Ensuring our Food Systems are not put at risk

Vitoria-Gastiez, Spain – At the recent World Rural Forum (WRF) VIII Global Conference on Family Farming held in Vitoria-Gastiez in the Basque Country, Spain, Pacific Farmer Organisations’ (PFO) Chairman, and Director of Nishi Trading, Mr. Minoru Nishi, wholeheartedly agreed with the WRF President, Mr. Martin Uriarte, echoing his statement “that family farmers must be treasured and cared for as guardians of food sustainability”.

Mr. Nishi shared that when one considers that over 75% of the Pacific population resides in rural areas, with 90% of the said population reliant on agriculture and fisheries as the main source of their livelihood, family farming is the backbone of the Pacific Island economies. He added that the Pacific situation is no different from other regions of the world where family farmers are the foundation.

The Pacific message he communicated was that knowing these population statistics and the importance of family farming to the Pacific economies, there should be a response with the appropriate action revolving around financing, policies and providing the space for the farmers to be represented. The mindset of funding for farmers as being a ‘charity’ must stop, and instead consider it as an investment in a healthy and vibrant future where safe and nutritious food is readily available for all at a fair price. Family farmers are making huge investments every day to transform our food systems, and better partnerships ought to be sought.

Mr. Nishi elaborated on recent strategic discussions which included a series of workshops held in Fiji which are being organised by the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Heads of the Agriculture Departments from around the Pacific member countries, focusing on strategic plans for agriculture and forestry in the region. PFO was represented at this event to ensure the voices of family farmers are heard. For these plans to be implemented, there will be a need for resources, so strong strategic partners such as the EU, IFAD, WRF and others continue to be needed as reliance solely on Government for financial support is not feasible. Allocation of budgets to agriculture are low in certain countries in the Pacific region.

At the global level, there is a serious need to accelerate and ignite change in policy and the actions to support family farmers as we enter the second half of the UN Decade of Family Farming. With the 55 countries represented at the Conference, there is an opportunity to grow and have national leaders present at the discussions so that they hear the direct cry for help from family farmers.

Family farmers need support in climate change adaptation, mitigating the negative health statistics, reducing production costs and strengthening of seed security.

For climate change, technology and innovation need to be adopted to complement traditional farming practices so that there is  a reduction in costs and unnecessary losses are mitigated. These include investment in appropriate irrigation systems, water catchments, technical expertise to better manage the increasing pest and disease pressures, and renewable energy resources to help reduce the growing power bills. In Tonga, the installation of solar panels at a packhouse has helped to reduce the power bill by 53%.

Recent statistics shared in early March highlighted that 9 out of the top 10 countries with the most women with obesity in the world, are from Pacific Islands. These alarming facts can be addressed by Governments supporting family farmers to grow and market healthier and affordable food options that the indigenous people of the Pacific used to grow before unhealthy processed foods were introduced to the region. There is a need to set up primary school food programs, and connect local farmers to these schools through the Ministry of Education as well as the tourism and the food industries. Changing the next generation’s  diet reduces the health budgets of Governments, increases the net income return for farmers and provides a healthier more vibrant population. This could encourage more young people to engage in farming knowing there is a pathway to market.

Rising fuel prices as a result of the wars in the Ukraine and Middle East have contributed to increased production costs, which are exacerbated by loss of skilled and unskilled labour through overseas labour mobility schemes in neighbouring countries. Although the latter are beneficial for foreign reserves, there is a demand for unsustainable higher wages from the local workforce resulting in the need to mechanise operations on family farmers to make production more affordable.

Open pollinated seed production also needs to be strengthened as our farmer organisation member, Kastom Gaden Association (KGA),  in the Solomon Islands is doing by propagating and distributing hardy local resilient vegetable seed  varieties to the communities.

He assured all present that PFO stands in solidarity with them for global support to be sought for all family farmers around the world, and hoped that the next major global event would see everyone better prepared with clear plans and proposals to convince the world leaders to make the necessary changes to ensure that family farmers are supported. Collaboration is required at all levels to ensure that the future of our food system is not placed at risk.