FAO at the Latin American Congress on Agroecology: regional cooperation and the Small Grants Programme

The 6th Latin American Congress on Agroecology, the 10th Brazilian Congress on Agroecology and the 5th Seminar on Agroecology of Federal District and Surroundings were held jointly in Brasília last 12th to 15th of September. The event brought together, for 4 days, more than 5,000 participants, including attendees, national and international institutional representatives, agroecological practitioners, civil society organizations and members from the academia to discuss and share experiences on the role of agroecology in the  transformation of food systems in Latin America.

FAO, through the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (FAO RLC), took part in the thematic discussion table “Strengthening the agroecological agenda: regional cooperation and the Small Grants Programme”. The discussion included the participation of the Society, Population and Nature Institute (ISPN), the UNDP Bolivia Small Grants Programme, the Association of Entrepreneur Rural and Artisan Women (AMERA), the Production and Commercialization Cooperative of Agricultural Family Farmers and Artisanal Fishers from Esperantina (COOAF-BICO) and the Latin American Scientific Society of Agroecology (SOCLA).

The session discussed the importance of the impacts that programs as the Small Ecosocial Project Program (PPP-ECOS, for its Portuguese acronym) have in the development of the agroecological agenda. In that regard, FAO RLC highlighted the step forward that the Second Regional Seminar on Agroecology held in La Paz, Bolivia, represented. The Seminar approved four lines of action: a) information generation, knowledge management and agroecology capacities; b) governance for building and implementing public policies on agroecology; c) promotion of markets to stimulate and facilitate agroecological production and consumption and d) recovery and revaluation of food systems with territorial identity. The presentations provided examples that combined one or more of those lines of action, from the recovery of historical agricultural techniques and territorial organization to the strengthening of distribution network for agroecological products.

The participants shared the view on the importance of the contribution of agroecology to achieving food security and nutrition for the region, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) y strengthening the small-scale producers’ initiatives and their communities.

For additional information on this or other Congress activities, please refer to the website. Several summaries can also be found in this blog. For additional information on FAO’s Regional Seminars on Agroecology, please visit our website or the Regional Office’s site.

FAO RLC supports and participates in the First Symposium on Agroecology for Family Farming (Chile)

The First Symposium on Agroecology for Family Farming was celebrated in Santiago, Chile, last 6th and 7th of September. The event was organized by the Institute of Agricultural Development (INDAP) and the Chilean Farmers’ Organizations and counted with the support and the participation of FAO’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (FAO RLC).

The Symposium aimed at promoting Agroecology as a sustainable production model for small-scale agricultural producers in Chile. To achieve that, the Symposium gathered an ample and varied assistance that included farmers, representatives from civil society organizations, professional technicians and members of academia. Participants included representatives of farmers’ organizations, of FAO and of INDAP.

The presentations and debates covered different topics such as the state of Agroecology in Chile and in the international arena, the different conceptions of agroecology, the relationships between Agroecology and Family Farming or valorization and distribution mechanisms, among others. In their presentations, colleagues from FAO RLC reaffirmed the commitment of the organization in the promotion of a transition towards food systems that are more sustainable, less harmful to the environment and provide more socioeconomic benefits. In this context, Agroecology has a fundamental role to play in changing the paradigm.

The Symposium concluded with two important announcements. First, the creation of an Agroecology Program for its promotion among the users and the technical personnel within INDAP. Second, the petition to the Ministry of Agriculture to establish the 6th of September as the National Day of Agroecology. Finally, the Successful Agroecological Experiences in Family Farming Prize was awarded to the three winning projects, all of them led by women. The Prize distinguished agroecological initiatives related to the application of agroecological principles, value aggregation, commercialization or social capital and network establishment, among others.

For additional information on the Symposium, as well as to access the presentations, please refer to the dedicated website (in Spanish):

https://www.indap.gob.cl/primer-simposio-agroecología-afc

On the 3rd and 4th of September the Meeting of Consumers Organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean for an Adequate Food and Nutrition took place in San Salvador, El Salvador. The event was organized by the Centre for Consumers’ Defense (CDC) with the support of FAO’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (FAO RLC) and of Consumers International.

The Meeting gathered about twenty consumers’ organizations in order to explore a shared agenda to promote and develop sustainable and nutritious food systems in the region. The participants presented practical examples from the region such as a tax on sugary drinks, the implementation of nutritional labelling or the update of nutritional guidelines. Julio Berdegué, FAO’s Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, participated in the closing of the event by highlighting the fundamental role of consumers’ organizations in the transition towards sustainable and nutritious food systems.

The Meeting ended with a call to all stakeholders involved to establish policies and legal frameworks that promote agroecological food production, that facilitate the access to nutritious and affordable food and that allow the development of socially and economically fair commercial practices.

For further information, please refer to the CDC website (in Spanish).

Symposium