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Showing posts with label World Farmers' Organisation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Farmers' Organisation. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Family farming, organizational model to overcome food crisis - WFO

The family farm represents the backbone of agriculture all over the world according to the World Farmers' Organisation (OMA-WFO) during an intervention at the conference tagged "Family farming: A dialogue towards more sustainable and resilient farming in Europe and the world," reports NaijaAgroNet.

The forum was sponsored by the European Commission which was held in Brussels within the context of the "International Year of Family Farming."

Luis Miguel Etchevehere, WFO Board Member, Marco Marzano de Marinis, WFO Executive Director and Cinzia Pagni, represented WFO jointly reaffirmed to NaijaAgroNet the active role of the organization in the framework of the global initiative of the United Nations scheduled for the year 2014.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that with FAO and other organizations such as the World Rural Forum, WFO actively participation in the International Steering Committee for the International Year of Family Farming, the aim of achieving the goals set by the UN. 

Family farming, NaijaAgroNet reports, plays an important role among the nearly 60 members of the WFO coming from 44 different countries.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that in some countries, such as Belgium, Ghana, Norway and Sweden, family farming represents the quasi entirety of the agricultural sector, while in others, such as Switzerland, United Kingdom (UK), Finland, Ireland, Uganda, Australia constitutes 95 per cent of the agricultural production.

Globally, WFO says, family farming represents the principal organizational model in agriculture.
Family farming, therefore, represents an important opportunity for the economy; some countries already implemented policies to support family farming, while in other countries more work needs to be done. 

In addition, NaijaAgroNet learnt that among WFO members, the UK, Finland and Switzerland have highlighted the need for measures to enhance competitiveness and reduce the dependency from the European funds of the CAP for example. On the other hand, some countries are asking for more funds directed to specific countries, such as Albania, South Africa and Ghana, or better access to credit, such as Uganda.

According to WFO’s Cinzia Pagni, they are aware of the difficulties faced by family farmers, namely the limited access to credit, marginal position in the value chain, lack of infrastructure, limited access to information, and a marginalized role in international fora and development agendas, hence “WFO considers the 2014 International Year of Family Farming as an excellent opportunity to reposition family farming on the top of national, regional, and international development agendas.”

Isaac Oyimah/GEE
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