Speech IntroductiontotheFamilyFarmingWorldConference: FeedingtheWorld,CaringfortheEarth by: EstherPenunia SecretaryGeneral,AsianFarmersAssociation(AFA) Goodmorningtoeveryone. Today,we,200womenandmenleadersoffarmersorganizations,civilsocietygroups andsocialmovements,internationalintergovernmentalinstitutions,keyacademicand researchinstitutions,infourcontinentsoftheworldAfrica,Americas,Asia,and EuropeweareallgatheredhereinBilbao,Spain.Iwouldsayforthreemainthings. First,tocelebratetheworthandimportanceoffamilyfarmingintheglobalpursuitto endpovertyandhunger.Second,toanalyzetheissuesandtheproblemsconfronting thoseengagedinfamilyfarming.

ing.AndThird,toformulatekeypolicyandprogram recommendationsthatwillhelpimprovethelivingconditionsofthoseengagedinfamily farming. Theobjectivesofthisconference celebratingtheworthandimportanceoffamilyfarming: Wecelebratetheworthandimportanceoffamilyfarmingbycapturingtheessential rolesitplaysinsocietyinthethemeofourconference:FeedingtheWorld,Caringfor theEarth. FarmersFeedtheWorld.ThereportoftheIAASTD(InternationalAssessmentfor AgriculturalKnowledge,ScienceandTechnologyforDevelopment)saysthatthereare 1.5billionpeasantsworkingon380millionfarms,410milliongatheringthehidden harvestsofforestsandsavannas,190millionpastoralists,100millionpeasantfishers; andinaddition370millionofthemarefromindigenouscommunities.Inaddition,800

millionpeoplearegrowingurbangardens.Thesepeople,andthemembershipofour farmersorganizationsarethesepeoplewefeed70%oftheworldspopulation. IAASTDstatisticsshowthat50%oftheworldscultivatedfoodareproducedby peasants,12.5%ofthefoodcomesfromhuntingandgathering;7.5%ofthefoodis grownbycitydwellingpeasantsforatotalof70%.Only30%oftheworldsfoodcomes fromtheindustrialfoodchains. FarmersCarefortheEarth.Smallholderfarmersserveasresponsiblestewardsofthe land.Unlikeindustrialagricultureorfactoryfarms,smallholdersliveonorneartheir farms,andstrivetopreservesurroundingenvironmentforfuturegenerations. Smallholdersaremostlikelytousesustainablefarmingtechniquestoprotecttheir naturalresourcesandhealth.Also,smallholderfarmingcommunitieshavebeen developingtheirowncultureofcoexistencewiththeenvironmentthatsurroundsthem sincethebeginningofhumankind.Theyhavebeenknowntopracticeintegrated, diversifiedfarmingtomeettheirnutritionalneeds;toreducetheirrisksandtoreturn thesoilshealth. Wewillstartourconferencebycelebratingourworthandsignificanceasfarmers.We willhaveplenarysessionsonfirst,theworldeconomicsituation,second,familyfarming engineforruralbutalsoglobaldevelopment;andthird,thevoiceoffarmers.Likewise, throughouttheconference,wewillhaveopportunities,bothduringsessionsand informalconversations,tosharetheinitiativesofourmembersinproducingsafe, quality,organicfoodandindoingsustainable,agroecologicalapproachestofamily farming.Inboththeseformalandinformalconversations,wehopetobuildsolidarity amongourfarmers,wefeelasenseofselfworth,wefeelthedignityinfamilyfarming, andwelearnandinspireeachother.

Analyzingtheissuesandproblemsinfamilyfarming Yet,whenwelookatthefaceofthepoorandhungryintheworld,thesearethe statisticsfromIAASTD,FAO,IFADthatbothersus:Therearemorethan1billionhungry peopleintheworld:50%aresmallholderfarmers,20%arerurallandless,10%are pastoralists,fishersandforestdependents,and20%areurbanpoorbuttakenote,the urbanpoormigratedfromthemainlyfarmingcommunities.Ofthe1Bpoorpeople, around642McomefromAsiaandthePacific,265MfromSubSaharanAfrica,95Mfrom LatinAmerica,CarribeanandNorthAfrica,and15Mfromdevelopedcountries. Why,inspiteproducingourownfood,ourmembers,ourconstituents,arehungry,and poor?Inthisconference,wewouldliketoanalyzethecausesofourproblems.This conferencewouldliketofocusonsevenmaincategoriesofissuesconfrontingthose engagedinfamilyfarming:accesstobasicproductiveresourcesmainlyland,water; accesstomarketsandpricevolatility;empowermentofwomenfarmersasagentsof changeanddevelopment;involvementofyouthinfarming;strengtheningfamily organizations;climatechangeandnational/internationalpoliciesonfamilyfarming. Here,wedescribeourproblematicsituation,andwhatcausesthisproblem.Thenwe sortofdreamwhatistheidealsituationofthefarmers. Preparatoryplenarysessionswillbeconductedtointroduceeachtopicwithonemain presenterandseveralspeakers.Carehasbeentakentohaveagoodmixofspeakers fromvariousstakeholders:farmersorganizations,NGOs,academe,governmentand intergovernmentalorganizations,sowecangetvariedperspectivesontheissues.Forall theissuecategoriesexceptclimatechangeandnational/internationalpolicies,wewill breakoutintoworkinggroups.OnDay1,at4:306:00pm,today,therewillbetwo simultaneousworkinggroups:strengtheningfamilyfarmingorganizationsandyouthin familyfarming.OnDay2,tomorrow,at2:304:30pm,therewillbethreesimultaneous workinggroups:onwomenfarmers,onaccesstolandandwaterresources,and

marketaccess/pricevolatility.Wewillbeaskedtopickoneworkinggroupperday.Soif youhaventyet,pleasedecidewhatgroup,perday,youwouldliketojoin. Formulatingkeypolicyandprogramrecommendations Ineachworkinggroup,wehopetocomeupwithsomeagreementsontheideal situationforfamilyfarming.Andthen,wemoveontoadiscussiononour recommendations:whatpoliciesandprogramsshouldbeputinplacetoachievethis idealsituation?Towhomarewedirectingtheserecommendations?Wehopetogive recommendationsaddressedtoourgovernments,tointergovernmentalorganizations suchasFAO,IFAD,WFP,WB,UN,aswellastoourselvesFOsandCSOs. OurOutput:FinalDeclaration Oneofthemajoroutputsofthisconferenceisafinaldeclarationwhichwillcontain majoragreementsandproposalscapturingthesynthesisofouranalysisand descriptionofidealsituationaswellasoutliningourrecommendedpolicyandprogram proposalstogovernments,intergovernmentalorganizations,toFOsandCSOs. Afirstdrafthasbeenwrittenbytheorganizers.Adraftingcommitteehasbeen constituted,mainlycomposedoffarmersorganizationspresenthere;andhaditsfirst meetinglastnight.Thisdraftwillbereviseddailytocapturetheresultsofour discussionsduringtheconference.Andafinaldraftwillbepresentedonthelastplenary sessionformorecommentsandvalidation.Itwillbepossibleandidealthatweareable tofinalizethisdeclarationonFriday,butweareopentosubjectingthedeclarationto morediscussionswithourconstituentsbeforefinallysigningthedeclaration. WhatdowedowiththisDeclaration?Mostofusarepartofthecampaignforthe UnitedNationstoDeclareanInternationalYearofFamilyFarming.Thecampaignhas

reachedanewheightwhenFAO,duringitsConferencelastJune2011,endorseditto theUnitedNations.ThisDeclarationcanserveasamainreferencewhenweengageour governmentsandotherUNagenciesastowhatpoliciesandprogramwillgreatlybenefit ourmembersorthoseengagedinfamilyfarming,atalllevelslocaltonationalto international.SomeofusarealreadysettingeyesontheupcomingRio+20processes wecanusethisDeclarationaswellinourengagementinthisprocess.Manyofusare partoftheFarmersForumprocessesofIFADandtheCivilSocietyMechanismforCFS: thisDeclarationcanguideusaswejoindeliberationsanddiscussionsonthesetopics. Forexample,intheupcomingCFSnextweek,theFAOVoluntaryGuidelinesonthe ResponsibleGovernanceofTenureofLand,FisheriesandForestsintheContextof NationalFoodSecurityaswellastheHighLevelPanelofExpertsPaperonFoodPrice Volatilitywillbediscussed.WecanrefertothisDeclarationwhenwemakeour interventionsinthemeeting. IhopeIhavegivenyouaproperintroductiontotheConference.Letmeendbysharing threesayings.InKorea,thereisasayingthatthedreamofonepersoncanquicklydie, butadreamsharedbymanypersonswillsomedaycometrue.InthePhilippines,there isasayingthatonebroomstickcannotcleanahouse,butmanybroomstickstied togethercandothejob.InJapan,thereisasayingthattinydropsofwatermakeupan ocean.InthisConference,letusshareourdreamsandfindourcommondreamsfor smallscalewomenandmenfarmers,fishers,pastoralists,indigenouspeoplesthose engagedinfamilyfarming.Butdreamshavetoberealizedwithactions.Letusbe broomstickstiedtogethertoclearawaymisguided,unfavorablepoliciesandprograms, bothwithinourFOsandinourgovernments.Whilewedothesethings,letusbedrops ofwaterthatcanformanoceanofhopeandinspirationforallourmembersand constituents,inspiringourselvestounleashourpotentialsaschangeagents,so together,wecanhavebetter,decent,happierlivesforourchildren,andendhungerand povertyintheworld.END