On December 5, 2024, during Agri-Food Systems Day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the WAW operational guidelines were presented at the UNCDD COP16 side event titled “Enabling Environments for Smallholders to Transition to Socio-Ecological Resilient Agri-Food Systems”.

The session which aimed at exploring resilience and sustainability in agri-food systems, brought together various groups of stakeholders, including policymakers, farmer organizations, financial institutions, and Indigenous Peoples. Discussions revolved around creating supportive environments to help smallholder farmers address critical challenges linked to biodiversity loss, climate change, and land degradation.

Giulia Conchedda, from FAO NSL Division emphasized the role of the World Agriculture Watch Observatory in gathering information about the diversity of family farms. She highlighted how detailed data on structure, functioning and performances of the diverse types of farms are pivotal for navigating policies that address challenges faced by smallholders and support them advancing sustainable practices.

The side event concluded by calling on smallholders to implement effective strategies that empower them as key players in achieving land degradation neutrality and building resilient agricultural and food systems.