Pastoralists’ session in FAO/IFAD Farmers’ Forum

Immediately before the FAO/IFAD Farmers’ Forum on in mid-February 2016, CELEP partners took part in a special session with pastoralists and other extensive livestock breeders. Benjamin Mutambukah (Uganda) provided a Summary Report on the event.

The Special Session was co-organised by IFAD and VSF International at IFAD Headquarters in Rome and involved 18 representatives from pastoralist/livestock-breeder organisations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. These brought the outcomes from the regional consultations in the previous month which involved over 200 representatives from 38 countries and collected burning issues, needs, demands and proposals to improve the livelihoods of pastoralists and extensive livestock breeders. During the Special Session, the delegates consolidated the regional statements and recommendations to IFAD on investment, policy dialogue and improved partnership. Also the main findings of the Joint Evaluation Synthesis of IFAD/FAO Engagement with Pastoral Development (2003–13) were presented.

A Statement of the Special Session with Pastoralists and Extensive Livestock Breeders was delivered to the Farmers’ Forum, where the pastoralist representatives pointed out the importance of United Nations agencies to create synergies with each other, especially in initiatives such as the Pastoralist Knowledge Hub and the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), so as to empower pastoralists not only in economic terms but also in policy advocacy, institutional capacity building and knowledge sharing.

Posted on 26 July 2016 in News, Pastoralism, Policy & Power