The World Rural Forum (WRF) hosted The VIII. Global Conference on Family Farming at the Europa Congress Palace in Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain and via livestreaming on March 19 to 21, 2024.
Over the three-day conference, global experts and stakeholders converged to explore innovative strategies and collaborative efforts to address food security issues through family farming as a sustainable solution.
Topics during the conference centered on the role of family farming in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically on eradicating hunger (SDG 2: Zero Hunger), as well as combating climate change (SDG 13: Climate Action) and promoting gender equality in the field (SDG 5: Gender Equality).
The conference kicked off with His Holiness Pope Francis’ message to the conference which was read on his behalf by Msgr. Juan Carlos Elizalde. In his message, the Pope underscored the importance of rural women and youth in agriculture. He shared that women serve as the backbone for the development of the economy, fostering progress in the society in which they live. Similarly, he highlighted that a real revolution for the future of agriculture begins with the youth, who can bring forth innovative ideas to address the decades-old problems that plague the agricultural landscape.
One of the highlights of the conference was the role of institutional support and policy building in enabling sustainable family farming practices. Policies that recognize the necessity of empowering women and the youth through resources were emphasized as drivers of change in the agricultural sector.
Another focus of the conference was on integrating traditional knowledge with modern technologies as a way to enhance agricultural practices while at the same time, preserving the Earth’s natural resources.
In his closing statement, WRF President Martín Uriarte emphasized that there would be no sustainable future without the family farming sector, thus the urgent need to prioritize family farming as an essential driver of sustainable development, making use of the voices and enhancing the capacities of family farmers worldwide.
For more information about the conference, visit WRF’s website here: https://www.ruralforum.org/en/
Article contributed by Darelle Anne Ebron, CCComdev Intern
Photos from World Rural Forum.
References: World Rural Forum. (2024, April). Background – VIII Global Conference. World Rural Forum VIII
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