In February 2021, the World Rural Forum (WRF) started the implementation of the project “Developing an enabling policy environment to strengthen Family Farming towards sustainable food systems in the framework of the UNDFF 2019-2028” funded by the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA) of the European Union (EU).
The ultimate goal of the project is to unleash the unique potential of Family Farming in contributing to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems and enhancing their leading role in the consecution of the SDGs. To this aim, the project will seek the development of an enabling policy environment to strengthen Family Farming and will stimulate the implementation of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) 2019-2028 agenda, at the national level through the development of UNDFF National Action Plans, and at the international level raising the profile of the role of Family Farming in achieving sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems.
Through a competitive challenge fund, the project will support the National Committees of Family Farming (NCFF) in their work to promote and participate in the elaboration and implementation of UNDFF National Action Plans in 12 countries of Asia (Philippines, Indonesia, and the Kyrgyz Republic), Africa (Sierra Leone, Kenya, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo), and Latin America (El Salvador, Paraguay, Peru, and Ecuador).
The project will facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing between the network of 45 NCFF and other numerous agents involved in the development of Family Farming worldwide (family farmers’ organizations, NGOs, academia, government institutions, and international organizations). Three Regional Exchange meetings (Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean) and one Global Exchange meeting will be organized virtually. Communication materials -dedicated to raise awareness and give visibility to the role of Family Farming in achieving sustainable food systems will also be elaborated.
And finally, the WRF will organize a high-level global conference on Family Farming and Sustainable Food Systems to enhance and put on the international agenda the relevance of Family Farming in achieving sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems, under the UNDFF 2019-2028 umbrella. It will be held virtually in November 2021.
We are convinced at the WRF that these actions funded by the EU will contribute to putting family farmers and the UNDFF 2019-2028 at the centre of food systems transformation in a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient way!