As a follow up of the WAW Consultation, held on the 8th of October 2013, the Centre d’Information Technique et Economique (CITE), from Madagascar, partner of WAW Initiative as a main Pilot Observatory, took part in the Regional Dialogues on Family Farming in Africa, held in Cape Town, in South Africa, from 6-7 November 2013. The event was organized to prepare the 2014 International Year of Family Farming (IYFF).

Patrick Rasolofo, CITE Director and WAW representative, opened the Session I : “Importance and role of Family Farming in Africa and its contribution to food security and poverty reduction. Issues of land governance and gender” with a presentation jointly elaborated by the Madagascar Team, WAW Secretariat and CIRAD.

This African Regional Dialogue, installed by FAO, highlighted that Family Farms play a key role in Africa by contributing to countries food security and sovereignty. The audience discussed, among others, women and young work and employment opportunities, and debated on the contribution of FF versus agribusiness to Food Security.

Patrick Rasolofo noticed that the issue of nonexistent shared international definition of Family Farming, and the need of harmonization, were addressed many times during the two-days event. Several actors expressed also the necessity of a specific policy for family famers. The tackled points such as the needs to document Family Farming and inform policy dialogue, while supporting territorial development  strengthen the WAW Initiative rationale.

1) Patrick Rasolofo during his presentation. On the right, Nora Ourabah Haddad, FOA/OPC and coordinator of IYFF.

2) From the left to the right : Mr José Antonio Garcia Osaba (World Rural Forum’s Civil Society coordinator of IYFF) ; Professor Edith Veronica Vries (from the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department of South-Africa), and on the right Mr Daniel Glad (World Farmers’ Organisation).