Viet Nam to host international forest and farm producer conference

22/09/2022

Hanoi, Viet Nam – Discussions on the way forest and farm smallholder businesses can flourish in the face of climate change by diversifying their products, markets and networks will be the focus of this week’s International Conference for Sharing and Learning with Forest and Farm Producer Organizations.

The event takes place in Hanoi in hybrid format from 22 to 26 September 2022 under the theme ‘Saving our Future: Investing in locally-led diversification for climate resilience and food security’ and is organized by the Viet Nam Farmers’ Union and the Forest and Farm Facility – a partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and AgriCord.

Representatives of grassroots forest and farm producer organizations from across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe will meet with delegates from international organizations, governments and non-governmental organizations for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the event two years ago.

“With the right support, smallholder farmers can play a crucial role in maintaining forest and farm landscapes in the face of climate change and in ensuring food security worldwide,” said Ewald Rametsteiner, Deputy Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.

Key change agents

An estimated 1.5 billion forest and farm smallholders produce around a third of the world’s food. On the frontline of climate change, many smallholders produce different products from a single landscape. This helps reduce their vulnerability to the effects of climate and market-related shocks. If properly managed, it can also improve land quality and foster better nutrition.

A FAO policy brief released last year, Forest and farm producers – climate change sentinels, argues these smallholders are key change agents in delivering climate-resilient solutions and says greater funding channelled to them could have a global impact.

The conference comes in the context of the UN Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 (UNDFF), spotlighting the role family farmers play in shaping the future of food and promoting more sustainable food systems in a changing climate.

Participants at the conference will discuss key recommendations for actions to build resilience that will be shared at the UNDFF Global Forum this month.

Exchange visits to Yen Bai and Bac Kan Provinces

Participants will also discuss the challenges and lessons learned from setting up climate resilient businesses and hear examples of available finance models, including international climate funding and microfinancing.

In addition, forest and farm smallholders will display forest and non-wood timber products from their farms contributing to climate resilience and food security at an innovations share fair during the conference.
Attendees will also participate in a two-day exchange visit (September 24-25) to five cooperatives in Yen Bai and Bac Kan Provinces to help stimulate upscaling of good practices across the global network of grassroots organizations.

Among the groups visited will be the Viet Nam Cinnamon and Star Anise Cooperative in Yen Bai Province, which has been thriving despite rising temperatures, falling rains, and pest epidemics.

The cooperative has focussed on diversification within its core cinnamon value chain, as well as developing alternative businesses including medicinal plants, honey, handicrafts, tourism, and silk, increasing average income in the area.