on
agricultural cooperative development to member countries, in collaboration
with the Regional Network for the Development of Agricultural
Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific (NEDAC:
http://www.nedac.org.in/Index.htm), a network composed of governments and
cooperative movements from 13 Asian government countries and serving
about 3 million agricultural cooperatives in the region.
17
i.2 National
• Land Administration Programme. FAO is currently preparing the second
phase of this investment programme to be implemented in Honduras. The
overall objective of this programme includes strengthening property rights in
the country through modernization of the legal framework, and institutional
strengthening. The objective of phase II is to continue to strengthen the legal,
institutional and technological framework for property rights in the country,
and it includes a component by which strengthening of indigenous and afro-
descendant peoples’ (and their organizations) property rights is foreseen. The
programme is expected to last for 12 more years.
• Rural Financial Intermediation Programme (RUFIP) FAO is providing
substantial support to this investment programme in Lesotho, in which
institution building is the main thrust. The overall goal of the programme is to
alleviate poverty, increase income and contribute to the overall economic
development. The programme objective is to enhance access of the rural poor
to efficient financial services on a sustainable basis. Two of the programme
components are: a) Development of member-based financial institutions,
including capacity building of financial cooperatives and capacity building of
informal financial groups, and b) facilitating the rural outreach of formal
financial institutions, where one of the sub-components is promoting linkages
between commercial banks and financial groups and cooperatives.
• FAOSFS is providing regular support to national Conservation Agriculture
(CA) Task Forces in the Southern Africa sub-region, (particularly Zimbabwe),
with the objective of strengthening capacity for support for the
institutionalization of CA, with a view of enhancing up-scaling of CA in the
sub-region. CA is hereby recognized as an opportunity for establishment of
strong producer organisations and cooperatives in the sub-region.
i.3 Global / cross regional
• All ACP Commodities Programme (GCP /INT/045/EC – LTU: ESTD / 2007-
2010). Through this EU-funded programme, regional workshops were
organized with apex farmer federations and organizations in Eastern and
Southern Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific in order to consider strategies
and priorities for increase member organization capacities for helping their
members link into modern value chains (please refer to the section on direct
technical support for further information on this programme).
• Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain Regions (SARD-M) (GCP /GLO/136/MUL - LTU: ESWD / 2005-2009). Under this
global project, FAO is currently considering undertaking pilot actions on PES
to rural communities in mountain regions, under the project. The project was
funded by Switzerland, France and (initially) Japan to support the elaboration
of an analysis of SARD Mountain policies, institutions and processes
covering the Andes, Carpathians, South East Europe, Himalayas, and
Mediterranean Regions in 20 countries of the world. The study examined
18
institutions and processes involved in the formulation and implementation of
policies and how mountain people, including civil society and farmers
organizations, can be more accountable in this process (for further information
please see:
http://www.fao.org/sard/common/ecg/3003/en/SARDMinterregionalanalysisE.
b) Direct technical support services to field projects in member countries
(i) Farmer organizations and cooperatives
i.1 Africa
Regional
• Appui aux Acteurs et leurs Organisations pour le Développement d’Unités Semi industrielles de Transformation Agroalimentaire pour la Réduction de la Pauvreté et de l’Insécurité Alimentaire (GCP /RAF/410/ITA - LTU: AGST
/ 2008-2010). This regional project involves Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and
Senegal and started at the end of 2008 with the following objectives : (i) to
strengthen technical, economical and organizational capacities of the
promoters of agricultural processing units at local level in order to increase and
diversify the supply of processed products and to improve commercialization;
(ii) multi-stakeholder co-operation (farmer organizations that promote
enterprises, experts and local NGOs, representatives of local NGOs) at national
level, in order to set up national forums for the valorisation of agricultural
products, that will be a platform for the exchange of experiences, for the
development/strengthening of a body of experts at local level. A Letter of
Agreement (LoA) has been signed with ROPPA (Réseaux des Organisations
Paysannes et de Producteurs de la Afrique de l’Ouest) in order to support
selected activities.
• Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI). The FAO Regional Office for North
Africa contributed to this intiative, established in 2005 with the overarching
objective of reducing the world’s vulnerability to stem, yellow, and leaf rusts
of wheat and advocating / facilitating the evolution of a sustainable
international system to contain the threat of wheat rusts. The initiative has
supported number of activities in the affected Near East countries (Yemen,
Iran, Sudan) targeting control of the disease and focusing on surveillance, race
identification and varietal testing, activities in which farmers organizations
have been involved.
• Gestion des Connaissances et Genre Capitalisation des Bonnes Pratiques en Appui à la Production Agricole et à la Sécurité Alimentaire (GCP
/GLO/210/MUL - LTU : KCEF / 2008-2012). The overall objective of this
regional project, which will involve 4 countries of Western Africa - Burkina
Faso, Mali, Niger and the Republic of Senegal – is to contribute to food
security of rural populations in arid agricultural areas, respecting men-women
equality and improving agricultural production through a better management
19
of inputs by farmers, individually or structured in farmer organizations. The
specific objective is to enlarge the possibilities for farmers to have access to
agricultural inputs in quantity, quality and at the time and place where these
are needed, and to be able to use them in a reasonable and environmentally
friendly manner through better knowledge management.
• Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). FAOSNE
participated as partner in the regional committee of the ‘’GIAHS’’ a project
whose overall goal is to identify and safeguard GIAHS and their associated
landscapes, agricultural biodiversity and knowledge systems through (between
other targets), building capacity of local farming communities and local
and national institutions to conserve and manage GIAHS, generate income
and add economic value to goods and services of such systems in a sustainable
fashion (for further information please see:
http://www.fao.org/sd/giahs/partners.asp)
• Increasing Incomes of Small Farmers through Exports of Organic and
Fairtrade Tropical Products (GCP /RAF/404/GER - LTU: ESTT / 2005-
2009). This regional project, whose first phase covered the period from July
2005 until September 2008, aimed at providing technical assistance to West-
African small farmers in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and Sierra
Leone to certify and export organic and fair-trade products to European
markets and to develop normative tools for replication in other countries. The
immediate objectives are help grassroot institutional networks elaborate best
practices in organic agriculture for selected products and provide training in
production and marketing, an increasing number of farmer groups produce
selected crops according to best practices and comply with organic and/or
fairtrade standards and farmer groups and exporters become competent
partners for the European trade and are exporting. Building local partnerships
in the field is an essential objective of this project, involving farmer groups,
local representatives of the organic and fair-trade movements, processors and
importers, between others. The second phase of the project will be extended
until September 2009, with the aim of consolidating the groups of small
farmers. Manuals on Farmers’ Field Schools (FFS) on organic mango and
cocoa are currently being developed in the framework of this project and are
expected to be available by 2009.
• Inter-country coordination of national projects on Food Security through Commercialization (GTFS/RAF/426/ITA - LTU: TCOS / 2008-2011). This
project has been designed to coordinate Italian funded national food security
projects in Senegal, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone and Liberia
(GTFS/SEN/060/ITA, GTFS/MLI/030/ITA, GTFS/GBS/028/ITA,
GTFS/SIL/028/ITA and GTFS/LIR/010/ITA) ensuring their coherence to the
same strategic framework. It will also address regional issues, such as access to
regional and international markets, food quality and safety, cross-border trade,
and harmonization of policies and institutions to support competitiveness and
modernization. Wherever possible, the programme will support the
development of entrepreneurship among small-scale farmers and the
emergence of a local private sector that could take up some of the upstream
and downstream activities of interest to agriculture. These activities in the field
20
will be supported with appropriate capacity building of farmer organizations
and related local technical officers of the Ministries of Agriculture through
specific institutional building activities. In the same context, two Italian-
funded projects for Guinea and the Gambia are under formulation and should
be operational in early 2009 (please refer to the concerned countries for further
information on the national projects).
• Programme Sous-régional de Formation Participative en Gestion Intégrée de la Production et des Déprédateurs des Cultures a travers les Champs-écoles des Producteurs (GIPD/CEP) pour le Bénin, Burkina Faso, Mali et Sénégal (GCP /RAF/009/NET - LTU : AGP / 2001-2010). The Phase I (2001-
2005) was implemented in 3 countries (Burkina, Mali, Senegal). The
programme trained 24,000 farmers and over 800 facilitators/trainers (from
NGOs, farmer organizations, and government) through FFS on Integrated
Plant and Pest Management (IPPM) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
for rice, vegetables and cotton-cereal-livestock mixed systems (and in some
countries mango, sesame, cassava). Phase II (2006-2010) is being implemented
in 4 countries (Burkina, Mali, Senegal, Benin) in which 130,000 farmers are
expected to be trained, as well as several hundred facilitators. Another sub-
regional programme EP/INT/606/GEF is soon to be approved and is expected
to include Mauritania, Niger, and Guinea. Strategic partnerships with several
key farmer organizations are also implemented through this programme in
each country with a view to building their capacity to provide technical
services to their members. Topics of training include (to different degrees in
different countries and crops) IPPM, soil fertility management, agro-forestry,
food safety and quality, organic agriculture, farm management, and soon
commercialization and business skills. Beside this capacity building
component, the combined programmes also include components on policy
reform (especially on pesticide management and extension) in which farmer
organizations will take a part, support to farmer groups/ cooperatives to
commercialize agricultural produce, pesticide risk reduction including
methodologies for Human Health Risk Assessment and monitoring of water
quality and pollution from agro-chemicals in the Niger and Senegal river
basins. This includes community-based management and monitoring in which
community-based organizations, farmer organizations and others take part.
• Protection of the Agri-Food Biodiversity and Development of the Local and Export Market in four West African Countries: Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone. (LTU: TCEO). The general objective of this
cooperation agreement between the Slow Food Foundation8 and the FAO
Project Inter-Country Coordination Project for Food Security in West Africa
(GTF/RAF/426/ITA, see above) is to improve the standards of living of rural
communities small producers involved in the project. The project will support
the development of origin-linked quality products (Presidia-product) in four
out of the five Western African countries involved in the GTF/RAF/426/ITA
project by strengthening the producers associations, the quality and
8 The Slow Food strategy aims at strengthening the local food chains, promoting the value of traditional crops
and breeding, at supporting the awareness of importance of local productions and self-esteem to communities
regarding food.
21
efficiency of productions, and introducing production regulations to protect
original product features and productions techniques at risk of disappearing.
• Rural Knowledge Network (RKN) pilot project for East Africa (GCP
/RAF/401/IFA - LTU: NRRR / 2006-2009). The goal of the project is to
initiate a people-centered knowledge management process, which is built on
farmers' expressed needs and which generates, shares and delivers information
to respond to their requirements and in a form they can understand. The RKN
approach builds on existing field work and farmer groups under FFS and FFS
Networks and initiate pilot activities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The
project objectives are being achieved by responding to the day-to-day
information needs of small-holder farmers, NGO’s and Community-Based
Organizations (CBOs) in order to strengthen the capacity of smallholder
farmers to grow and market healthy crops and to deal with unexpected events
like pest outbreaks and by building strategic partnerships at national and local
levels so that farmers are better linked to their national partners and service
providers, both in the public and private sectors.
• Supporting Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (CA for SARD) Phase II (GCP /RAF/413/GER - LTU: AGST /
2007-2010). The objective of this project is to contribute to the promotion of
growth and improved food security in Kenya and Tanzania through the scaling
up of conservation agriculture (CA) as a Sustainable Land Management (SLM)
tool. Through an increase in the numbers of SLM-CA FFS, the project will
expand the adoption of profitable CA practices by smallholder farmers in the
two East African countries.
• Up-Scaling Conservation Agriculture for Improved Food Security Using the
CAADP Framework (OSRO/RAF/812/NOR - LTU: SFS / 2008-2010).
FAOSFS developed a proposal for this project to be implemented in Lesotho,
Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. In each country, the project will
closely collaborate with the Ministries of Agriculture while organizations such
as NGOs, FBOs, relevant Government Departments, academic and research
institutions will be contracted to implement the project.
• Expansion of Farmer Field Schools Programme in Eastern and Southern Africa (GCP /RAF/399/IFA - LTU: AGP / 2005-2008). The purposes of this
regional programme - implemented in Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and
Uganda – are to promote the institutionalization and scaling up of the FFS, to
broaden its scope and build the skills and methodologies necessary to enable
the institutionalization of FFSs to respond to farmer demand relative to issues
such as marketing, financial services and HIV/AIDS and to promote and
support the emergent movement of FFS networks and strengthen their capacity
to undertake key activities on behalf of their members. FAOSFS participated in
this project and contributed to expand the FFS programme in Mozambique and
Tanzania.
22
National
Burkina Faso :
• Projet d`Intensification Agricole par la Maîtrise de l`Eau dans les Régions du Centre-Sud et du Centre-Ouest (GCP /BKF/049/SPA - LTU : TCOS /
2007-2009). The global objective of this project is to reinforce food security in
regions with high climatic risks and to reduce poverty through the
development of irrigated agriculture. The project will support groups of
women with no or little access to land and 28 community diversification
projects.
Burundi:
• Rétablissement des Mécanismes Traditionnels de Production et d`Échange de Semences et de Matériel Végétal Sains à travers le Renforcement des Structures Associatives (OSRO/BDI/708/BEL - LTU: AGPS / 2007-2008).
The project is developed in framework of the global programme to re-build
sustainable and integrated agricultural production in a post-conflict situation.
Its main aim is to ensure a rapid re-integration of affected people with the
support of community associations already operational in the country.
Cameroon:
• Appui aux Organisations Paysannes pour la Multiplication et la Diffusion de Variétés Précoces de Maïs, de Sorgho et de Mil dans les Provinces du Nord et de l’Extrême Nord (TCP/CMR/3102 - LTU : AGPS / 2006-2008). The
objective of this project is to contribute to the reduction of food insecurity in
the Northest region of the country by setting up a sustainable community seed
production system with the active involvement of rural women and youth.
Through this project, farmers’ organizations are being strengthened and
trained to be able to produce quality certified seeds, for which they are
provided with inputs (foundation seeds, fertilizers, tools, etc.) in a first stage.
The innovative aspect of this project is that inputs are not given to the farmers
for free, but they have to reimburse the cost after the first harvest. The
quantities are reimbursed to themselves, to an account open by them in a local
micro-finance institution with the support of FAO, who also helps them in
drafting and registering the associations' constitution and by laws. With those
funds, farmers will be able to buy inputs for the next season. These revolving
funds provide the associations the sustainability they would otherwise loose
in the framework of a normal technical cooperation project, as it provides them
access to credit. They are also linked to research institutions and to the
extension system in the country, from which they get advice and help in
identifying demand, markets for their products, information, etc. In the same
country, a similar project was implemented in the northern province on
irrigated rice: Appui à la Multiplication et à la Diffusion de Semences Améliorées et Saimes de Riz (TCP/CMR/3002 – LTU: AGPS / 2005-2006).
Some of the seed producer organizations set up have merged and have been
able to develop their own marketing strategy, including selling their products
to customers from neighbouring countries. Providing support to farmers’
23
organizations can be successful provided that they have national policy support
including access to credit and linkages to extension and research.
Ethiopia:
• Crop Diversification and Marketing Development Project (GTFS/ETH/067/ITA - LTU: TCIS / 2005-2009). The objective of the project is
the promotion of economic growth in rural areas through strengthening
commercialisation of small farms in areas with recognized market potential.
The project aims at tapping new market opportunities by providing technology
that has a potential to increase production and productivity as well as quality
standards so as to increase income, minimize price volatility and promote
sustainable use of natural resources. Strengthen community capacity to
participate in planning, management and development of local physical and
natural resources to achieve sustainable food security, reduce poverty and
improve human nutrition is one of the key objectives of the project. As part of
the capacity building activities, farmers’ groups will be trained to be able to
organize meetings themselves to discuss common problems and reach
consensus for collective action, without outsider facilitation. Empowerment of
village women will be promoted by increasing their participation in
agricultural production and income generation and by enabling them to
improve family nutrition and health.
• Small Scale Vegetable Production Along with Trees in Kabul Farmers’ Association (TFD-07/ETH/003 - LTU: AGP / 2008-2009). This Telefood
project is aimed at enabling farmers start vegetable production and income
generating activities. Sixty members of the Kabul Peasant Farmers Association
at Geto Kebele (Quante Woreda), in the Southern region have been organized
and trained to grow highland vegetable crops together with agro forestry trees
for income generation, improve their nutritional status and rehabilitation of the
area through proper cultivation and tree planting practices. One of the main
objectives of the project is to strengthen the association and ensure the
sustainability of the production through training and capacity building.
Gabon:
• Project Proposal and Assessment of Producer Organizations’ Capacity Building Needs. FAOSFC conducted the assessment and the preparation of
this proposal as a contribution to the implementation of the agricultural and
rural development policy of Gabon. The project is expected to be implemented
in 2009.
Ghana:
• Integrated Community Land Management and Soil Fertility Improvement in the Upper West Region of Ghana (TCP/GHA/3101 - LTU: NRL / 2007-
2009). The objective of this project is to assist small-scale farmers in the Upper
West Region, through the FFS to use integrated soil fertility management
techniques to increase yields of sorghum, millet, maize and cotton for
enhanced food security and poverty reduction. One of its specific objectives is
24
to improve farmers’ access to inputs (fertilizers) markets, and identify ways to
institutionalize this improved access, through strengthening of farmers’
organizations.
Guinea-Bissau :
• Diversification, Intensification et Valorisation des Produits Agricoles Locaux (DIVA) dans les Régions de Oio et de Bafata (GTFS/GBS/028/ITA,
see together with Inter-Country coordination of national projects on Food
Security through commercialization (GTFS/RAF/426/ITA)) - (LTU : TCOS /
2008-2011). This projects aims at strengthening the capacities of producers,
women and their organizations to be able to diversify and intensify their
produce, as well as in storage, conservation, processing and
commercializations of their produce.
Ivory Coast:
• Appui à la Redynamisation du Secteur Semencier National (TCP/IVC/3102
- LTU : AGPS / 2007-2009). The overall objective of the project is to promote
food security by supporting the national seed sector. One of the specific
objectives of the project is to strengthen the capacities of producers (who
compose more than 50% of rice seed producers in the country). The project
provides capacity building for the organization of regional seed producer
associations that are trained in the development of marketing rules that will be
the base to reinforce the seed legislation in the country. Once these
organizations have acquired the necessary skills and adequate marketing
systems are in place, the seed producers should be able to operate without
technical assistance.
Liberia:
• Food Security through Commercialization of Agriculture (FSCA) (GTFS/LIR/010/ITA, see together with Inter-Country coordination of national
projects on Food Security through commercialization (GTFS/RAF/426/ITA -
LTU: TCOS / 2008-2011). The objective of this project is that agricultural
productivity, marketed output and incomes of project beneficiary FBOs in
Liberia are increased on a sustainable basis, resulting in improved livelihoods
and food security of FBO members.
Mali :
• Projet d'Appui aux Organisations Paysannes du Plateau Dogon pour une Meilleure Valorisation de leurs Productions Maraîchères (GTFS/MLI/030/ITA, see together with Inter-Country coordination of national
projects on Food Security through commercialization (GTFS/RAF/426/ITA -
LTU : TCOS / 2008-2011). The overall objective of this project is to reinforce
the competitiveness and modernization of agriculture in the area concerned in
Mali. The project has a component by which the technical and operational
capacities of producer organizations in the area concerned will be strengthened.
25
Mauritania:
• Economie de l’Eau dans les Oasis de l’Adrar et du Tagent (TCP/MAU/3101
- LTU : NRLW / 2006-2008). FAOSNE is providing technical support to this
project, whose aim is to assist groups of oasis’ farmers in Mauritania and the
Ministry of Rural Development to carry out analysis of the oasis irrigation
systems and to make use and develop effective ways of using water resources
in this particular context.
Malawi:
• Capacity Building in Farm Planning and Management for Extension Workers and Farmers (Malawi) (TCP/MLW/3102 - LTU: AGSF / 2007-
2009). The overall objective of the project is to contribute to improved market
access and increased farm income of small-scale farmers. One of the specific
objectives of the project is to strengthen the capacity of selected lead farmers
in pilot district sites to develop skills and competencies for market driven
farming activities.
Mozambique:
• Building Commodity Value Chains and Market Linkages for Farmers’ Associations (UNJP/MOZ/093/UNJ - LTU: AGST / 2008-2010). The overall
objective of the programme is to increase the income of smallholders in rural
areas and enhance their livelihoods, in line with the Government objectives for
rural and economic development. One of the main expected results of the
project is improved storage facilities at producer level, managed directly by
producers or through farmers' associations.
Niger :
• Assistance Technique pour la Formulation d'un Nouveau Dispositif d'Appui Conseil (TCP/NER/3101 – LTU : FRNER / 2006-2008). The Government of
Niger requested FAO assistance in the framework of the Strategy for Rural
Development. The first phase of the project focused on the analysis and
assessment of the different stakeholders (including farmers organizations), and
the results were presented to stakeholders in a series of workshops. In the
second phase that will start in 2009, a proposal for the setting up of a new
extension system, with new roles for farmers and their organizations, will be
developed, under the overall principle of shifting towards more demand-driven
extension services. Therefore, through this project, assistance will be given to
farmers organizations in order for them to be able to define their priorities for
extension services and to be involved in the planning process, including being
represented in the decision-making bodies of the extension systems. Market
orientation of services will also be part of the reorientation of services, in which
the importance of farmers’ organizations as key partners will be highlighted. It
is important to point out that throughout the whole project the strengthening of
farmers’organizations role has been one of the top priorities of FAO, that
expects to replicate the same approach in future projects in different countries.
26
• Intensification de l’Agriculture par le Renforcement des Boutiques d’Intrants Coopératives (IARBIC) -INTRANTS II (GCP /NER/047/MUL -
LTU : NRRR / 2008-2011). The overall objective of the IARBIC project is to
contribute to the improvement of food security of the rural population, to
contribute to the reduction of poverty in rural areas and to contribute to the
reduction of the deficit in the market balance in Niger. The specific objective is
to improve the productivity of mille and sorghum in the country. The main
instrument of the project will be to sensitize producer organizations about
the importance and relevance of fertilizer control groups and to consolidate /
promote the mechanism of cooperative inputs shops. The IARBIC project will
set up a best practice information network, linked to global knowledge
management.
• Promotion de la Coopération Décentralisée entre Niger et l`Italie dans le
Domaine de l`Élevage et des Industries Animales (GCP /NER/044/ITA
LTU : AGAP / 2005-2010). This project is contributing to strengthen the
capacities of national and local actors, producers, women groups and NGOs
by providing training in different livestock production-related activities. The
final aim is that these actors are able to increase their incomes by putting in
place micro-projects.
• Promotion de l’Utilisation d’Intrants Agricoles par les Groupements de
Producteurs (Niger) (GCP/NER/041/BEL-Phase III - LTU : SDAR-TCI /
2001-2008). The objective of the second phase is to improve food security
with increased agricultural production through sustainable strengthening of
input distribution systems with producer organizations.
Sudan:
• Contribution to the Improvement of the Livelihoods of 17,000 Vulnerable Households, including Host and Resident Communities, Small-scale Farmers and Local Producer Associations (OSRO/SUD/723/ITA - LTU :
AGPS / 2007-2009). The assistance provided through this emergency project
aims specifically at supporting the resumption of the agricultural production,
the promotion of appropriate technologies, and enhanced food security sector
coordination thus contributing to peace-building in Southern Sudan. For all
these objectives, the organization of local producer groups into agro-
enterprise groups/associations is a key aspect.
• Enhancing Livelihood Diversification and Enterprise Development among Conflict Affected Populations in Darfur (OSRO/SUD/814/ITA - LTU: AGPC
/ 2008-2009). This emergency project, whose overall objective is to enhance
adaptive livelihood and coping mechanisms of conflict affected populations,
will build the capacities of local communities in Sudan, including transfer of
new skills and enhancement of pre-existing skills in various aspects of the
project activities especially related to vegetable production, post harvest
handling and food processing.
27
• Support to Community-based Seed Production and Supply System Development in Southern Sudan (OSRO/SUD/817/FRA- LTU: AGPS / 2008-
2010). The overall objective of this emergency project is to increase domestic
food production, thus improve food security and livelihoods, by increasing
availability of locally produced quality seeds and planting materials of staple
food crops in five states of Southern Sudan. Individual farmers, groups of
farmers and seed grower associations selected will also benefit directly from
new technology dissemination and cash income as good quality seeds will
attract higher premium. These seed growers are envisaged in future to operate
commercially and access micro-finance institutions.
Senegal:
• Projet d`Appui aux Organisations de Producteurs pour la Valorisation des Filières Porteuses (Kaolack Fatick, et Louga) (GTFS/SEN/060/ITA, see
together with Inter-Country coordination of national projects on Food Security
through commercialization (GTFS/RAF/426/ITA - LTU : TCOS / 2008-2011).
The general objective of this project is to contribute to the reduction of poverty
in three rural communities located in the Kaolack, Fatick and Louga regions in
Senegal. Two of the specific objectives are to strengthen the capacities of
producer organizations, women and other non state-owned support structures
in value chain management and to increase the participation of producer
organizations in the project coordination.
Sierra Leone:
• Food Security through Commercialization of Agriculture (FSCA) (GTFS/SIL/028/ITA, see together with Inter-Country coordination of national
projects on Food Security through commercialization (GTFS/RAF/426/ITA -
LTU: TCOS / 2008-2011). The objective of this project is that agricultural
productivity, marketed output and incomes of project beneficiary (FBOs in
Sierra Leone) is increased on a sustainable basis, resulting in improved
livelihoods and food security of FBO members.
• Organizational Development Support for Farmers in Sierra Leone (TCP/SIL/3105 - LTU: ESWD / 2008-2010/11). In partnership with Agriterra
9,
ROPPA and the Ministry of Agriculture the project is providing technical
assistance to support a national roadmap process to establish a National
Federation of Farmer Organizations in Sierra Leone.
Zambia:
• Capacity Building on Farm Planning and Management for Extension Workers (Zambia) (TCP/ZAM/3101 - LTU: AGSF / 2006-2008). The overall
objective of the project is to contribute to improved market access and
increased farm income of small-scale farmers. The project has worked to
strengthen extension services by enhancing their capacity in farm planning and
9 Agriterra is an agri-agency (organization for international cooperation)
28
management and encouraging agricultural diversification aimed at benefiting
market oriented small-scale farmers.
• Support to Integrated Production and Processing of Cassava for Increased Food Security and Income Generation ((TCP/ZAM/3103 (D) - LTU: AGPC /
2007-2009). FAOSFS is providing support for the establishment of FFS in
Zambia for this project, whose aim is to improve knowledge and skills for
improved cassava production, and processing and providing support for
linkage to reliable markets. The project will work through existing national
structures and organizations in the country, including farmers’ organizations
and relevant agri-business.
Zimbabwe:
• Conservation Agriculture (CA)/Farmers Unions Project: Enhancing and Stabilizing Agricultural Productivity for Communal Farmers through Advanced Land Use and Management Practices (OSRO/ZIM/806/EC - LTU:
AGPC / 2008-2011). The main objective of this EC-funded project is to reduce
poverty and improve communal farmers' livelihoods in Zimbabwe. Its specific
objective is to improve food and livelihood security through increases in
agricultural productivity. Learning from the past experience in the country, this
project is focusing strongly on extension and private sector participation and
involvement, and the Farmers’ Unions will be strengthened through capacity
building included in the project to supervise and expand agreements between
farmers and private sector after the project period.
i.2 Asia and the Pacific
Regional
• Establishment, Empowerment and Technical Capacity Building of Farmer Water Users’ Organizations. FAORAP provided technical support
to this project in member countries that included Afghanistan, Cambodia,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka through implementation of regular programme and
field projects that will be continued in 2009.
• Improving Food Safety and its Management in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam (GCP /RAS/207/NZE - LTU: AGNS / 2005-2008). The objective of
this project is to reduce food safety risks for domestic consumers in Cambodia,
Lao PDR and Viet Nam and promote economic development through
increased food and agricultural exports that meet international sanitary and
phytosanitary requirements, by providing support to develop a modern and
science-based food control system. Water bottlers associations are key partners
of this project that has provided training to water bottlers groups in food safety
issues.
• Support to the Regional Programme for Food Security in the Pacific Island Countries (GTFS/RAS/198/ITA - LTU: RAPP / 2004-2008). FAOSAP has
provided support to this programme, that has implemented 26 projects for 14
29
countries with activities geared to enhance production, income generation and
food security within the Pacific member countries, not only with farmer
groups but individual small farm households, with the remaining resources
allocated for regional activities towards building capacity on trade facilitation
and agriculture policies development.
National
Bangladesh:
• Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP): FAO Component: Sustainable Livelihood Adaptation (BGD/01/004/ /01/99 -
LTU: NRC / 2005-2009). The major objective of the CDMP programme is to
strengthen the capacity of the Bangladesh disaster management programming
emphasis from relief to risk reduction. Some of the immediate objectives of
this component are to introduce, improve and further strengthen institutional
and technical capacities for improved adaptation to climate variability, as well
as to change and implement in a participatory way and jointly with local
communities good practices and strategies to effectively address
climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness and develop strategies
for their long term sustainability. The project has so far produced some
publications, like the brief Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change (http://www.fao.org/climatechange/media/15481/0/0/), and two training
materials in 2007: Climate Variability and Change: Adaptation to drought in
Bangladesh. A resource book and training guide
(http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1247e/a1247e00.htm) and Climate and flood
forecast applications in agriculture. An interactive, web-based e-learning tool
(http://www.webgeo.de/module/applied/FAO/probabilisticforecasts-bgd-
fao.html.). The first phase of the project ran from 2005-2007, and the second
phase will finish in 2009. The preparation of a third phase after 2009 is
currently under way as integral part of the preparation of a second phase of
CDMP (for further information on the programme:
http://www.fao.org/climatechange/laccproject/en/).
Cook Islands:
• Enhancing the Capacity of Young Farmers in Farm Management, Marketing and Agribusiness (Cook Islands) (TCP/CKI/3102 – LTU: AGSF /
2008-2009). FAOSAP provides support to this project, whose development
objective is the achievement of improved rural household livelihoods (i.e.
employment, incomes and food availability) and overall national food security
through enhanced farming, marketing and agribusiness activities of young
farmer groups in the Cook Islands.
Indonesia:
• Livelihood Support to Rural Communities Affected by Earthquake in Yogyakarta and Central Java Provinces through Agriculture-based Home Industry (Indonesia). (OSRO/INS/704/AUL - LTU: AGSF / 2007-2008).
This Australia-funded emergency project has the overall objective to restore
30
the livelihoods of small producers and traders through the rehabilitation of
agriculture-based home industry and to improve income generation
opportunities. The poor local producers (including women, youth, disabled
and landless) and traders are the target beneficiaries of the project. The target
villages had previously been supported by FAO’s emergency projects in
response to the earthquake in May 2006 which affected farming families.
Strengthening the local producer and marketing groups is a central
mechanism of the project.
Korea, PDR:
• Assistance to Improve the Fruit Production Sector (TCP/DRK/3106 - LTU:
AGPC / 2007-2009). The objective of the project is to contribute to the
national agriculture development through establishing the basis for the
improvement and modernization of the fruit production sector aimed at
increasing food security, employment opportunities and income generation in
the country. One of the project’s specific objectives is to encourage fruit
orchard cooperatives in the country to work in active partnership towards
improving the supply of quality fruit. These cooperatives will then also have
the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills in orchard
establishment, tree training and pruning, localized irrigation, drainage and soil
conservation practices.
• Strengthening the Technical Capacity for Introduction and Production of High-yielding Soybean Varieties for Edible Oil and Protein Production in Cooperative Farms (TCP/DRK/3103 - LTU: AGPC / 2007-2009). The
project’s overall objective is to strengthen the technical capacity of the
country to produce high-yielding soybean varieties for edible and oil
production through capacity building. One of the specific objectives of the
project is to build the capacities of cooperative farmers on evaluation
techniques, crop management and seed production practices. The Ministry of
Agriculture, through cooperatives specialized on seed multiplication, will
continue the task of multiplication and distribution of the improved varieties
to achieve the overall project goals of improved food security after the end of
the project.
• Support to Agricultural and Horticultural Production and to the
Coordination of Emergency/Rehabilitation Interventions in Agriculture/Food Security in 2006-2008 (OSRO/DRK/603/SWE- LTU:
AGPC / 2006-2008). The general objective of this emergency project is to
increase agricultural and horticultural productivity and a sustainable
improvement in food security in the country. The project provided for the
needs of approximately 200 targeted cooperative farms (about 100 000
households), benefiting some 150 000 women and 180 000 children. This
project has once more demonstrated, as in previous FAO experiences in
Kazakhstan, Cuba and the Democratic People’s republic of Korea10
, that in
10
TCP/KAZ/2801, TCP/KAZ/2901, TCP/CUB/3002, TCP/CUB/3104, TCP/DRK/2903, TCP/DRK/3004, OSRO/DRK/501/SWE
and OSRO/DRK/603/SWE
31
countries where farmers' organizations exist, they are very often an essential
partner for the success of the project.
Lao, PDR:
• Building Capacity at the Grass-roots Level to Control Avian Influenza (GCP
/LAO/014/GER- LTU: AGAH / 2006-2009). The project, one of whose
immediate objectives is to build capacity to carry out and enforce Highly
Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) containment and control in the country,
follows the strategy of creating village surveillance networks that contribute to
effective HPAI control in the country’s 18 provinces. The strategy will also
teach village-level farmers’ lay groups simple HPAI recognition skills in
poultry and other avian species (ducks, quail, geese, wild birds), and create
village networks that can be tapped for grassroots disease information.
Nepal:
• Training for the Small-scale Dairy Sector in Support of the Community Livestock Development Project (TCP/NEP/3103 - LTU: AGAP / 2007-2009).
The objective of this project is to deliver short-term, tailor made training
courses for persons and organizations involved in milk production, collection,
processing and marketing in the small-scale sector to improve efficiency and
quality throughout the farm to consumer milk chain in the country. Outreach
training is being provided for smallholders in group formation and clean milk
production. The project involves milk producers’ organization’s training,
and the key training subjects are expected to include: (i) hygienic milk handling
and collection; (ii) milk testing and quality control; (iii) ready-to-drink milks and
other modern and traditional dairy products; (iv) dairy equipment maintenance;
(v) marketing of milk and dairy products and dairy enterprise management;
(vi) organization of milk producer groups.
i. 3. Europe
Regional
• Development Assistance to Farmers in Remote Areas of Montenegro and Kosovo (GCP /RER/019/LUX - LTU: AGAP / 2006-2009). The aim of the
project – implemented in Kosovo and Montenegro - is to improve the
livelihood of the poorer and more isolated rural communities in the project
area. Strengthening farmer organizations is a key project strategy in order to
attain this objective.
• Strengthening Seed Supply in the ECO Region, with Specific Emphasis on Central Asia (TCP/INT/3102 – LTU: AGPS / 2006-2009). The overall
objective of the assistance is more efficient seed production, distribution and
marketing systems developed in ECO11
member countries and in other
countries of the Central Asian region. Thanks to this project, a milestone for
11
Economic Cooperation Organization involves Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
32
mitigating the soaring food prices in the 10 countries concerned has been
reached with the formation of a regional seed association that will facilitate
members’ access to good quality seed. This created association will serve as a
regular forum for both the public and private seed sectors thereby facilitating
seed security, enhancing production of seed required for food security,
catalizing technology transfer and contributing to fair and equitable regulation
of seed trade.
National
Albania:
• Agriculture Production Support in Albania (GCP /ALB/005/ITA - LTU:
AGSF / 2002-2008). The main objective of the project is to assist farmers in
the development of complete food chains, from the initial production stage
through processing and distribution to the market, in the context of a market
driven economy. This project has an important farmers’ association support
component.
Kosovo:
• Pilot Project on Resettlement of Minorities and Confidence Building between Minorities and Albanian Communities in Kosovo (GCP
/KOS/003/NOR - LTU: AGSF / 2004-2008). The project aims was to promote
economic cooperation between communities in order to improve marketing,
value adding activities (i.e. processing) and provision of services, thereby
helping to increase incomes of all the communities and build confidence of
different ethnic groups. To achieve this objective, the project supported group
activities upstream and downstream of the production sector, as well as
partnerships for economic activities involving minority and majority
individuals and groups.
i.4. Latin America and the Caribbean
Regional
• Agreement of Understanding for Transboundary Animal Diseases Prevention. FAORLC signed an Agreement of Understanding (AU) with ALA
(Latin-American Poultry Association) to promote a productive alliance among
both institutions in order to implement joint actions to boost the resources and
efforts for transboundary animal diseases prevention and control and improve
food security between member countries.
• Fortalecimiento de Organizaciones Indígenas y Apoyo al Rescate de Productos Tradicionales en Zonas Altoandinas de Bolivia, Ecuador y Perú (GCP /RLA/163/NZE - LTU: RLCP / 2007-2011). The main objective of this
project is to contribute to enhancing food security of the families belonging to
indigenous communities, through the institutional strengthening of
Indigenous Peoples’ organizations.
33
• Promoting CARIFORUM/CARICOM Food Security (GTFS/RLA/141/ITA -
LTU: ESAF / 2003-2010). The general objective of this project is to improve
the food security situation of the CARIFORUM states12
both individually and
as a whole, by increasing the availability and access to adequate quantities of
safe, quality assured food products to food insecure and poor rural
communities across the region. This will be accomplished by increasing the
overall value and quality of food products produced, traded and consumed
through strengthening the support service and policy environments to promote
efficient and sustainable food systems, including strengthening producers’
organizations in the region. In 2009, different activities involving
producer/farmer organizations in the region are foreseen, such as a capacity
assessment of regional and national agribusiness associations and a regional
workshop to be held in April/May 2009 to review the outcome of the study on
agribusiness associations’ capacity, as well as a market opportunity study for
selected commodities. This workshop is also expected to help decide on
priority commodities for the project and national and regional focus, as well as
counterpart association to the project.
• Formulation of a Sub-regional Programme for the Production and Commercialization of Improved Seed Varieties. FAO (AGPS) worked in the
formulation of this sub-regional programme, inspired in the previous
Asistencia Técnica de la FAO para el Programa de Seguridad Alimentaria de
la Comisión Europea en Honduras para la Producción y Comercialización de
Semillas Artesanales Mejoradas y Diversificadas en Honduras (GCP
/HON/029/EC - LTU: AGPS / 2004-2006)). The programme will be
implemented in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, where national projects will be
developed with the focus of increasing the access by small farmers to seed
markets. The overall objective will be to improve the accessibility and access
by farmers of highland areas (altiplano) to good quality seeds of varieties
adapted to their local conditions and produced by local seed enterprises
established to this effect. The involvement of farmers’ organizations will be
essential in these projects (as it was in the case of Honduras), that will help
raising farmers' awareness of the benefits of using quality seed. The projects
also foresee the provision of technical support for the revision of the seed
regulations in the three countries, and the participation of local farmers
associations will be strongly encouraged.
National
Argentina:
• Buenas Prácticas Agrícolas y Organización Comunitaria para la Generación de Ingresos y Acceso a Mercados de la Agricultura Familiar (TCP/ARG/3104 - LTU: AGPC / 2008-2009). The overall objective of this
project is to contribute to food security of smallholder farming in Argentina,
through the promotion and implementation of GAP. The project foresees the
community development actions with farmers’ associations and other local
12
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts &
Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
34
institutions. The participation of farmers’ organizations and associations in
the activities will be a strategic element of the project.
• Fortalecimiento Institucional y de las Capacidades Técnicas y Económicas del Movimiento Cooperativo en Mendoza (Argentina) (TCP/ARG/3102 (A) -
LTU: SDAR – NRCB / 2006-2008). The overall aim of this project was to
strengthen small farmer participation in decision-making processes of 31
cooperatives in which they belong, all them regrouped into FeCoVitA
(Federation of Wine Cooperatives). The project was specifically oriented to
strengthen FeCoVitA’s political, financial and administrative capacities, and
involved all the relevant stakeholders – cooperatives, producers and their
representative institutions. A publication gathering the findings of the project
has been produced and its publication is foreseen in 2009.
Belize:
• Reorganization and Strengthening of the Cooperatives Department and Improvement of Agricultural Statistics (Belize) (TCP/BZE/3101 - LTU:
FLBZE / 2006-2008). The project aims to promote the agricultural cooperative
movement in Belize, inter alia by facilitating the creation of a unit on
cooperatives within the Ministry of Agriculture. One of the expected project
outputs is a comprehensive assessment of the national extension system,
including public services, NGOs, private enterprises and producers
organizations.
Peru:
• Bioenergy and Food Security Project (Peru) (GCP /INT/020/GER - LTU:
NRCB / 2006-209). The aim of this project is to enhance food security though
mainstreaming sustainable bioenergy systems into rural development and
minimize the risk of detrimental impacts of bioenergy on food security. One of
the project’s activities aims at promoting the creation of cooperative groups
among sugarcane producers in Peru, whose product will be used for bioethanol
production.
• Proyecto de Desarrollo Rural y Seguridad Alimentaria en la Micro Cuenca del Río Pachangaza, Provincia de Oyón, Departamento de Lima (Peru) (MTF/PER/041/ADS - LTU: NRCB / 2007-2008). This project, financed by a
Peruvian mine, supports the establishment and strengthening of rapeseed
producers cooperatives to enable producers to consolidate the minimum
hectares needed to construct a rapeseed processing plant for bio-ethanol
production.
Saint Kitts & Nevis:
• Emergency Support for Agricultural Enterprise Development for Workers Displaced through the Closure of the Sugar Industry (TCP/STK/3101 - LTU:
AGLL / 2006-2008). The objective of the project is to assist the Government in
its post-sugar industry rehabilitation programme through technical support and
the supply of the necessary inputs for the establishment of 100 crop and 46
35
livestock production enterprises for the most affected displaced workers and
the improvement of one abattoir, with a view to improving the food security
situation for their families and the rural communities in which they live. The
project included training for the development of farmer groups among
displaced workers of the abolished industry and, secondarily strengthen
existing farmer groups, associations and cooperatives in the country.
i.5 Near East
Regional
• Regional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Programme in the Middle Eastern Countries (TF Component: Food Security) (GTFS/REM/070/ITA -
LTU: AGPP / 2004-2009). The project aims at strengthening the capability of
Government agencies, NGOs and farming communities of the six countries
concerned - Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Egypt and Gaza Strip and West Bank
- to plan, organize and implement programs at local level, which will support
community-based IPM. With the support of the Italian government, FAO is
implementing this programme in close collaboration with farmers
associations in the region through the FFS approach. The project also aims at
building partnerships among communities (their members and organizations),
relevant NGOs, Government units/departments, research and university
institutions and, other (FAO) projects. These partnerships will merge in a
forum for discussion at national and regional level research and university
institutions and, other (FAO) projects.
National
Afghanistan:
• Development of Integrated Dairy Schemes in Afghanistan (GCP
/AFG/040/GER - LTU: AGAP / 2005-2009). The overall goal of this livestock
development project is to improve food security in the country by raising the
productive capacity of the national dairy sector through the development of
integrated model dairy schemes. The project has worked very closely with
government in supporting the farmers to organise themselves into milk
producers’ cooperative societies at grassroots level, then into cooperative
dairy unions at a second-tier making them owners of the milk collection,
processing and marketing business. The training and capacity building of three
cooperative dairy unions is ongoing to make them capable of running the
business and sustain when the project phases out. The project has
complemented and extended the scope of two former German Trust Fund
Projects for livestock development in Afghanistan (GCP /AFG/021/GER13
,
and GCP /AFG/032/GER14
. So far, the project has significantly contributed to
improve the income of farmers, especially of women and has provided for
additional income generating opportunities.
13
Development of Livestock Production Activities in Selected Districts of Afghanistan (LTU: AGAP / 2002-
2004) 14
Training of Rural Families and Technical Staff to Extend Proven Animal Health and Livestock Production Packages (LTU: AGAP / 2004-2005)
36
• Development of Sustainable Agricultural Livelihoods in the Eastern Hazarajat (GCP /AFG/029/UK - LTU: AGSF / 2003-2008). The project aims
at improving the livelihoods and well-being of the people of the Eastern
Hazarajat on a sustainable basis. FBOs are the key institutions at the
community level in this project, which focuses in identifying the processes
involved in community development, particularly those that assist
communities analyse their problems, their strengths and weaknesses, and plays
a facilitating role in finding solutions.
• Rehabilitation of the Sugar Industry in Baghlan: Technical and Managerial
Support for Small Family Farmer Participation in the Sugar Beet Supply Chain (GCP /AFG/038/GER – LTU: AGSF / 2005-2008). The objective of
this project was to contribute to the development of Afghanistan’s domestic
sugar industry and enhancement of family farmers’ income through
agricultural diversification. The project had four components, the first of which
encompassed a number of activities geared to the definition of the
organizational framework for family farmer integration into the Baghlan Sugar
Factory supply chain, including strengthening farmer’s organization. The
cornerstone of the framework will be the definition of a model contract to
regulate the technical and commercial relationship between farmers and the
factory.
• Small Farmer Livelihoods and Income Enhancement in Baghlan Province
(GCP /AFG/053/GER - LTU: AGSF / 2008-2011). The overall objective of the
project is to increase income levels for small farmers in the Baghlan province
through improved farmers organization, productivity gains, value addition
and market access. It builds on lessons learned in the region during the
implementation of GCP /AFG/038/GER (please see above), plus the
experiences gained by FAO in the implementation of livelihoods
diversification and enterprise development projects in Afghanistan. The project
focuses on the strengthening of farm based organizations and on the
promotion of value chain integration, as a means to enhance production and
marketing skills, promote enterprise diversification, develop opportunities for
value addition and boost farm family incomes. The main beneficiaries are the 2
000 plus small farmer families originally targeted by GCP /AFG/038/GER.
• Supporting Afghan Farmers`s Seed Enterprise to Minimise the Effects of
Soaring Grain Prices on the Supply and Utlization of Certified Seed (OSRO/AFG/807/UK and OSRO/AFG/806/USA - LTU: AGPS / 2008-2009).
The main purpose of these emergency projects is to minimize the adverse
effects of rising food prices on crop production in Afghanistan by providing
seed enterprises with financial support to produce certified seed and to make
this available to Afghan farmers at affordable prices in 2008. With this project,
FAO has the opportunity to not only stabile but further improve the seed
industry in the country by: (1) supporting seed enterprises with monetary loans
to procure raw certified seed from local growers; and (2) establishing an
Afghanistan National Seed Association, for which the loans will be repaid to
establish new seed enterprises in the country. These two projects carried out in
the framework of the Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP) intend to go
37
beyond the emergency aspect and build farmers capacity in a sustainable way. These projects are being used by FAO as examples of how to build a loan
agreement (a legal agreement) that will constitute the template that the
Organization will use to replicate in other projects in the future.
• Support to Household Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods in Afghanistan (GCP /AFG/050/GER - LTU: AGNP / 2008-2010). The project
aims to build on the achievements of a previous project (Supporting the
Improvement of Household Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods in
Afghanistan (GCP/AFG/039/GER - LTU: AGNP / 2005-2007) by continuing
to integrate nutrition, food security and livelihoods objectives and activities in
relevant government policies and programs, notably in agriculture and rural
development. The project will particularly focus on strengthening women’s
technical skills which can help them improve household food availability and
income (e.g. food processing). It will work in partnership with organizations
addressing other constraints and which assist women in organizing themselves
to better access credit and markets (e.g. self-help groups, small business
development, etc.). Under this project, manuals on Vegetable and Fruit
Processing, Improved Feeding Practice Guide, Improved Recipes have
been published in 2008. Moreover, a Horticulture Guide is expected to be
published in 2009.
• Variety and Seed Industry Development Project - Phase II of GCP /AFG/018/EC (GCP /AFG/045/EC - LTU: AGPS / 2007-2011). This project is
being developed in line with the reconstruction plan for Afghanistan, where
seed industry development is a key factor. It has been designed to support a
private sector seed and planting materials industry that produces and
markets seeds and planting materials in Afghanistan to meet the needs of
farmers for enhancing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security. The
specific objective of this project is to bring farmers together to build national
farmer associations, and it builds upon the achievements and lessons of a
previous EC-funded and FAO-implemented project Strengthening National
Seed Production Capacity in Afghanistan ((GCP /AFG/018/EC - LTU: AGPS /
2003-2006)).
Egypt:
• Intensification and Diversification of Agricultural System, in Support to SPFS in the New Valley Governorates (TCP/EGY/3101 – LTU: AGPC /
2006-2008). This project aims at helping small farm producers to improve their
food security through intensification and diversification activities under
irrigation. A continuous participatory analysis of constraints to agricultural
development in the project area is also undertaken with the farmers and their
associations, notably through FFS and field days.
Gaza and the West Bank:
• Agriculture Revitalization Action Project (OSRO/GAZ/706/JPN - LTU:
AGPC / 2007-2009). The project aims to contribute to improving rural
livelihoods in the WBGS through restoring agriculture activities and farmers'
38
employment via the implementation of intermediate interventions including
emergency assistance and more sustainable activities. Four components have
been designed under the project consisting of: horticulture, small ruminants,
marketing and capacity building. The Agriculture Revitalization Project –
Phase II (OSRO/GAZ/807/ITA / 2008-2010) is expected to benefit
community associations indirectly, through their involvement in project
implementation and various activities (training).
• Emergency Support and Employment Generation for Female-headed Households through Backyard Farming and Cottage Industry in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (OSRO/GAZ/703/SPA - LTU: ESW / 2008-2009). The
overall project aim is to improve food insecurity status by enhancing and
strengthening women’s participation in income generation interventions, agro-
processing and cottage industries. Three of the project’s immediate objectives
are to build households’ and farmers’ capacities (women, youth and children)
in agro-processing, cottage industries and agriculture gardening practices, and
contribute toward raising the awareness with the aim reducing the unsuitable
youth and child labour, to enhance collaboration and efforts gathering of group
communities through group inputs purchasing and group produce selling and
to encourage collaboration with women's organizations from other countries,
through existing networks working with and for rural women.
• Emergency Support and Employment Generation for Female-headed
households through Backyard Farming and Cottage Industry in West Bank and Gaza Strip (OSRO/GAZ/806/ITA - LTU: ESW / 2008-2009). The project
seeks to support the role of women in the generation of income as well as the
improvement of national food security and the agriculture industry in general.
The project aims to provide support to rural women’s groups and raise
awareness among local communities on the role women play in agriculture and
food security. The selected beneficiaries are vulnerable women and youth in
rural areas, from female-headed households, and belonging to women’s
associations and village level communities.
• Emergency Support to Olive Farmers in Salfit Governorate to Increase their
Income through Olive Oil Quality Improvement (OSRO/GAZ/702/NOR -
LTU: AGPC / 2007-2009). The main goal of this emergency project is to assist
the most vulnerable farming families in the Salfit governorate to sustainably
restore and improve their capabilities for producing high quality olive oil, and
hence improve its potential in internal and external markets, create new
opportunities for more profitable olive farming and higher income for poor
farming families. Some key specific objectives of the interventions are
supporting targeted farming families and farmer grassroots organizations in
selected localities in the Salfit governorate with in-kind, technical and
organizational assistance, in order to enable them to restore and improve their
olive production, of enhancing associated olive oil production through
supporting farmers’ gatherings in the project area and of building the local
capacities of the olive farmers and farmer gatherings to improve their
production patterns and implement agricultural practices.
39
• Emergency Support to Small Ruminant Farmers in the Eastern Slopes of the West Bank and Jordan Valley to Maintain the Productivity of their Flocks (OSRO/GAZ/707/ITA - LTU: AGAP / 2007-2009). This project aims at
adressing the urgent need for fodder from the weakest breeders, reducing costs
for the provision of feed and veterinary inputs through new partnerships and
community organizations, and establishing a collective processing and
distribution system in order to make breeders progressively independent of
assistance.
• Emergency Support to Small Ruminant Farmers in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip to Maintain Productivity of Flocks (OSRO/GAZ/803/CAN - LTU:
AGAP / 2008-2009). The principal objective of the project is to save livestock
breeders’ vital livelihood assets through immediate emergency action and pilot
medium-term activities. The project will prevent the erosion of the productive
capacity and asset base of sheepherding families of South Hebron governorate
(western Front Line and south-eastern slopes) through, between other means,
distribution of improved rams to pilot farmers associations, and the
promotion of adaptive changes in modes of production. A special emphasis
will be given to women through training in the areas of dairy production and
processing, as well as of by-products. Particular effort will be put in the
involvement and support of farmers’ and herders’ associations working in
remote areas.
• Enhancing Livelihoods and Entrepreneurship Skills of Vulnerable Youth
through Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (OSRO/GAZ/802/NOR - LTU: ESW / 2009-2009). The overall objective
of the project is to improve the food security and livelihoods of the Junior
Farmers Field and Life Schools (JFFLS) participants and their households and
provide them with increased opportunities to generate income. Important aims
are to economically empower JFFLS graduates in the delivery sites with
entrepreneurship skills, including through the setting up of youth
associations, and to support women’s groups in delivering in-school feeding
during JFFLS session.
• Horticulture Rehabilitation in the West Bank (OSRO/GAZ/701/JPN - LTU:
AGPC / 2007-2008). This emergency project aimed at addressing the urgent
need to support affected farmers and enable them to rapidly restore their
vegetable and fruit production activities in order to sustain their families and
provide the local market with fresh food products. The project has been able to
expand activities bringing farmers together and strengthening informal
farmers’ groups consisting of both women and men. Final project
recommendations suggest that promoting cooperation among farmers,
empowering farmers’ grassroots organizations and activating the MoA
extension services should be taken into consideration for future agriculture
focused projects in the West Bank.
• Improving the Livelihoods of Farming Households through Diversification of Vegetable and Medicinal Plant Production in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (OSRO/GAZ/704/SPA - LTU: AGPC / 2008-2009). Two of the
immediate objectives of this emergency project are to support targeted farmers
40
and farmer grassroots organizations in selected localities in the WBGS with in-
kind, technical and organizational assistance, in order to enable them to
diversify their horticultural production, and to build up the local capacities of
the Palestinian farmers and farmer associations to improve their production
patterns and implement those agricultural practices as a preparation for future
compliance with commercial GAP standards. The project will be
complemented and followed up by the project Improving the livelihoods of
farming households through crop diversification and introduction of
commercial GAP certification in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
((OSRO/GAZ/708/CHA - LTU: AGSF / 2007-2009), which aims, among other
objectives, to capacitate farmers to introduce commercial GlobalGAP
standards.
• Protection of Farmers’ Livelihoods in the Jordan Valley through Emergency Agricultural Interventions (date palm production) (OSRO/GAZ/810/SPA -
LTU: AGPC / 2008-2009). This project focuses on date palm production, as a
means to diversify livelihoods and procure more income to vulnerable farmers.
One of the objectives of the project is to provide intensive training to MoA
extension officers and farmer beneficiaries through FFS. The project will adopt
the strategy of building the capacity of the district branches and, where
possible, implementation of interventions in close cooperation with CBOs.
• Restoring the Agriculture Productive Capacity in the Gaza Strip through Emergency Support to Farmers and Enhanced Sectoral Coordination (OSRO/GAZ/604/SPA - LTU: AGPC / 2007-2008). The aims of the project
were to restore the productive asset base in the region. One of the expected
outputs was support to farmers’ organizations (such as marketing groups,
farmer associations and cooperatives) as the main tool in strengthening their
input purchasing and produce marketing capability/profitability.
• Support to Household Food Security and Income Generation through Bio-
intensive Backyard Agricultural Production and Cottage Industry Activities for Women (OSRO/GAZ/602/NOR - LTU: AGPC / 2006-2008). The project
seeked to capitalize the role of women in the improvement of the national food
security and of the agriculture industry, and therefore one of its aims was to
empower the already existing women’s associations in order to help them play
a major role in the cooperative production and marketing. The existing
channels created by women associations to market their products have been
used in the framework of the project.
Iran:
• Monitoring, Prevention and Control of Aflatoxin Contamination in Iranian Pistachio Nuts (TCP/IRA/3104 - LTU: AGNS / 2008-2009). The major
expected outcome of this project is a strengthened national programme of
aflatoxin prevention in pistachio nuts based on an improved understanding of
the factors influencing aflatoxin contamination levels at all stages of
production, harvesting, handling, storage and distribution of pistachios. Using
the participatory approach in all project activities involving farmers, processors
and distributors, the project will be implemented with the participation of,
41
between others, producer associations, export associations, chamber of
commerce and cooperatives in the country.
Mauritania:
• Technical Support in the framework of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Programme. FAOSNE provided technical support to vegetable women
producers in the South of the country.
Morocco:
• Renforcement des Capacités Institutionnelles pour le Développement des Produits de Qualité de Montagne. Cas du Safran (TCP/MOR/3201 - LTU :
FOMD / 2008-2010). The objective of this project, developed and
implemented in the context of an interregional programme on promotion of
origin-linked quality products (please refer to page 36 of the present report for
further information on the interregional programme) is to build the capacities
of small safran producers, members of cooperatives and producers’
associations, for the development of an application for a quality distinction
mark of their mountain products.
Pakistan:
• Food Security/Poverty Alleviation in Arid Agriculture: Balochistan - Pilot Project Phase (GCP /PAK/095/USA - LTU: RAPG / 2004-2008). The purpose
of the project is to improve the livelihood and food security of the rural people
of Balochistan by strengthening the capacity of the applied research and
technology transfer system to provide sustainable market oriented arid
agriculture, by improving the management of scarce water resources, by
improving of range management and livestock marketing and through
enhancement of crop productivity and agro-processing on a sustainable basis.
Syria:
• Institutional Development of Organic Agriculture in Syria (GCP
/SYR/011/ITA - LTU: AGPC / 2005-2009). The overall development
objectives of the project are to prepare the ground for the establishment of the
legal, institutional and scientific platform where researchers, producers,
processors and traders can fully make use of their potential, increase revenues,
and the economic situation of the country and contribute to environmental
improvement. The project aimed at facilitating the establishment of a platform
for the sustainable development of organic farming in Syria, through the
elaboration of an institutional framework. Activities included informing and
training of technicians, scientists, decision makers and leader farmers in
organic farming.
Saudi Arabia:
• Capacity Building in Integrated Plant Health Management (UTF/SAU/025/SAU - LTU: AGPP / 2007-2012). The overall development
42
objective of this project is to improve conditions of food safety, efficient and
sustainable agricultural production, occupational health and agro-biodiversity
conservation. FAORNE provided assistance through training of pesticide
dealers, traders and users. The training included private sector, farmers
associations and agricultural companies. FAORNE also provided assistance to
Saudi farmers and private sector regarding using biological control in
controlling of date palm pests such as mites and scale insects through the
project.
• Support of the Rural Institutions for the Benefit of Small Scale Farmers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (UTF /SAU/014/SAU - LTU: RNES / 2007-
2012). The main goal of this project is to enhance the living conditions of the
small- small scale farmers through community and producer-based
participatory sustainable rural development in the country. The immediate
objectives include the development and strengthening of producer
organizations, both at national level and in four pilot areas. In this sense, the
project aims at encouraging producer organizations in rural areas to support the
empowerment process of rural communities and small-scale producers, more
broadly, local wealth generation, job creation and sustainable rural
development.
Tunisia:
• Appui au Développement et à la Mise en Place d’un Système de Contrôle des Produits de Qualité liée à l’Origine (TCP/TUN/3202 - LTU : AGNS / 2008-
2009). The objective of this project, developed and implemented in the context
of an interregional programme on promotion of origin-linked quality products
(please refer to page 36 of the present report for further information on the
interregional programme) is to improve the incomes of farmers by supporting
the development of a quality distinction that would increase the value of their
produce. More specifically, one of the objectives of this assistance is to
identify possible options for strengthening the organizational capacities of
farmers in this kind of value addition activities.
• Technical Advice in the framework of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Programme. FAOSNE provided technical advice to date palm
producers in the South of the country.
• Technical Advice to the UTAP (Union Tunisienne des Agriculteurs et Pêcheurs). FAOSNE provided advice to this producers’ organization in the
area of pesticide management and environment protection.
i.6 Global / cross-regional
• All ACP Support Programme on Agricultural Commodities, Including Cotton (AAACP Programme) (GCP /INT/045/EC - LTU: ESTD / 2007-2010).
The overall objective of this interregional programme is to improve incomes
and livelihoods for ACP producers of traditional or other agricultural
commodities, and reduce income vulnerability at both producer and macro
levels. The specific objective is to build the capacity of stakeholders all
43
along the commodity value chain to conceive and implement sustainable
commodity strategies. These will contribute to: (i) enhance farmers’
productivity and competitiveness; (ii) increase returns to labour; (iii) reduce
income fluctuations; (iv) open up new market opportunities, including through
diversification and (v) facilitate recourse to market-based risk management
instruments. From the beginning, the programme has ensured the participation
of involved stakeholders of the commodity chain, including professional and
inter professional organizations involved in commodity production,
processing, transport, trade, storage, cooperatives, credit organisms, etc. FAO
is a programme partner together with other four International Organizations15
.
Under the first phase of the programme, activities have focused on building the
agribusiness capacities of farmer organizations. This programme of work
began with a series of workshops (organized by the FAO Rural Infrastructure
and Agro-industries Division) in each ACP region (West Africa, Central
Africa, Eastern Africa, South Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific) entitled
‘’Building the capacities of farmer organizations to respond to changing agriculture markets’’. Participants included regional and national farmer
organization representatives, and representatives from agri-business. The
workshops’ approach covered (i) training in key topics important for
integrating farmers into value chains; (ii) the identification of core capacities
required by primary farmer organizations; (iii) the identification of the
functions and responsibilities of national unions needed to support their
members respond to modern agriculture markets. Participants also designed
priority follow-up activities that would strengthen institutional capacity at the
sub-national level. The innovative and relevant aspect of the regional
workshops is that the conclusions and activities identified have fed into the
work plans of international organizations.
While each regional workshop allowed for the identification of a number of
regional thematic issues – that lead to different conclusions by region -, overall
the exercise has revealed a number of cross-cutting lessons:
� Dialogue and political will is increasing between the formal
agri-business sector, farmer organizations and the public sector.
� Farmer organizations need to be more strategic with respect to
changing agricultural markets and look at the agri-business
sector as an opportunity rather than as a threat
� There are wide gaps in knowledge capacity and in the different
visions of farmer organizations
� Farmer organizations need to foster membership with more
commercially-oriented farmers. But in some regions, farmer
organizations face political pressure to include smallholders
� Consensus that competitiveness and growth are derived from
specialization
15 The Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), The International Trade Center (ITC), The United Nations Conference on Trade And
Development (UNCTAD) and The World Bank
44
Over the course of the next 2-3 years, FAO, under the aegis of the AAACP,
will build on the outcomes of these workshops with the implementation of
follow-up activities identified by participants. Regional sharing of success
cases and approaches will also take place in this phase, in which lessons on the
effectiveness of FAO support will be drawn that will feed into the
identification of primary tools for the achievement of the organizational results
under the new Strategic Framework of the Organization.
• FNPP-Agrobiodiversity (FNPP/GLO/002/NET - LTU: AGPP / 2001-2008).
This global programme aims at promoting awareness about the value of
agricultural biodiversity and the multiple goods and services provided by its
different levels and functions, for sustainable productivity amongst producer
organizations, agricultural cooperatives and enterprises, and consumers, as
well as farmers, indigenous and local communities, and their organizations and
other stakeholders, with a view to promoting responsible practices. The
programme also recognises the need to promote networks of farmers and
farmers' organizations at regional level for exchange of information and
experiences. For example, through this programme, support has been provided
to a countrywide Food Security Programme in Kenya including capacity
building for integrating agro-biodiversity related topics in training institutions
and extension programmes in the context of JFFLS and fisheries FFS.
• Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands (LADA) (EP /GLO/202/GEF –
LTU: NRLA / 2002-2008) FAOSNE and FAORNE participated in this global
project, whose aim is to develop tools and methods to assess land degradation
on dryland ecosystems, watersheds and river basins, carbon storage and
biological diversity. One of the specific objectives of the project is to build the
national, regional and international capacities (with particular emphasis on
multi-stakeholder involvement and participation of land users and farmers at
the local level) to be able to mitigate land degradation and establish sustainable
land use and management practices. During 2008, FAOSNE and FAORNE
have organized several activities in the framework of this project (mainly in
Tunisia), ranging from technical meetings with national institutions to training
sessions of relevant partners.
• PCA Norway 2005-06 Obj. B.2.1 - Improved Food Safety and Food Quality at the National Level (FNOP/INT/103/NOR - LTU: AGNS / 2006-2008).
Several activities have taken place in different regions under the different
project objectives:
a. Africa: the Plan Production and Protection Division and the Gender,
Equity and Rural Employment Division have carried out a proposal on
’Capacity building and awareness-raising on SARD and GAP to
contribute to food safety and quality and integrated natural resources
management’’ for Western Africa - Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal -
that builds on previous sub-projects funded by the FAO-Norway PCA.
In these countries, the project aims at providing micro- and small
enterprises and women’s groups successfully access to lucrative
markets as a result of application of improved quality and safety
45
practices. Activities have been on-going in Kenya, Uganda and Burkina
Faso since 2004 to support the application of Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP) in the horticulture and the cotton-cereal-livestock-
legumes farming systems. The ultimate objective is to help countries
cope with and adjust to global market demands, improve food safety
and quality at national level, and contribute to improved working
conditions, social welfare and management of natural resources. Target
audiences are the public/private sector stakeholders (extension workers,
farmers, leaders of producer organizations, facilitators (trainers), export
organizations and workers’ unions.
b. Asia and the Pacific: The Agricultural and Food Engineering
Technologies Division has developed a comprehensive training
programme that brings in a specific focus on capacity building in good
post-harvest practices to assure the quality and safety of fruits and
vegetables destined for a range of target markets. The programme will
focus on strengthening capacities in three low income countries of the
Asia-Pacific region - The Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam - to
improve the safety and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables. To meet
this objective, the programme proposes to equip a core of trainers with
the skills and knowledge to undertake national capacity building geared
toward enhancing safety and quality in fruit and vegetable supply
chains. Extension specialists, academics, representatives of farmers
groups, Government officials, researchers, private sector
representatives (invited as observer trainees) are the target audience of
the training, for which manuals on Horticultural Chain Management are
currently in preparation. In Lao PDR, FAO is providing training to
producer groups in food quality and safety management in fresh fruit
and vegetable chains.
c. Latin America and the Caribbean: The FAO Rural Infrastructure and
Agro-industries Division has implemented successfully the subproject
“Improving food quality and safety management along the fruits and
vegetables chain through capacity building in the SME sector’’ in
Nicaragua and Honduras. This experience has generated useful outputs,
such as useful publications adapted to the Central American context
(‘’Herramientas gerenciales costo-effectivas para mejorar la calidad y
asegurar la inocuidad de los alimentos en pequenas y medianas
agroindustrias’’ and ‘’Manual de entrenamiento sobre tecnologias de
metodos combinados’’ please see the Annex ...to have access to these
publications), a regional network of beneficiaries, human resource
trained in updated technology and food safety and quality management,
and reinforced food processing labs, among others. In 2008, a similar
project was implemented in Guatemala in order to satisfy the
Government’s demand for assistance in food safety, quality and
security. The objectives of the project were to enhance quality and
safety in the food chain of fruits and vegetables through upgrading
management and technical skills of agroprocessing SMEs in
Guatemala, and to reinforce the capacity building on food safety, quality
and security in the country through implementing training
46
course/workshops and collateral follow-up activities programs. The
project provided capacity building on food quality and safety to
agrifood SMEs, supported efforts in this direction and created synergies
with related institutional activities within the country. In this context, a
training event addressed to trainers and Small and Medium Enterprises
managers, technicians from Special Programme for Food Security and
national training extension institutions is expected to take place in
Guatemala from the 12 to the 17 of January 2009.
• Promotion of Origin-Linked Quality Products. FAO (LTU: AGNS) has
launched a programme whose main objective is to assist member countries and
stakeholders, including local farmers organizations, in implementing both
local and institutional-level systems regarding origin-linked specific quality that
are appropriate to their economic, social and cultural contexts and contribute to
rural development through the preservation and promotion of products of
origin-linked quality and associated local resources. This specific quality can be
promoted with a designation or “label” referring to the origin – the
Geographical Indication (GI). The relevant procedure is based on voluntary
action by producers to define the associated characteristics collectively and
produce the product in accordance with these specifications. Therefore, the
programme also aims at raising Governments’ awareness of the importance of
involving farmers organizations in the elaboration of codes of practices in this
field. More concretely, activities are currently taking place in the framework of
an interregional FAO project ‘’Appui au renforcement des politiques de qualité
spécifique des aliments’’ – Phase II (GCP /INT/022/FRA - LTU: AGNS / 2007-
2011) with the organization of regional seminars (the Mediterranean, Latin
America and South eastern Europe) that is expected to be replicated next year in
Asia. A number of case studies have been prepared in the framework of the
programme in the three geographical areas concerned: eight case studies in
Latin America (Colombia, Chili, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, Peru, Costa
Rica, Mexico), three case studies in Southeastern Europe (Serbie, Bosnie
Herzegovina and Macedonia) and one case study in the Mediterranean
(Morocco). Technical cooperation project are ongoing in North Africa
(Morocco and Tunisia: TCP/MOR/3201 and TCP/TUN/3202 respectively,
please see pages 32 and 33 respectively for further information), and on
preparation (Latin America). In the framework of these activities, the Nutrition
and Consumer Protection Division is also preparing a guide ‘’Linking People,
Places and Products – A Guide for Sustainable Agri-food Systems Based on
Geographical Indications’’ on how to build a GI, with the aim of helping
farmers, their organizations and people helping farmers in this field. The guide
that will be released in the beginning of 2009, is also expected to give these
target groups the necessary elements to make a request for certification of their
products. Moreover, a number of seminars, workshops and expert meetings
have also taken place in the regions concerned. Finally, there is currently an
initiative in FAO to set up an Interdepartmental Working Group to deal with
certification, value addition, labelling, legal institutional aspects, that is
expected to consider also the role of farmers organizations.
47
(ii) Forest user organizations
ii.1 Africa
Regional
• Mobilisation et Renforcement des Capacités des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises Impliquées dans les Filières des Produits Forestiers non Ligneux en Afrique Centrale (Projet EuropeAid/121998) (GCP /RAF/408/EC
- LTU : FOEP / 2007-2009). This project - that will be implemented
Cameroun, République Démocratique du Congo, Gabon, Guinée Equatoriale,
République du Congo, République Centrafricaine, Tchad – involves small and
medium forest enterprises, farmers groups and professional organizations,
between others, whose capacities in the organization, production, processing,
commercialization and marketing will be strengthened.
National
Burundi:
• Appui à la Gestion Durable des Peuplements d'Eucalyptus et de Pinus et le Partage Équitable des Bénéfices (TCP/BDI/3202 - LTU : FOMR / 2008-
2010). The project aims at supporting the Government of Burundi in its efforts
to increase the availability of wood to produce energy and to ensure a
sustainable forest resources management. The project will involve forest users
associations at all levels.
Cameroon:
• Gestion Durable des Produits Forestiers Non Ligneux (PFNL) dans les Unités Forestières d’Aménagement (UFA) au Cameroun (MTF/CMR/025/MSC - LTU : FOIP / 2007-2008). The objective of the project
is the promotion of sustainable forestry management in Cameroon, including
several training processes targeting forest users.
ii.2 Asia and the Pacific
National
Mongolia:
• Capacity Building and Institutional Development for Participatory Natural Resources Management and Conservation in Forest Areas of Mongolia (GCP /MON/002/NET - LTU: RAPO / 2007-2012). The project responds to a
direct request from the Ministry of Nature and Environment of Mongolia to
support the Government’s effort to involve the local population in the
sustainable management of Mongolian forest. The problem to be addressed is
to stop and reverse the ongoing degradation of the forests of Mongolia and to
contribute to poverty alleviation through the development of a model of local
level forest ecosystem management that can be replicated to other sites in the
48
forested aimags of Mongolia. The work with local level communities is
fundamental in the framework of this project.
The Philippines:
• Enhancing Natural Resources Management through Enterprise Development (GCP /PHI/055/NZE - LTU: RAPO / 2008-2011). The overall
objective of this project is to enhance environmental management and
develop livelihood opportunities for forest-dwelling communities through
improved forest use in the country. The intention is to build capacity of
forest organizations and other local institutions to develop financially viable,
ecologically sound, and socio-culturally appropriate community enterprises.
These enterprises are expected to provide upland communities with sources of
income and employment, as well as valuable lessons along with potential for
scaling-up nationally. A guidebook ‘’Environment and Natural Resources
Community Enterprise Development’’ has been developed in the framework
of this project.
ii.3 Global / cross-regional
• Forest Connect- Reducing Poverty by Linking Small and Medium Forest Enterprises (SMFEs) with each other through Associations, with National Forest Programme (NFP) Processes, Markets and Service Providers (2007-
2010). This project seeks to address the lack of “connectedness” between
forest associations and support structures in least developed countries, based
on partner demand. This action-research project aims to ‘connect’ SMFEs: (i)
to NFP processes, giving greater voice and empowering them to be heard; (ii)
to emerging markets by enhancing existing SMFE associations and; (iii) to
service providers by strengthening their capacity to offer appropriate training
and financial services. Coordinated jointly by FAO and IIED16
, Forest
Connect helps to disseminate guidance and training materials on models of
information services/support network that enhance the economic, social and
environmental sustainability of pro-poor SMFEs. National hubs that act as
information services/support networks for small forest enterprise associations
have been identified in at least ten pilot countries, six co-ordinated by FAO
and four coordinated by IIED (the current shortlist includes Lao PDR, Nepal,
China, Mali, Mozambique, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Guatemala, Guyana and
Ethiopia). (For more information about the Forest Connect project, please
see: http://www.fao.org/forestry/site/42297/en)
16
International Institute for Environment and Development
49
(iii) Fisher organizations
iii.1 Africa
National
Malawi:
• Support to Small-scale Fish Farming Enterprises (TCP/MLW/3101 - LTU:
FIRI / 2006-2009). The specific objective of this project is to assist in
improving seed quality and supply by establishing sustainable catfish
hatcheries at three selected sites in Malawi. The project foresees the provision
of training to a variety of stakeholders including farmers, representatives of
community-based organizations and fish farmer clubs. The expected project
outcomes include three economically viable catfish hatcheries functioning as
viable small businesses as well as improved organizational structure and
business planning capabilities for fish producers in the three schemes.
iii.2 Asia and the Pacific
National
Korea, PDR:
• Significant Increasing of Incomes by Assisting Cooperative Hatchery Workers (TFD-05/DRK/001 - LTU: FID / 2007-2008). The objective of this
TeleFood project was to help cooperative members in the country to produce
sea cucumber juveniles by providing facilities and materials for micro algae
culture and hatchery use.
Thailand:
• Certification for Small-scale Aquaculture in Thailand (TCP/THA/3202 -
LTU: FIMA / 2009-2010). FAORAP developed a TCP proposal for this
project, whose specific outcomes are i) to identify improvements to existing
systems for certification of aquaculture products in Thailand, in line with
international guidelines and norms on aquaculture; ii) establish methodologies
for certification of aquaculture products from groups or clusters of small-scale
aquaculture farmers, thus allowing farmers to participate in trade in certified
aquaculture products; iii) strengthen capacity of government and non-
government agencies, including farmer organizations, for certification of
aquaculture products in domestic and international markets. Viet Nam:
• Integrated Management of Lagoon Activities in Thua Thien and Hue Provinces (IMOLA project) – Phase I. (GCP /VIE/029/ITA - LTU: FIEP /
2005-2008). During the first Phase of this project, support was provided to
people dependent on the lagoon system in Thua Thien Hue. The main aim
50
was to improve their livelihoods by promoting a participatory sustainable
management of the hydro-biological resources in the lagoons, in accordance
with the socio-economic and production systems requirements of the
population and with particular emphasis on the gender roles, the achievement
of food security and the alleviation of poverty. The project evaluation
revealed that in six communes, 15 fisher associations (FAs) formulated and
adopted the establishment of pilot co- and/or community-based management
schemes were facilitated and regulations and by-laws. The evaluation also
highlighted the effective work on local level, a factor which was instrumental
for the focus on working closely with districts and communes. This created, in
the selected target areas, mutual trust and enhanced cooperation with
emerging FAs, which in turn explains the success in awareness building. A
second phase of the project is expected to last until 2010.
• Market-Oriented Agroforestry to Reduce Poverty in Quang Nam Province - (GCP /VIE/035/ITA - LTU: RAPO / 2008-2011). The objective of this project
- follow-up phase of the project Capacity Building, Extension, Demonstration
and Support for the Development of Market-Oriented Agroforestry in Quang
Nam Province (GCP /VIE/027/ITA - LTU: RAPO / 2004-2007) - is to reduce
poverty in the rural areas and help promote conservation of natural resources
through development of sustainable, market-oriented agroforestry systems.
The project tries to address the issue that farmers which are mostly operating
on small-scale need to form producer-marketing groups to overcome their
small volume disadvantages and enhance linkages between farmers and
markets; this can be addressed through assistance in the formations of producer
(farmer)-marketing groups and development and implementation of business
plans including the continued support to Cam Ha Cooperative. The project also
envisages encouraging the development of other forms of rural enterprises
and producer-marketing associations such as a club or private limited, which
may be less formal in structure than a cooperative, but may be more acceptable
for farmers with no association experience.
iii.3 Near East
Regional:
• Développement Durable de la Pêche Artisanale Méditerranéenne au Maroc et en Tunisie (GCP /RAB/005/SPA - LTU : FIMF / 2007-2010). This project
is particularly focused on the support and the establishment of an enabling
environment for small-scale fishery communities by, inter alia, strengthening
fishers' cooperatives/associations in Marocco and Tunisia.
National:
Gaza Strip and the West Bank:
• Emergency Support to needy Fishermen in the Gaza Strip to Restore their Fishing Activities (OSRO/GAZ/804/ITA - LTU: FIMA / 2008-2009). The
principal objective of the project is the improvement of the food security status
of 100 vulnerable fishermen families (700 persons) in Khan Yunis and Rafah
51
areas in the Gaza Strip through the promotion of aquaculture as an alternative
source of food and income. The project will seek the collaboration of partners
with strong technical capacity, good field implementation experience and
preferably consolidated presence in the area. To this effect, the collaboration of
various fishermen’s associations is envisaged.
c) Helping to create an enabling environment
(i) Farmer organizations and cooperatives
i. 1. Africa
Regional
• Support to ICARRD follow-up and to the African Land Policy Initiative including regional stakeholders’ dialogue (TCP/RAF/3115 - LTU: NRLA /
2008-2009). The objective of this regional project – focused on West and
Central Africa - is to contribute to ensuring security of land rights, increased
productivity, secured livelihoods and broad-based economic growth and
sustainable development in Africa. Specifically to: (i) increase the capacity of
the African Union Commission and its sister institutions to steer and organize
the process for the preparation, drafting and implementation of an Africa wide
Land Policy Framework and Guidelines including strong participation and
contributions from CSOs (Regional farmers' organizations and NGOs) with
clear benchmarks for monitoring implementation; and (ii) enable CSOs to
prepare and discuss, within a participative process, a well informed and
significant contribution to the land policy framework and guidelines in an
effective, coherent and timely manner. A variety of farmers' organisations are
attending the various workshops organized and a special attention is directed to
allow actors and various types of associations (including those addressing
gender issues and women's land rights) to gain the required knowledge and
capacity to participate more actively in this initiative throughout its whole
implementation. In order to guarantee the equity of the process (including
gender equity) there is a focus on the needs of specific social groups: women,
young, pastoralists and indigenous people. A particular attention is given to the
involvement of women’s groups and organizations through women’s networks
in West and Central Africa.
• Supporting Food Security and Reducing Poverty in Kenya and Tanzania through Conservation of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) (GCP /GLO/198/GER - LTU: NRL / 2008-2011). This project,
whose objective is that selected GIAHS systems in the two countries
concerned are sustainably managed and dynamically conserved (i.e. local
farmers and Government apply the concept actively), is being developed from
the basis that attaining food security and reducing poverty through dynamic
conservation of GIAHS could be primarily based on (i) the empowerment of
local communities (farmers, including youth and women’s group),
decentralised institutions, farmers’ organizations and self help groups by
training and capacity building for the governance and management of the
project and (ii) institutional building and strengthening local ownership of
52
the project to ensure sustainability in dealing with conservation and adaptive
management of GIAHS, hence, conservation of the natural resource base.
National
Burundi:
• Appui au Renforcement des Capacités des Organisations Professionnelles Agricoles (Burundi) (TCP/BDI/3102 - LTU : FOMR / 2007-2009). This 18
month project was launched in 2007, at the request of the Burundi
government, to promote an enabling environment favouring the emergence of
Professional Agricultural Organizations and to strengthen institutional
and technical capacities of these organizations and concerned public sector
agencies. In 2008, the FAO Policy Assistance and resource Mobilization
Division provided successful training sessions for producer organizations and
Government on policy, analysing and participating in policy dialogue and
negotiation. The FAO Investment Centre Division is currently working in a
series of participatory workshops on developing the action plan for producer
organizations and Government vis a vis producer organization strengthening
and inclusion, which is the final output of the project. In the context of this
project, the Investment Centre has also finalized a proposal for reforming the
legal status of producer organizations in the current country legislation, by
making a more flexible and appropriate law for the types of producer
organizations on the ground. The project is expected to end in May 2009.
Mozambique:
• Decentralized Legal Support and Capacity Building to Promote Sustainable Development and Good Governance at Local Level (GCP /MOZ/081/NET -
LTU: LEGN / 2005-2009). This project aims to consolidate the progressive
and democratizing elements of land and natural resources legislation and
make more effective use of existing legal and judicial structures, thus
contributing directly to good governance and decentralization in Mozambique,
the alleviation of poverty, and the promotion of an equitable and sustainable
development process. The project foresees as one of its immediate objectives
the training of local community leaders and members and other individuals
involved in resource access and use, enhancing awareness of their rights, and
how to use and defend these rights.
i.2 Asia and the Pacific
National
China, PDR:
• Strengthening Disaster Preparedness in the Agricultural Sector (TCP/CPR/3105 - LTU: NRCB / 2007-2009). The overall project objective is
to assist the MoA in testing and operationalizing the process of shifting from
an emergency response focused intervention approach towards a natural
disaster risk prevention/preparedness oriented approach in the agricultural
53
sector in Juye country. One of the intended long-term project outcomes is to
enhance the operational capacities and coordination mechanisms for risk
prevention and management at county, prefecture and provincial levels. The
project design builds on the basic principles of working in a participatory way
and building on what already exists (e.g. local knowledge, available training
materials, successfully practiced risk adaptation techniques/methods in China
or elsewhere, and existing institutions and organizations). Therefore, the
project will assist the government in building and strengthening the
capacities of farmer organizations at grass root level to complement the
government responsibilities in local disaster risk management.
Thailand:
• Pilot Project for Poverty Alleviation and the Promotion of Food Security in Northeastern Thailand (TCP/THA/3102 – LTU: RAPS / 2006-2009). The
project’s development objective is to increase agricultural productivity and
farmers’ self-reliance as well as income of rural households in the project area
and formulate a national strategy for future expansion. Farmers’ groups’
empowerement is one of the specific objectives of the project.
i.3 Latin America and the Caribbean
National
Guatemala:
• Apoyo a la Formación de Grupos y Organizaciones de Desarrollo Local (Departamento de San Marcos y Municipio del Suroeste de Huehuetenango - Guatemala) (GDCP/GUA/001/SPA - LTU: NRC / 2007-2010). The specific
objective of the project is to identify and build the capacities of producers and
leaders within local communities to put in practice new production processes
and modalities for employment generation.
Haiti:
• Développement Local dans la Commune de Marmelade et de Plaisance en Haiti - Phase II (GCP /HAI/019/CAN - LTU : SDAR – NRCB / 2005-2010).
The project focus is to strengthen the capacities of local entities to be able to
contribute to poverty reduction and environmental rehabilitation in the
Marmelade and Plaisance communities, by carrying out agro-forestry,
commercialization, management of river basins and local governance training
activities.
• Projet de Développement Rural et Renforcement des Capacités Locales dans la Commune de Dessalines (Haiti) (GDCP/HAI/001/FRA - LTU : NRCB /
2005-2009). The objective of the project is to support local actors in the
process of self-development by providing them the means to improve their life
conditions through improved natural resources management, production and
value addition techniques.
54
Mexico:
• Evaluación del Programa de Fondo de Tierras y Joven Emprendedor Rural (FTJER) (UTF /MEX/077/MEX - LTU: ESAE / 2007-2009). The objective of
this project is to assess the effectiveness of the FTJER programme with regard
to the objective initially identified, which was to improve access of young
people between 18 and 39 years to production, so they would be able to set up
agro-enterprises.
i.4 Near East
National
Algeria:
• Valorisation de l’Eau par une Approche Participative et Intégrée en Petite et Moyenne Hydraulique (PMH) (TCP/ALG/3104 - LTU : NRLW / 2007-2009).
FAOSNE is providing technical support to this project, whose aim is to help
the government of Algeria to prepare and launch a national programme to
develop small and medium hydraulics. The project gives great emphasis to the
organizational reinforcement of existing institutions, including farmer
organizations, which is one of the main project’s outputs. A seminar will be
organized in April 2009 in the context of this project.
i.5 Global / cross-regional
• Creating Capacity and Instruments to Implement the Right to Adequate Food (GCP /INT/995/SWI - LTU: ESAD / 2005-2008). The overall objective
of this project is that the concept and practical value of the Right to Food is
understood and supported by rights holders, duty bearers and society at large
and to build capacity at national level to implement the Right to Food is
strengthened.
• Rural Women and Development Collection, Processing and Dissemination of Information-Dimitra Phase II (GCP /INT/810/BEL - LTU: ESW / 2002-
2011). (Addendum Phase II of Femmes Rurales et Developpment - Dimitra
(GCP /INT/673/BEL - LTU: SDW / 1997-2001) Dimitra is an Africa
interregional project whose main objective is increasing the visibility of the
efforts of rural populations, especially of rural women and their
organizations, with the aim of improving their status as essential partners in
development. Dimitra is a gender information and communication project,
hence it works with community radios, and listeners’s clubs (examples in the
South Kivu and Katanga Provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo and
soon in Niger). For the period 2009-2011, Dimitra has become a cross-section
axis for gender mainstreaming and dissemination of information through its
large network for (the Belgian funded) sub-programme on "Gender and
Knowledge Management" concerning four countries in sub-Saharan Africa -
Niger, Senegal, Burkina-Faso and Mali - and for the Great Lake Region. In this
context, a launch workshop will take place in Niger, organized by different
55
FAO units based on the experience of better knowledge and training on
"boutiques d'intrants" and farmers organizations. Dimitra works in close
collaboration with various FAO technical divisions in the field and has
participated in the elaboration of the project document of the Programme
d'Horticulture Urbaine et Péri-urbaine of Burundi. It is also closely associated
with the same programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo. For the period
2009-2011, several activities are planned, including the production and
dissemination of a CD-ROM and capacity building workshops on different
thematics, as well as a training module on “Communicating gender for
development” which will be the base for a training intended for all Dimitra
partners and the rural communicators of the area.
d) Good practices and success cases with evidence of impact
In 2008, a number of FAO Good Practices have been identified from three different
sources17
:
Source 1: Strengthening Agricultural Institutions – Proposals for the Institutional Dimension of the Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP)18
1. Business Information Systems for Producer Organizations: CoopWorks
2. The Experience with Farmer Field Schools in West Africa.
3. Rehabilitating National Agricultural Research Systems: The Example of Eritrea.
4. Developing a Rural Communication Network: The experience of RADCON in
Egypt:
5. Participatory Plant Breeding in Nepal
6. Input Distribution through Farmer Organizations: ‘’Boutiques d’Intrants’’ in Niger
Source 2: Capacity Building Review of Good Practices currently undertaken by the
IDWG on Capacity Building:
7. Upgrading Belize’s Legal Framework for Biosecurity (LEGN)
8. Land Consolidation in Central and Eastern Europe: a Regional Approach (NRL)
9. Participatory Planning Process at National and Local Level for Strategy
Development for Education for Rural People in Kosovo (NRR)
10. Community-based Forest Enterprise Development in The Gambia (FOE)
11. Participatory Law Review and Development of Fisheries Legislation in Tonga
(LEGN)
12. Farmer Field Schools in India (AGP)
13. Decentralised Legal Support for the Implementation of Mozambique's Land Law
and Forestry and Wildlife Law (LEGN)
Source 3: SARD Initiative Good Practices Database:
14. Farmer Field School for Upscaling Soil Management Technologies, Kenya
17 For more details on the good practices please see Annex F: ftp://extftp01/es/Data/ESW/GoodPracticesIB/ 18 The paper prepared at the DG request in the context of the Initiative of Soaring Food Prices can be accessible through this link:
ftp://extftp01/es/Data/ESW/StrengtheningAgriculturalInstitutions/
56
15. Fertilizer Micro-dosing and Warrantage Credit System for Small-scale Farmers in
the Sahel
16. Participatory Fisheries Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) of Small
Scale Fishing Zone, Guinea
17. Community-based Forest Management among Pastoralist Communities, Suledo
Forest, Tanzania
18. Community-managed Pastoralist Slaughterhouse Keekonyokie, Kenya
19. Establishment of Small and Medium Forest-based Enterprises, The Gambia
20. Farmer Field School to Enhance Revenue Generation and Social Cohesion,
Democratic Republic of Congo
21. Promoting Farmer Innovation in Farmer Field Schools, Kenya
In 2009, this list is expected to grow and a draft publication on good practices on
institution building is expected to be produced.
e) Meetings held and regional networking activities supported
Africa
(1) FAO Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa has participated/ been involved
in the preparation of the following meetings:
• Participation in several meetings to promote Good Agricultural Practices,
particularly Conservation Agriculture (CA) at national, regional and
international levels.
• Active participation in meetings of the CA Task Force for Zimbabwe.
• 3rd
SADC-EU International Scientific Symposium entitled “Towards Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change: “Institutional Structures and Best Practices in Land and Water Management in Southern Africa”;
including CA sessions and also launching of Zambia CA National Task
Force (for surther information and documentation please see:
http://www.fanrpan.org/documents/d00487/index.php)
• Participation in the Africa Workshop on Conservation Agriculture co-
organized by FAO and whose objective was to build and use evidence and
inter-agency networking to strengthen impact of conservation agriculture
projects in Africa.
• All ACP Agricultural Commodities Programme (AAACP) kick off
workshop for East and Southern Africa.
• Inception Workshop and Regional CA Task Force Steering Committee for
the Norwegian supported CA workshop in Lesotho
(2) From 27-29 August 2008, FAO participated in a Technical Workshop on
Tools Development organized in Kenya under the International Labour
57
Organization (ILO) CoopAfrica19
project, of which FAO is partner. The
workshop’s participants ranged from apex organizations from partner
countries, relevant ILO units/offices/programmes to academic institutions and
cooperative colleges, international organizations/development projects. The
workshop’s main purpose was to launch partnerships for joint cooperative
tools development. During (and prior to) the workshop, FAO contributed its
key tools on cooperatives, participated in the survey on tools and unmet
demand for tools, identified areas of future engagement in the partnership,
presented and analyzed its good practice on computerizing agricultural
cooperatives though CoopWorks (Open Source Business Information System
for Producer Organizations) in a study visit to a dairy cooperative in Kenya
(in connection with the projects GCP /INT/MUL/50 and TCP/KEN/2907).
Asia and the Pacific
(1) From 25-29 February 2008, FAO participated in a Regional Workshop on
Smallholder Dairy Development in Chiang Mai (Thailand) (for more
information on the workshop, including lessons learned please see:
http://www.aphca.org/reference/dairy/chiangmai_workshop_feb08.html)
(2) FAORAP:
• provided support to an FAO-NEDAC Regional Workshop on the “Role of Agricultural Cooperatives in Response to the Impact on Natural Disasters and Climate Change” was held in 5-9 May, 2008 in New Delhi
(India). Co-operative leaders and policy makers from Bangladesh, India,
Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand attended. • organized a workshop on “Strengthening Capacity of Producer
Organizations in the South Pacific”. • held regional conferences/workshops in Vietnam, Thailand, Solomon
Island and Nepal, for which it produced technical papers on agribusiness
and marketing, linking small holder producer organizations to markets and
mobilizing and managing farmer based organizations. • produced a report of the “Expert Consultation on Farmers' Income
Statistics” held in December 2007 in Bangkok (Thailand). • organized national workshops targeted at producers organizations in
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Myanmar on “Regulations, Standards and Certification of Agricultural Exports”, that will be the
subject of an FAORAP publication in 2009. • organized a workshop in Thailand on “Linking Farmers to Markets –
Focus Group Methodologies”
19 The Cooperative Facility for Africa - CoopAfrica - is a regional technical cooperation programme of the Cooperative Programme of the
International Labour Organization
58
• organized a workshop in Thailand on “Formulating Country Level Dairy Development Strategies in Asia”
(2) FAOSAP:
a) organized and held the ‘’Eleventh Round Table Meeting for Pacific Island Countries (RTM) on WTO and Regional Trade Agreements and Provisions’’ from 15-19 September 2008 in Wellington (New Zealand),
which reiterated the importance of the RTM series in assisting Pacific
countries in relation to world negotiations and its impact on the Pacific.
The private sector and NGOs were well represented in the RTM. Regional
partner organizations together with the Government of New Zealand
assisted in the organization of the meeting.
b) co-organized and held the ‘’Pacific Roundtable on Climate Change (PRCC) Climate Change and Food Security Expert Group Meeting’’, held in Apia, Samoa in October 2008, focused on the effect of climate
change on countries, livelihoods, and food security, with emphasis on
mitigation, adaptation and obtaining of accurate information.
c) co-organized the ‘’Ecosystem Approach to Management of Coastal Fisheries (EAF) in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTS) ‘’ meeting held in Nadi, Fiji 17 to 21 November 2008, aimed at planning,
developing and managing fisheries in a way that addresses the multiple
needs of societies, without jeopardising the opportunity for future
generations to also gain the many benefits provided by marine ecosystems.
It brought together government representatives from fisheries and
conservation departments, and NGO representatives from 12 countries
around the Pacific.
Near East
(1) FAOSNE:
• provided technical support and advice to the following meetings:
a) 9 February 2008: meeting of organic date producers, held in El Klibia,
Kébili (Tunisia).
b) 9 February 2008: Nour Oasis Association seminar on organic farming,
held in Kébili (Tunisia)
c) 14-15 May 2008: regional Meeting of the Union Magrébin des
Agriculteurs, held in Tunis (Tunisia)
d) 14-15-16 May 2008: Union Magrébin des Agriculteurs for the seminar
‘’La Complémentarité (Intégration) Maghrébine dans le Secteur des Céréales afin d’assurer la Sécurité Alimentaire’’, held in Tunis
(Tunisia)
59
• from 5 to 6 November 2008 organized a Regional Workshop for North
Africa (‘’Sirte Conference’’) held in Tunis (Tunisia) in preparation for the
‘’International Conference on Water for Agriculture and Energy in Africa: the Challenges of Climate Change’’, that took place in Libya
from 15 - 17 December 2008. The Conference was organized by FAO with
the collaboration of the Lybian Government, and was preceded by other
four regional workshops were stakeholders, including farmer
organizations, were consulted in order to identify regional trends in the
water use in the agricultural and energy sectors (for further information on
the International Conference, please see:
http://www.sirtewaterandenergy.org/en/stakeholders.html).
(2) FAORNE:
• organized a workshop on organic farming in the Oasis of Kébili,
Association Nour Oasis, El Klibia, Kébili in February 2008.
• organized a workshop on cereal and food security integration, attended
by the Union Magrébine des Agriculteurs and held in Tunis (Tunisia)
in May 2008.
• participated in the preparation of the UNIDO International Conference
on “Sharing Innovative Agribusiness Solutions: from Farms to Markets, Providing Know – How and Finance”, held in Cairo (Egypt)
in November 2008. The Conference addressed policy issues as well as
technological innovation at the farm and market levels.
• organized a regional workshop on “Communication Practices for Effective National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES): Supporting Small-scale Farmers to Achieve Food Security”, held in Beirut (Lebanon) in November 2008. The issues
addressed were analysis of regional/national context and sharing
experiences and fostering communication for effective linkages
between NARES actors and the small-scale producers.
• organized national follow up seminars on the implementation of
Rotterdam Convention, held in Kuwait, Sudan, Lebanon, Yemen, and
Oman with the participation of the NGO’s, private sector and farmers
associations.
• organized field days in Saudi Arabia to demonstrate the use of
biological agents in the control of date palm pests.
Global / cross-regional
(1) 8-11 April 2008, New Delhi (India): ‘’Global Agro-Industries Forum: Improving Competitiveness and Development Impact’’. FAO, UNIDO and
IFAD organized this global meeting about development of competitive agro-
industries as a crucial step for creating employment and income
opportunities and for enhancing the demand for farm products. At the Forum,
60
the three agencies committed to assist member countries in creating enabling
environments for agribusiness, agro-industries and value chains and to support
the development of specific agro-industries and value chains through the
design and implementation of initiatives to improve the capacities of
smallholder farmers, small agro-industries and their organizations to
participate in value chains for high value products, between other means. FAO
committed to support ministries of agriculture to strengthen their
organizational capacities to foster the development of agro-industries. The full
report of the Forum can be found at:
http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/publications/docs/GAIF%20English%20report_ligh
t.pdf. Also, a DVD with the Forum proceedings has been produced, containing
power point presentations of the side-events on innovation in agro-industries,
showing Indian and worldwide case studies (for further information about the
Forum, please see: http://www.gaif08.org/).
(2) 3-5 June 2008, Rome (Italy): FAO held a ‘’High Level Conference on Climate Change, Bio-energy and Food Security: Challenges for the Millennium’’ . Civil Society Organizations, including farmers’ organizations,
participated at the various events organized in this context.
(3) 10 October 2008, Rome (Italy): EuropAfrica International Congress – ‘’Family Farmers Propose Solutions to the Food Crisis. Are Agricultural Policies Responding? A Dialogue between Actors and Institutions”. The event was organized by various NGOs with the
collaboration of FAO. Representatives of regional farmers’ organizations from
Africa (ROPPA, EAFF, PROPAC) participated at the event.
(4) 13-17 October 2008, Bangkok (Thailand): ‘’Global Conference Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries: Bringing Together Responsible Fisheries and Social Development’’. The Conference was held in response to a request
by the 27th
session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) that FAO convene a
broad-based international conference focussing specifically on small-scale
fisheries. A preparatory workshop was held on 11-13 October 2008 by civil
society organisations and fishworkers representatives, organized by the
International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), World Forum of
Fisher Peoples (WFFP), Sustainable Development Foundation of Thailand
(SDF) and the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC).
The workshop produced a comprehensive statement that was introduced to the
Conference. The Conference had a special focus on securing access and user
rights by fishing communities to coastal and fishery resources that sustain
their livelihoods, and re-enforced the claim that small-scale fisheries have a
potential, not yet fully realized, to significantly contribute to sustainable
development and the attaining of the UN millennium development goals
(MDGs). The outcome of the Bangkok Conference will be reported back to
and finally be endorsed by COFI, possibly leading to a recommendation that
would be effective for the member states – in other words, the substantial
involvement of fisherfolk organisations and NGOs in this conference leads
to their indirect but very significant involvement in the FAO Fisheries Governing Body with possible impact on Governments’ fishery policies.
61
(5) 15 October 2008, Rome (Italy): a side event with rural producer
organizations took place around the World Food Day, with the purpose of
discussing how food producers should address the ongoing food crisis. At the
event, representatives of producer organizations presented their analysis in
addressing problems to the soaring food prices. The organizations highlighted
the importance of capacity building to address and face the crisis, and called
for the development of a global partnership between farmers and UN agencies.
(6) 21 November 2008, Rome (Italy): a side event with CSOs took place during
the FAO Conference. The objective of the meeting was to hear from farmers,
indigenous peoples, women, youth and other CSOs actors on the FAO reform
and ways forward. During the meeting, representatives of the above mentioned
organizations called for FAO to take advantage of the current reform process
to set up a more institutionalized way of working with civil society
organizations, including the development of a partnership between FAO and
CSOs.
(7) 26-27 January 2009, Madrid (Spain): the High-Level Meeting on Food Security for All brought together a broad range of stakeholders from more
than 126 countries, coming from national governments, civil society, trade
unions, private sector, academia, donor agencies and multilateral
organizations. The purpose of the meeting was to accelerate progress in
meeting MDG 1 and address the effects of price fluctuations in vulnerable
populations. Participants agreed on the importance of an inclusive and broad
process of consultation on options leading to the establishment of a Global
Partnership for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, and emphasized that
consultations should be open to the full range of stakeholders involved in
agriculture, food security and nutrition (including farmers’ organizations, civil
society organizations, women’s organizations, private sector, developing
country governments, and both regional and international organizations)
f) Any other relevant activities at national and regional level
(1) FAORAP has developed Participatory System Analysis (PSA) investigative
studies of producer’s organization supply/value chains in India, Philippines,
Nepal, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand and Indonesia, that will lead to
FAORAP publications in 2009. FAORAP has also produced research studies
on the risks associated with smallholder farmers and producer organizations
converting to organic farming in India, Thailand and Philippines that will also
lead to FAORAP publications 2009.
(2) FAOSFS:
• has supported the formulation of the forthcoming ‘’Swaziland Agricultural Development Project’’ (GCP /SWA/016/EC - LTU: NRRR / 2009-2014)
with funding from TCP/SWA/3102. The objective of the project is to
contribute to an overall increased equitable economic national growth and
development, and more specifically, to improve smallholder production
and marketing systems. The project has a full component on institutional
62
reform (Agricultural Research and Service Delivery) that includes a sub-
component on support to producers/associations/farmer groups for
improved productivity as well as capacity in marketing.
• has provided training support to farmers in Lesotho to become seed
growers by building capacity for modern seed production techniques under
the project Improving Seed Security (TCP/LES/3101 - LTU: AGPS /
2006-2009) whose main objective is to improve seed availability and
security of the main food crops in selected rural communities in order to
enhance agricultural production and food security amongst resource-poor
farmers.
• has supported the project ‘’Support to the Date Production Programme, Namibia - Introduction of Date Palm Cultivation into Communal Farming and Hardap Settlement (Phase II)’’ (UTF/NAM/004/NAM -
LTU: AGPC / 2001-2009), whose objective is to establish pilot settlement
farm and to introduce date palm to communal areas, as well as to
strengthen the achieved date development and to render support to all
components contributing towards the permanent establishment of a date
industry in Namibia.
g) Knowledge platforms for producer organization’s capacity development
Africa:
(1) Under the project Rural Development Communication Network in Egypt --
Rural and Agriculture Development Communication Network (RADCON)
(UTF /EGY/021 - LTU: SDRE / 2004-2008), a sustainable operational
dynamic information and communication system that responds to the
stakeholders information requirements of poor farming communities has been
developed. The system aims to establish/improve the communication between
extension, research and private and public persons and institutions involved in
rural and agricultural development. Innovative media communication
programme is also developed to increase the benefit of RADCON among the
targeted population.
Asia and the Pacific:
(1) FAO participated in the development of an Asia Pacific Integrated Plant Nutrient Management Network (APIPNM), in Thailand. The initiative of
establishing the Network was derived from the regional workshop on
Improving Plant Nutrient Management for Better Farmer Livelihoods, Food
Security and Environmental Sustainabilit held in Beijing, China in December
2005 (please see the workshop proceedings at
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ag120e/ag120e00.htm). At the workshop,
participants from 17 countries collectively expressed interest in establishing
the network after discussing and exchanging ideas and recommendations to
collectively formulate technical and policy measures on developing both
country and region options for making integrated plant nutrient management
63
the alternative technology for sustainable crop production and soil fertility
management (for further information on APIPNM please see:
http://www.ldd.go.th/web_ord/ORDGroup/ORD_Group10/Data/DataProject/T
hailand_countryreportfinal(web).pdf).
(2) An Asia Pacific Soil and Water Conservation Network for the humid tropics (ASOCON) has been reorganized. The network aims to assist its member
countries - China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Thailand and Vietnam - through a programme of information exchange,
regional workshops, expert consultations and learning activities to enhance the
skills and expertise of those responsible for the development and dissemination
of soil and water conservation practices for small-scale farmers. The ultimate
objective of the network is to help small-scale farmers use their land
sustainably and productively (for further information, please see:
http://asocon.org/main.htm).
Latin America and the Caribbean:
(1) Knowledge Platform for the Development of Central America and
Mexico (http://www.comunicacionparaeldesarrollo.org/): it has been
developed in close collaboration with FAO for learning and joint action
between individuals, organizations and institutions, including producer
organizations, whose activities are directly linked with communication for
development in Central America and Mexico.
(2) Plataforma de Comunicación y Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas de
América Latina (http://www.plataformaindigena.org/) is a space for
participation whose primary aims are to influence communication and
development policies affecting Indigenous Peoples, as well as to serve as
space for the exchange of knowledge, proposals and mechanisms to foster
cooperation between different actors engaged with Indigenous Peoples.
(3) Platicar (http://www.platicar.go.cr/) stands for Agricultural and Rural
Technology, Information and Communication Platform (in Spanish) and is a
space for knowledge exchange between producers, extension officers and
researches. The site is sustained by FAO and INTA, a national institution
devoted to agricultural technology transfer in Costa Rica.
Global / cross-regional:
(1) The FAO Capacity Building Portal (http://www.fao.org/capacitybuilding)
was launched in early 2008. With the aim to provide improved access to its
institution building learning resources, training materials, and services of
specific value to farmers’ organizations, cooperatives and chambers of
agriculture. In 2006, almost 50 institution building learning resources for
farmer’s organizations and cooperatives were identified from 22 FAO
technical units through an inventory undertaken by the IDWG on Institution
Building for Agriculture and Rural Development. In 2007, selected learning
services which FAO provides and are specifically targeted to farmers’
64
organizations, cooperatives, and chambers of agriculture were also identified.
In 2008, some 350 new FAO resources of interest to producer organizations
and cooperatives were identified and started to be progressively uploaded in
the portal by the relevant FAO units / divisions so that they can be accessible
to the wide public.
(2) The Contract Farming Resource Center
(http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/contract- farming/index_cf/en/) has been
established by FAO with the aim to offer a ‘’one-stop’’ site where information
on contract farming is freely made available, thus responding to the growing
demand for information and technical support on planning and implementing
contract farming operations.
(3) Food, Agriculture and Decent Work (http://waicent.fao.org/test/fao-
ilo_draft/en/cooporgs/cooporg.html) is a joint FAO/ILO website, which
includes a chapter on agricultural co-operatives and other membership-based
organizations, such as financial co-operatives, which directly or indirectly
offer opportunities for farm and non-farm rural and urban employment. As
cooperatives and producer organizations often unite business and social goals,
they can provide effective mechanisms for their members to attain social
objectives within their communities, including objectives related to the
promotion of decent and fair employment.
(4) The FAO’s Participation Website (http://www.fao.org/participation/) contains
tools and methodologies to support participation in project and policy design,
implementation, and evaluation. The site continues to expand in terms of FAO
documents (888), participatory approaches and methods (335) and newsletter
subscribers (1180). It also provides an expanding forum for sharing
experiences as well as lessons learned from the practical application of
participatory processes within projects or programmes in different sectors.
(5) The Rural Finance Learning Centre (http://www.ruralfinance.org) provides
access to self study guides for managers of agricultural cooperatives on the
following topics: basic economics of an agricultural cooperative, crop
collection and storage, managing transport, planning and supply services,
making a budget, agricultural lending, savings and credit funds, interest
rates, self-sufficiency, liquidity management, and marketing of financial
services. The Rural Finance Learning Centre also includes a guidance
manual for advisers and trainers about using these materials, as well as some
ILO cooperative training materials. The material can be found at:
www.ruralfinance.org/id/31955.
(6) The Technology for Agriculture: Proven Technologies for Smallholders
(TECA) website (http://www.fao.org/sd/teca/) is an FAO initiative that aims at
improving access to information and knowledge about available proven
technologies in order to enhance their adoption in agriculture, livestock,
fisheries and forestry thus contributing to food security, poverty alleviation and
sustainable development. Farmers’ associations, as organizations that provide
advisory services to their members, are one of the key beneficiaries of the
initiative. TECA integrates a network of more than 20 partner organizations,
65
which have so far established more than 800 proven technologies. The Phase II
of this initiative is currently being developed, with the objectives to improve
its functionality in order to more easily and better document and share good
practices, to further decentralize it and to broaden its scope to address
challenges of food security and poverty alleviation by including bioenergy,
climate change and disaster risk management.
3. Activities for 2009-2010
a) Policy processes and advice to member countries on co-operative and producer
group enterprise development and support to producer organizations to participate in policy dialogue (preliminary list in progress)
a.1. Regional
Africa
(1) In coordination with four regional African Farmer Organizations networks,
IFAD and CTA, FAO will provide technical assistance to the partially EC-
funded program ‘’Support to Farmers’ Organizations and Agricultural Policy Processes in Africa’’. The overall goal of the programme is the
improvement of the livelihoods of the rural poor producers, and its purpose is
to strengthen the capacity of small farmers’ organizations in African
countries, and their regional networks, to represent the interests of their
members and to influence policies and support programmes affecting
agriculture, rural development and food security. The programme will
comprise two major components: i) institutional development of national
farmers’ organizations and of their regional networks; and ii) promoting the
capacity of farmers’ organizations to lobby and get involved at the national,
regional, continental (African Union), and global agricultural policy processes.
The programme activities are expected to be developed during three years.
Asia and the Pacific
(1) Capacity Building for Dialogue and Collaboration between Government and
CSOs in Follow-up to ICARRD. The FAO NRLA unit will be the LTU of this
regional project that will be implemented in Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and
thw Philippines from 2009 to 2010. Through this project, FAO will provide
technical assistance to both governments and partner CSOs to: i) establish
suitable national institutional frameworks for Government-CSO dialogue and
collaboration; ii) development of methodologies/tools for training of trainers
of both CSO’s and local governments on a wide range of issues (policy
dialogue, participatory planning, negotiation, consensus-building,
collaboration on land tenure reform policies, legislation and local institutional
capacity-building of small farmers, indigenous people and women) for
improved access to land, water and other natural resources for rural
livelihoods.
66
Latin America and the Caribbean
(1) FAO is currently working in the elaboration of an Italy-funded project
focusing on food security and commercialization, to be implemented in
Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua y Honduras). It is
expected that the project will include a component by which support will be
provided to producer organizations in the countries concerned. The project is
expected to begin in 2009 and will last three years.
Near East
(1) FAORNE will design / implement communication for development
initiatives for smallholders to ensure that they are adequately involved in plans
to re-launch agriculture and that they are given the space to contribute with
their knowledge to the global efforts to restore natural resources and re-
establish sustainable farming systems.
Global / cross-regional
(1) The FAO Capacity Development Strategy, developed by the FAO IDWG on
Capacity Building, will be released in early 2009 and it’s expected to include a
component on Institution Building of producer organizations and cooperatives.
(2) FAORNE will continue the implementation of the Borlaug Global Rust
Initiative activities in the Near East Region, including disease surveillance,
capacity building and varietal testing.
(3) The FAO Policy Assistance Division in possible collaboration with the
IDC/IDWG on Institution Building will continue the preparation of guidelines
of institutional diagnosis of the role of the Ministry of Agriculture within the
sector in order to facilitate the implementation of institutional profile
adjustments in line with the evolving role distribution of public and private
partners (French version will be available in February 2009)
(4) The FAO Trade and Markets Division will be involved in the delivery of the
following outputs relating institution building during the first half of 2009:
• a paper evaluating recently implemented input delivery programmes to
develop insights for informing the design of future delivery systems in the
context of higher food and fertilizer prices.
• an assessment of alternative mechanisms by which state support has been
used to leverage greater private sector involvement in poorly functioning
value chains. Under the broad heading of public-private partnerships, these
mechanisms are seen as critical to engaging required levels of private
sector engagement in key input and output market services to which
smallholders currently have limited access.
67
• a review of existing organizational forms of smallholder farmers’
associations and their contractual relationships with other market
participants considering the prevailing structure of sectoral value chains.
b) Direct technical support services to field projects in member countries
Africa
(1) Appui aux Organisations de Producteurs (OP) dans leurs Rôles et Partenariats en Afrique de l’Ouest Francophone (2008-2011). FAO is
currently developing a concept note for the second phase of this programme
focusing on knowledge management (guidelines, tools, best practices). The
second phase will potentially involve other partners (IFAD, WFP, Bioversity
International) and will cover Niger, Burkina, Senegal and Mali.
(2) Crop and Livestock Agricultural Diversification Programme (ADP) in Swaziland (GCP /SWA/016/EC - LTU: NRRR / 2009-2014). FAOSFS will
provide technical backstopping for the project whose main aim is to promote
GAP and build capacities of farmer associations for improved smallholder
production, and to develop marketing systems which lead to sustainable food
security and an improved quality of life for rural households.
(3) Linking Smallholder Producers to Markets through Agrofood Parks in
South Africa. FAO AGS division, in collaboration with the Technical
Cooperation department, is currently involved in the preparation of this TCP
project that is expected to start its implementation in 2009.
(4) Swaziland Agricultural Development Project (GCP /SWA/000/EC - LTU:
TCIP / 2009-2015). This project will provide urgently needed support to the
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and related parastatal agencies to
enable them to effectively facilitate and encourage smallholder producers to
adapt their crop and livestock production practices. The assistance foresees
working with small producers, local entrepreneurs and agribusinesses to
develop improved linkages between smallholders and commercial markets,
using contributory grant funds for relevant investment and technical assistance
to enterprises. Beneficiary outreach will focus on groups (through FFS and
JFFLS for vulnerable children as well as specialist associations for women,
water users and marketing) as well as through the recruitment and participation
of lead farmers. Key stakeholders will include civil society (farmer
representatives and NGOs).
(5) Up Scaling Conservation Agriculture for Improved Food Security Using the
CAADP Framework (UP-CA) (OSRO/RAF/812/NOR - LTU: SFS / 2008-
2010). FAOSFS will continue to provide technical backstopping for this
project whose main aim is to promote GAP.
(6) A regional project (TCP/RAF/418/SPA) will start in 2009 in West Africa. The
aim of the project will be to revise and reformulate the extension services in
the three countries concerned - Senegal, Mali and Mauritania – where national
68
TCP projects will be developed. The project is still in its formulation phase,
under which field researches are being undertaken with the aim to identify
country priorities. It is expected that the role of farmers’ organizations in
extension services will be strengthened in each of the countries concerned.
Asia and the Pacific
(1) FAOSAP will be involved in the implementation of projects in the framework
of the ISFP in the Pacific countries, where NGOs will play a major part in the
distribution and ensuring that vulnerable and most affected farm households
receive assistance in the form of vegetable seeds and basic farm implements.
FAOSAP will also be involved in the Food Security and Sustainable
Livelihood Programme that will be implemented in partnership with regional
organizations and other UN agencies such as IFAD.
Near East
(1) FAORNE will continue:
a) to provide technical support to field projects in member countries in
areas of pesticide management and IPM.
b) to implement the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) project in Saudi
Arabia Capacity Building in Integrated Plant Health Management (UTF/SAU/025/SAU - LTU: AGPP / 2007-2012) that will continue to
involve farmers and private sector in focusing on alternatives to
pesticides in pest control.
c) to develop TCP projects to address strategic issues of member countries.
For example in Jordan, a proposal to assist the Ministry of Agriculture in
reviewing its agriculture-related policy measures and their compliance
with the WTO Agreements will be finalized. The TCP project would also
provide expert assistance in formulating a sound proposal on
reorganizing and strengthening the Jordanian extension system for
effective delivery of agricultural advisory services, for submission to
potential donors.
69
Global / cross-regional
(1) FAO Climate Change and Bio-energy Unit is currently involved in the
preparatory phase of a bio-energy programme that is expected to include
activities related to small-scale bio-energy initiatives in which producer
organizations involvement is foreseen.
c) Publications, issues papers and normative guidelines in support of producer organizations and cooperative development (preliminary list in progress)
(i) Farmer organizations and cooperatives
Agricultural Workers and Employers’ Organizations: Training Resource Materials for Informal Employment (FAO, IIRR, IUF). This training tool will try to identify
and address areas of training needs for producers.
Communication Practices for Effective National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems: Supporting Small-scale Farmers to Achieve Food Security.
FAORNE will publish the proceedings of regional workshop held in Beirut in 2008.
FAORNE plans to publish more guidelines and leaflets in 2009-2010, mainly on
pesticide management and IPM targeting farmers and private sector. Also manuals of
traceability system for oranges, olives, and dates palm will be prepared.
Elaboration and Updating National Risks Maps on Possible HPAI – H5N1 Introduction Using AVE System (Assistance for the Epidemiological Surveillance of
Geo-referenced Avian Influenza) developed by FAO/SVO/ALA.
How Computerizing a Dairy Cooperative in Kenya has Affected the Livelihoods of its Members, by FAO(ESW)/Institute for Development Studies/University of Nairobi.
Manual on Communication and Knowledge Management
Manual on Biosecurity in the Different Systems of Poultry Production in Latin America and the Caribbean, by FAO/ALA.
Besides these:
a) FAORAP will develop country papers on policy issues relevant to the
development of agricultural co-operatives will be prepared for discussions at
an FAO-NEDAC workshop on policy issues for development of agricultural
co-operatives to be held in 2009. Workshop report with the recommendation
will be circulated to officials and agencies concerned with development of
agricultural co-operatives.
b) The Seeds and Plant Genetic Resources Service will publish three case studies
of successful farmers’ organizations and seed enterprises in India, Ivory Coast
and Brazil at the beginning of 2009. The main aim of these studies is to
document key factors for the sustainability of successful small seed enterprises
dealing with self or open pollinated crops. The case studies are expected to
70
come up with critical elements needed to build the capacities of farmer
organizations for success The findings of the studies will be published at a
workshop to be held in FAO with the aim to discuss these and other success
stories.
d) Global and regional meetings to be held and networking activities to be supported
Africa:
(2) FAO Climate Change and Bioenergy Unit will hold training
session for representatives of the West African regional
farmers’ organization ROPPA at national and regional level,
around the issue of climate change and bioenergy in West
Africa. Date and place are still to be determined.
(3) FAOSFS will participate in regional and national CA Task
Force meetings. It will also continue its participation in the
worships and meetings for the EU - ACP project in Southern
Africa.
Asia and the Pacific:
(1) In early 2009, FAOSEC) foresees the organization of a regional workshop in
Kazakhstan to strengthen fisherfolk organizations in Central Asia, for which
guidelines in support of establishment and operation of fisherfolk
associations/organizations are expected to be developed.
(2) FAORAP:
a) will organize a regional training workshop in the framework of the LADA
Programme (see above) to be held in April 2009.
b) will provide technical support to NEDAC’s plans to hold a technical session
with co-operative policy makers/leaders for discussion of policy issues
relevant to the development of farmers’ organizations/co-operatives in 2009
that will include discussions on the role of agricultural co-operatives on food
security and rural livelihoods in the context of natural disasters and climate
change.
Near East:
(1) In collaboration with the regional information management unit in FAORNE, a
network on pesticides and pesticide management in the near east region will be
established in 2009.
(2) FAOSNE will continue in 2009 its active participation in the “Land Degradation Assessment in Drylands Project” (LADA).
71
Global / cross-regional
(1) From 25 – 29 May 2009 a Conference will be hosted by FAO and held in
Bellagio (Italy) with representative of farmers’ organizations, CSOs and
NGOs, including highly marginalized groups (i.e., indigenous peoples,
pastoralists, fisherfolks, women, etc.) with the purpose to identify the
challenges and opportunities for the agricultural sector in the new World
context, which again gives priority to agriculture. The meeting will discuss
appropriate approaches, mechanisms and priority actions for FAO and farmers’
organizations/CSOs/NGOs to explore a new way forward and how to best
work together in the coming two years. The Conference is expected to be
important for defining the future relations between FAO and civil society.
e) Other relevant meetings and activities at national and regional level
Africa:
(1) FAOSFS:
a) will continue its support to FFS activities for the project Support to
integrated production and processing of cassava for increased food security
and income generation (TCP/ZAM/3103) in Zambia
b) will conduct studies for the activities to be supported under the EU
AAACP in Southern Africa.
Asia and the Pacific:
(1) FAORAP:
a) will prepare study tours for co-operative policy makers/leaders through
NEDAC. Funding will be arranged in 2009 for visit to some selected
countries of the Asia region, which will help their capacity building for the
development of farmers’ organizations/co-operatives.
b) will prepare an research study to incorporate service delivery (access/farm
roads and markets) into the FAO MASSCOTE methodology (Mapping of
System Services and Canal), that will be the basis of an FAORAP study and a
publication in 2009.
Latin America and the Caribbean
(1) FAORLC is developing a training course for organizations associated to
COPROFAM - Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Productores
Familiares del MERCOSUR 20
. This regional farmers’ organization has 12
20 Argentina: FAA - Federación Agraria Argentina; Brasil: CONTAG - Confederación Nacional de Trabajadores en la Agricultura;
Paraguay: UAN - Unión Agrícola Nacional; Uruguay: CNFR - Comisión Nacional de Fomento Rural, ACU - Asociación de Colonos del
Uruguay; IPL - Intergremial de Productores de Leche; AMRU- Asociación de grupos de Mujeres Rurales del Uruguay; Chile: MUCECH –
72
national and regional member organizations from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,
Chile, Peru, Paraguay and Uruguay, and its main aim is to have an impact in
the formulation and harmonization of public policies in order to strengthen
family farming in the MERCOSUR.
Near East
(1) FAORNE will:
a) organize a training workshop on implementation and application of
traceability system on food supply chains to be held in Amman (Jordan) in
January 2009 for member countries participants, representing the agro–
business industry, farmers’ cooperatives, producers, exporters, packers,
retailers, distributors, agro – food processors, researchers, extension staff
and government members.
b) continue training on topics including (to different degrees in different
countries and crops) IPPM, soil fertility management, agro-forestry, food
safety and quality, organic agriculture, farm management, and
commercialization and business skills. Beside this capacity building
component, the combined programmes also should include components on
policy reforms in which farmer organizations /associations will take part.
c) continue technical assistance to reform of research and extension services
by drawing on experiences from countries in the Near East region and
elsewhere.
Global / cross-regional
A number of meetings will be organized by FAO in 2009 which will serve to lay
the ground of preparation of the World Food Summit (some dates still to be
confirmed):
a) FAO-UNCTAD meeting on Non-Distortionary Support to Agriculture
(Rome, 27-28 April)
b) FAO-OECD meeting on Public Finance for Agriculture (Paris, 5-6 May)
c) FAO meeting on Private Finance in Agriculture (UAE, 6-8 June – or with
UNCTAD in April in Qatar)
d) FAO Conference on How to Feed the World in 2050 (Rome, 12-14
October)
e) Committee on World Food Security (Rome, 14-17 October)
f) World Summit on Food Security (Rome, 14-16 November)
Movimiento Unitario Campesino y Etnias de CHILE; La Voz del Campo – Confederación Nacional de la Agricultura Familiar; Bolivia: CIOEC - Coordinadora de Integración de Organizaciones Económicas Campesinas; Perú: CCP - Confederación Campesina del Perú
top related