How INOFO Represented Farmers at the Asia Pacific Farmers Forum

Two representatives from the Intercontinental Network of Organic Farmers Organisations (INOFO), Shamika Mone (INOFO's President) and Rowena Buena (INOFO Asia's representative) actively participated in the second Asia Pacific Region Farmers Forum, from 26 - 27 October in Bangkok, Thailand.

This is one of the Regional Farmers’ Forums that is taking place in different regions up until January 2023, to strengthen impact at the country level.

The meeting was attended by 40 representatives from seven regional/ international farmers’ and fishers’ organisations, representing a membership of 24 million small-scale farmers, fishers, forest dwellers, herders and pastoralists. These representatives attended the meeting both virtually and in person, and were accompanied by officers of the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).

In their statement, they analysed that “the current crises have intensely exposed the ills of global food systems dominated by industrial, corporate, chemical-intensive, exploitative and export-oriented agriculture systems, that have left out the billions of family-farmers who feed the world”.

They also highlighted that family farmers are “solution providers”, pointing out that “family farmers’ organisations are practising sustainable, integrated, bio-diverse and climate-resilient organic systems in farms, fisheries and forests”.

The representatives added that "organic and agroecological farmers that depend on inputs produced on or near the farm and sold in local markets and those who tried to cope with their groups and organisations have suffered less and have proven more resilient to these crises" had also endured less suffering and were better able to weather the storms.