Forest and Farm Facility

Open letter to world leaders ahead of COP27

07/11/2022

 

Dear World Leaders,

The surge in hunger over the last year has exposed the fragility of the global food system. It is highly vulnerable to shocks - whether from Covid, conflict, or the climate - and ill-equipped for a world where extreme heat, drought, and floods are the new normal, even if we limit global heating to 1.5C.  Building a food system that can feed the world on a hot planet must be a priority for COP27. 

Any plan to adapt our food system must start with small-scale family farmers and producers. We are critical for global food security, producing as much as 80% of the food consumed in regions such as Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. However, decades of underinvestment and an unfair global food system run by and for powerful agri-businesses, means we often lack the infrastructure, technology, resources, and democratic space to cope with ever more extreme and erratic weather.  

Globally just 1.7% of climate finance is spent supporting the efforts of small-scale producers to adapt. At a time of rising food insecurity it is crucial that COP27 decision makers recognise the important role we play in feeding the world and significantly increase the amount of adaptation finance available to us now and in the long term. 

COP27 must also put its weight behind a shift to more sustainable food production, including agroecological practices. The expertise we have accumulated over generations, and the conclusion of the International Panel on Climate Change, is that diversity is key to food security. Growing a wider variety of local crops, mixing crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries, reducing chemical inputs, and building strong connections to local markets builds resilience.

Beyond COP27,small-scale producers and the shift to sustainable food production must be a political priority. This means involving us in decisions which affect our livelihoods. It means re-focusing the $611 billion spent subsidising food production every year, much of it in support of industrial farming that is harmful to people and the environment. It also means addressing the historical injustices and inequalities that plague our food system: the concentration of land ownership that is squeezing farmers onto ever smaller parcels of land or forcing them off their land altogether, and the discrimination which means women, who make up more than half of all farmers, own less than 20% of all land.  

Shifting away from industrial agriculture will also help reduce emissions. The current food system is responsible for 34% of greenhouse gases and is fuelling a crisis that could make almost a third of agricultural land unsuitable for food production by the end of the century, yet it is consistently overlooked in climate negotiations.  

 As you gather in Egypt our message is simple.  Learn the lessons of 2022.  Listen to the 350 million small-scale producers and family farmers in our networks. Work with us to lay the foundations for a stronger food system that will feed humanity for all generations to come.  

 Sincerely,

 

African Centre for Climate Actions and Rural Development (ACCARD) Initiative - Freeman Elohor Oluowo, Founder and Centre Coordinator

African Circular Economy Network - Peter Desmond, Co-Founder,

African Population and Health Research Center - Dr. Elizabeth Kimani, Head, Nutrition & Food Systems Unit, Zero Hunger Initiative

Agricultural Non State Actors Forum (Tanzania) - Audax Rukonge, Executive Director

Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa - Dr. Million Belay Ali, General Coordinator

Alliance pour l'agro écologie en Afrique de l'ouest - Karim Sawadogo, Coordonnateur

Alnawatif cooperative (Jordan) - Basem Khawaldeh, Chair

Arab Pastoral Communities Network - Dr Said Fagouri, General Coordinator

Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) - Ma Estrella Penunia Banzuela, Secretary General

Asian Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (AsiaDHRRA) - Marlene Ramirez, Secretary General

Asociación de Campesinos Agroecologicos de Intag (ACAI) (Ecuador) - Robinson Guachagmira, Administrador Representante legal

Asociación Nacional de Mujeres productoras agroindustriales Rurales - Martha Calvo Quesada, Presidenta

Asociavion de productores y comercializadores agroecologicos Sumak Pacha (Ecuador) - Roberto Tocagon Cabascango, Asesor

Association of farmer communities "Birlik" (Kyrgyzstan)- Kuluipa Akmatova, Director

Cap Malagasy (Madagascar) - Ando Ravoninahitra, Coordinateur National

Centre Culturel Mwinda (CCM) (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Badylon Kawanda, Directeur

Centre for Minority Rights Development (CEMIRIDE) (Kenya) - Nyang'ori Ohenjo, Chief Executive Officer

Chambre d'Agriculture (Madagascar) - Sylvie Rakotoniaina, Secrétaire Executif

Coalition Paysanne de Madagascar - Tokimalala Franciani Ratsimbalison, Secrétaire exécutif

Comité National de l'Agriculture Familiale de Madagascar (CNAF) - Andriamparany Ranoasy, Coordonnateur National

Community Market for Conservation (COMACO) (Zambia) - Dr. Dale Lewis, CEO and Founder

Community Self Reliance Centre  (CSRC) (Nepal) - Jagat Deuja, Executive Director

Coordinadora de Mujeres Líderes Territoriales de Mesoamérica - Reina Pasos, Secretaria Técnica

Coordination Togolaise des Organisations Paysannes et de producteurs agricoles (CTOP) - Kodzo Elom Zogan, Secrétaire Exécutif

Cotton Association of Zambia - John Ngwenyama, Executive Director

Dana and Qadisiyah Local Community Cooperative (Jordan) - Khalid Khawaldeh, General Director

Eastern Africa Farmers Federation - Stpehen Muchiri, CEO

Eastern and Southern Africa Small-scale Farmers' Forum (ESAFF) Uganda - Hakim Baliraine, National Board Chairperson

Experta Togo Agro - Mamilani Gnakou, Directeur Général

Fagnimbogna-Fifata (Madagascar) - Julien Néant, Coordinateur Socio Economique

Farm Forestry Smallholder Producers Association of Kenya - Geoffrey Wanyama, CEO

Farmers Union Network Liberia - Josephine George Francis, President

FECOFUN (Nepal) - Bharati Pathak, Chair-person

Fifata (Madagascar) - Heriniaina Fanjanirina, Chargée de Projets, Communication et Plaidoyer

Fikambanana Fampandrosoana ny Tantsaha Amoron'i Mania, Madagascar - Willy Raherimanjaka, Directeur

Finnish Agri-Agency for Food and Forest Development - Tiina Huvio, Executive Director,

Fundación Entretantos (Spain) - Gabriela Vázquez, Técnico

Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agriculture Platform - Ahmed Sourani, Co-Founder & General Coordinator

Ghana Federation of Forest and Farm Producers - Mark Kebo Akparibo, Secretary

Gobierno de Mujeres Mayangnas (Nicaragua) - Arlen Johana Ortiz Jacobo, Presidenta

Haki Nawiri Afrika (Kenya) - Leonida Odongo, Executive Director

IFOAM Organics Europe - Eduardo Cuoco, Director

IFOAM Organics International - Gábor Figeczky, Senior Manager, Global Policy

Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers - Tamisha Lee, President

Kaisahan Inc (Philippines) - Anthony Marzan, Executive Director

L’Union Maghrébine et Nord Africaine des Agriculteurs (UMNAGRI) - Rim Ferchichi, Secrétaire Générale

Lake Region Food Systems Network (Kenya) - Evans Muswahili, Programs Coordinator

Mayawa (Tanzania) - Charles Kamando, General Manager

Menabe Farmers Association Group (VFTM-FIFATA) (Madagascar) - Laricha Ambinintsoa, Directeur

Mviwaarusha (Tanzania) - Damian James Sulumo, Programme Officer

Mviwaki (Tanzania) - Alex Urio, Coordinator

Mviwama (Tanzania) - Valentin Ngorisa, Coordinator

Nakuru Smallholder Fruit Producers Association (Kenya) - Paul Mitei, Secretary

National Alliance of Agricultural Cooperatives in Uganda - Samuel Sentumbwe, Chief Executive Officer

National Charcoal Union of Liberia - Richard T A Dorbor, President

National Farmers Platform The Gambia - Sheriffo Bojang, National President

Nature Friendly Farming Network (UK) - Martin Lines, Farmer & UK Chair,

North African Network for Food Sovereignty - Ali Aznague, Coordinator

Northeast Organic Farming Association-Interstate Council (USA) - Steve Gilman, Interstate NOFA Policy Coordinator

Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Uganda - Josephine Akia Country Coordinator

Patree Initiative (Kenya) - Patricia Kombo, Founder

Plataforma por la Ganadería Extensiva y el Pastoralismo - Maria Turiño, Secretaría Técnica

Samahan Ng Mga Palawano Sa Amas Brooke's Point (Philippines) - Norlita Colili, Member/Adviser

Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (Ghana) - Alima Sagito, Executive Director

Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) (India) - Reema Nanavaty, Director Economic and Rural Development

Slow Food International - Edward Mukiibi, President

Specific Union for Farmer Women in Jordan - Zeinab Almomany, President

Syndicat des Organisations Agricoles (Madagascar) - Gérard Andriamandimby

Tanzania Tree Growers Associations Union - Kastory Timbula, General Manager

The Community Forest Conservation Network of Tanzania - Rahima Njaidi, Executive Director

Union Nacional Agropecuari de productorez Asociados (UNAP) (Nicaragua) - Jose Adan Rivera Castillo, Directivo

Utthan (India) - Pallavi Sobti, Joint SEO

We Effect - Anna Tibblin, Secretary General

Working Group for Women and Land Ownership (WGWLO) (India) - Kinjal Pillai, Coordinator

World Alliance Of Mobile Indigenous People and Pastoralists (WAMIP) - Khalid Khawaldeh, Global Coordinator

World Rural Forum - Laura Lorenzo, Director

Young Emerging Farmers Initiative (YEFI) (Zambia) - Richard Kachungu, Cofounder

Youth in Agroecology and Restoration Network (Nigeria) - Opeyemi Elujulo, Executive Director

ROPPA (Réseau des Organisations Paysannes et des Producteurs Agricoles de l'Afrique de l'Ouest)