Major Groups to “Highlight the Way Forward” at UN CSD session

Sat, Feb 21, 2009

Civil society groups from around the world will arrive in New York Sunday, February 22 to meet with governments and representatives of UN agencies to highlight solutions on issues ranging from agriculture and rural development, land, drought and desertification, with special attention to Africa. Heifer International, Food and Water Watch, Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management, Local Authorities for Sustainability (ICLEI), International Partners for Sustainable Agriculture (IPSA) and New York State Department of Ag and Markets are just a few of many the groups descending on the UN for a week of sessions to identify lessons learned and “which way forward.”

A session on “Urban Rural Links for Food Security and Vibrant Markets” will highlight the role of cities and local governments in establishing the essential infrastructure for wholesale and retail markets that link farmers and eaters in every region of the world:

HIGHLIGHTING THE WAY FORWARD

Recommendations for Strengthening Urban Rural Links for Food Security and Vibrant Markets include:
Support direct linking of rural and urban sectors everywhere: Local authorities need support from national governments and international organizations, as drivers of new agricultural production and market development, in particular cities and other local governments in partnership with Major Groups in Civil Society.

Support increased role of local authorities in urban-rural linkages, including capacity building for mayors to develop understanding of food issues and implementation of markets through training, exchange visits, extension through multi-media.

Prioritize local initiatives to support development of markets at all levels:
- Invest in subnational agricultural diversity and new markets: Farm to market infrastructure at sub-regional and sub-national levels urgently needs new investment with both national and international support, especially in the form of private-public partnerships that reduce poverty and hunger through linking national farming and food systems to new wholesale and retail markets in urban centers.
- Revitalize wholesale markets where they have been allowed to deteriorate; develop attractive investment incentives for wholesale markets that temper the concentration and consolidation tendencies of global retail chains and supermarkets.
- Promote producer marketing organizations that link small farmers to new market chains as a fundamental step toward integration.
- Enhance ‘triangular’ strategies that encourage local procurement for “Home Grown” school feeding and other institutional programs, and the development of small farmer organizations’ capacity to produce for these loci of demand.

Strengthen Local Partnerships for Food Security: Urban rural partnerships for food security and vibrant markets take many forms. The diversity of partnerships, reflecting diverse cultural and agroecological systems, can be essential food security safety nets. Such partnerships require focused research, policy and financial support, especially to allow women, small farmers, indigenous people and other underserved stakeholders to be full participants in emerging urban rural partnerships.

Call for new initiatives: specific initiatives and partnerships are needed to promote urban rural jurisdictions/agencies to work together, to develop mechanisms to share and promote best practices; governments should adopt concrete proposals to bring national governments and international organizations together with Major Groups to provide resources to generate such initiatives and partnerships.

Contact of Side Event Organizers at IPM: Thursday, February 26 - 1:15-2:45 PM in CR 4

Thomas Forster, International Partners for Sustainable Agriculture (IPSA)

Kobie Brand, Regional Director for Africa, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability

Arthur Getz Escudero, Heifer International

Bob Lewis, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets

Carol Kramer-LeBlanc, US Department of Agriculture

World Union of Wholesale Markets