IFAP presentation

1. IFAPpresentation

2. WHAT IS IFAP? Global network • IFAP is the world farmers organisation representing > 600 million farm families • A global network in which farmers from industrialised and developing countries exchange concerns and set common priorities • Advocates farmers interests at the international level since 1946 • Has General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Coucil of the United Nations

3. Objectives Two main objectives : • To secure food security in the world and • To secure subsistance for farmers families

4. Principles • Through the years, IFAP has stayed true to its principles of universality, democracy and mutual underrstanding • IFAP is entirely governed and financed by its member organisations • Farmers speak for themselves since they are members of IFAP.

5. GlobalizationIFAP sphere of competence is at the global level • With globalization, much decision-making has passed to the international level • Farmers’ must therefore work together to have their voices heard at this level • So that their real problems are addressed, to influence international developments.

6. MEMBER ORGANISATIONS Strength through unity • IFAP is an organism with members • Members are national farmers’ organisations • Recognised by IFAP as substantially and nationally representative of the agricultural primary producers within a country • IFAP members are farmers’ organisations from developing or industrialised countries • 115 national farmers’ organisations from 85 countries

7. The farmers’ organisations crucial roleto get organized • IFAP believes that farmers’ organisations have a crucial role in elaborating agricultural policies • They are important because : • They give farmers the opportunity to contribute to the formulation of policies • Strengthen farmers’ position in the market • Farmers are stronger when they organize themselves to make vigorous defence of their future

8. IFAP’s actionDefend interests & dialogue • IFAP promotes special policies and claims concrete measures for families’ farms and farmers’ organisations throughout the world • IFAP acts for developing farmers’ capacities to influence the decisions concerning farmers at the national and international levels. 

9. … IFAP action ? • Policies • Interests’ defense • Representation • Information exchange • Communication

10. Partners at the international level • IFAP collaborates actively with several international organisations working on crucial issues concerning farmers • Acts as a recognized spokesperson for the world’s farmers, bringing concerns of agricultural producers to the attention of international meetings of governments and other bodies.

11. … Partners at the international level • Along with its partners, IFAP plays an active role by: • Advocating farmers interests at the international level: World Bank, OECD, FAO, IFAD, WTO, OMS etc. • Facilitating farmers represantatives to get involved in research network • Representing farmers in the UN convention for the environment • Giving farmers the opportunity to participate in the trade negociations.

12. THE ISSUES • IFAP works on several issues that concern farmers and their well being • The priorities are definied by the farmers themselves within the World Farmers Congress which occurs every two years

13. PRIORITIES • There are nine political issues that have been identified by IFAP as priorities for 2006-2009: • Trade negociations and CAP reform • Strengthening farmers’ position in the food chain • Environnement and natural resources • Human health and animal welfare • Research • Rural poverty, hunger and development issues • The 10 principles of the World Farmers’ Charter • Recognition of women contribution in agriculture • Facilitating young farmers to enter agriculture

14. Regional issues: the mediterranean Committee • Barcelona Agreement, created in 1990 • President : M. Guy Giva (France)Vice- Presidents : Cherif Ould Hocine (Algeria), Giuseppe Politi (Italy), Mabrouk Bahri (Tunisia). • Country members:  Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Italy, Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Portugal, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.

15. Regional issues: the mediterranean Committee • Objectives • to develop a common identity for their products, in recognition of the specific nature and origin of their produce as part of the rural agricultural development of the basin • to give Mediterranean agriculture the attention it deserves in Euro-Mediterranean partnership agreements with a view to establishing a Free Trade Zone by 2010

16. Regional issues: the mediterranean Committee • Functions • Lobbying EU bodies : the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee • Platform for the exchange of ideas and experience between farmers of the region on issues affecting them directly and on topical issues of interest • Stimulating technical cooperation between member farmers’ organisations and IFAP partners such as international organisations, research institutions (CIHEAM) and agricultural cooperation and development agencies

17. CONCLUSION … IFAP is • An international organisation where farmers express themselves • A global network where farmers share knowledge and common concerns • A global platform or forum to highlight farmers’ interests • A unique structure that proposes policies as formulated by farmers themselves • Farmers’ voice – international level • Farmers’ representation and interests defense

18. THANK YOU !IFAP-FIPA60, rue Saint-Lazare75009 Paris, FranceTéléphone : +33 1 45 26 05 53Fax : +33 1 48 74 72 12ifap@ifap.org www.ifap.org