The World Farmers’ Charter
One of the roles of the Farmers’ Union of Malawi (FUM) is to ensure that not only is the voice of Malawian farmers heard in Malawi but also that our farmers are represented in regional and international forums. One important association that FUM is involved in is the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP). The farmers of the world, coming from every continent and working under very different conditions met from 13 to 20 May 2006 in Seoul, Korea on the occasion of the 37th IFAP World Farmer’s Congress. This Congress marked the 60th anniversary of IFAP. During that conference a Farmer’s Charter was declared including within it a declaration of principles for all farmers regardless of commodity or size. These principles are relevant to farmers worldwide but are especially important to farmers in the developing world and every farmer should consider the importance of these principles. These principles are statements directed towards government and others parties that interact with farmers. If the decision makers in society follow these principles many of the issues we lobby and advocate for would be solved. I have included these principles below.
Declaration of principles
1- Recognize the importance of agriculture
and the central role of farmers
2- Involve farmers’ organisations as essential
partners
3- Create opportunities for farmers to earn a
fair income
4- Provide equal treatment for rural
communities and urban areas
5- Promote diversity and sustainability in
agriculture
6- Eliminate hunger, malnutrition and rural
poverty
7- Establish fair and equitable rules for
agricultural trade
8- Balance power in the agri-food chain, and
ensure that markets work competitively
9- Address the special needs of women farmers
and young farmers
10- Promote International Cooperation
Source: http://www.ifap.org/en/publications/documents/WorldFarmersCharter_Eng.pdf
Written by Jules Arntz-Gray
No comments:
Post a Comment