Brussels, 30/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - In the wake of global food security concerns, over 50 national farmers' and agricultural cooperative organisations from all over the world met on Wednesday 30 March to create the World Farmers Organisation and issue a declaration setting out its objectives. The Organisation sees itself as “the united voice of world farmers and cooperatives”, a press release from COPA (Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations of the EU) and COGECA (General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives of the EU) states. The new organisation will be based in Rome.
Doug Taylor-Freeme, who chaired the meeting on behalf of the African delegation, said: “Today marks a historic occasion. In view of increasing concerns over market volatility and food security, this Organisation will bring together farmers and cooperatives from all over the world to exchange ideas and find common solutions. The Organisation aims to help world food security by facilitating cooperation between organisations. This is particularly crucial given that world food demand is expected to increase by at least 70% by 2050”.
European representative Martin Haworth said: “The Organisation also aims to improve farmers' livelihoods and the viability of rural communities around the world. Without farmers living and working in rural areas, many people would leave these regions. And yet farmers face more and more challenges, such as climate change, and are being confronted with high input costs. Their return from the market is also shrinking given the huge buying power of supermarkets. We need to improve farmers' economic viability and positioning in the food chain in order to ensure a dynamic, competitive agriculture sector throughout the world”.
Another aim of the Organisation is to ensure coherence with other agriculture related activities, such as forestry, aquaculture, the environment, trade, research and education. It says that there is a constant need for improved research to find, for example, ways to increase production while at the same time protecting the environment. The Organisation will meet again later this year to further develop these issues. (L.C./transl.rt)