Civil Society Consultation (family farmers, peasant and Afro-descendant communities, Indigenous Peoples, fishers, pastoralists, and consumers) preparatory to the 39th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean

Live Broadcast

Background

The FAO Regional Conference is a platform for political dialogue among multiple stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean involved in the process of transforming food systems toward more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable systems. The exchange of experiences and the definition of regional priorities enable us to promote actions in this regard, as such cooperation is essential to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The Consultation with Civil Society Organizations, preparatory to the 39th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC 39), aims to review the actions carried out in the last biennium and discuss priorities for the 2026–2027 biennium. In this dialogue space, civil society organizations—comprising sectors such as family and peasant agriculture, Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendants, fisheries, pastoralism, and consumers—will discuss current challenges and develop proposals and recommendations to be presented to countries during LARC 39 in Brasília, March 2026.

The Consultation with Civil Society Organizations of Latin America and the Caribbean, organized by FAO RLC, will be held in person on January 28 and 29 in Brasilia, where about 50 representatives of organizations and social movements will present their contributions to FAO’s strategy. Five spokespersons will be elected to present and deliver the Civil Society Organizations’ Declaration to the member countries at LARC 39.

General Objective

Outline perspectives and recommendations from organizations representing family farming, Indigenous Peoples, peasant communities, fishers, pastoralists, and consumers for the specific debates to be held during the Regional Conference, with contributions based on the official documents prepared for the 39th Regional Conference

Specific Objectives

• Discuss and assess the progress of the work on the Regional Initiatives agreed upon at the 38th FAO Regional Conference, in accordance with the resolutions of the final report.
• Discuss and develop recommendations for the 39th Regional Conference that can be incorporated into FAO’s regional strategy.
  

Methodology

The Steering Committee will coordinate the dialogue between FAO representatives and the leadership of organizations and social movements in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Steering Committee is composed as follows:

• Misael Cuevas FILAPI, Chile
• Mafalda Galdames MMM, Chile
• Gisella Illescas MAELA México
• Carmen Nurse CANROP, St. Lucia
• Miguel Pereira CITAFRO, Uruguay

Two in-person sessions will be held at the Itamaraty Palace, where FAO will present the actions carried out and the regional priorities for 2026–2027 that form part of FAO’s Strategic Framework. Civil society leaders will provide their inputs and recommendations, representing their respective sectors.

Working groups will be formed to discuss each of the four regional priorities: RP1: Efficient, inclusive, and sustainable production; RP2: Ending hunger and achieving food security and nutrition; RP3: Sustainable management of natural resources and adaptation to climate change; RP4: Reducing rural inequality and poverty and promotion of resilience.

The Consultation will be broadcast live through FAO Americas’ YouTube and Twitter channels, with interpretation in English and Spanish to promote transparency and broaden participation among English-speaking communities.

For the live broadcast, one of the following digital tools will be available:

• Open Zoom room for participation with voice and camera
• YouTube chat

Expected Results and Outputs

1. Election of 5 spokespersons and 5 observers to participate in the 39th FAO Regional Conference in Brazil.
2. Document consolidating contributions on key agenda items to be presented during the Regional Conference.
3. Declaration of Civil Society Organizations to be presented to Heads of State during the 39th Regional Conference.

Register