‘The First Active Agent in Human Society’: Putting Farmers at the Heart of Food Security Policy

The farmer has been described as “the first active agent in human society” and the foundation on which all other productive processes rest. But the bulk of decisions on agricultural policy and food security continue to take place far from rural settings and the on-the-ground realities that shape how policies will be implemented in practice. This online dialogue will explore how the knowledge and insights generated by agricultural actors at the local level can inform and strengthen international policies on food and agriculture.

Panelists will share observations from a range of perspectives including academia, UN agencies, civil society and grassroots organizations. The discussion will be exploratory, and questions and comments from attendees will be welcomed.

Speakers:

• Dr. Martin Frick, Deputy to the Special Envoy for the UN Food Systems Summit
• Mr. Christopher Hegadorn, Committee on World Food Security
• Dr. Gary Reusche, United Nations Development Programme
• Ms. Emily Janoch, CARE International
• Mr. Kalenga Masaido, Kimanya-Ngeyo Foundation (Uganda)
• Mr. Ever Rivera, FUNDAEC (Colombia)
  

We will dive deeper into the following questions:

• How can international policy making institutions ensure that the experiences, knowledge, and expertise of farmers inform and shape global policies?
• What assists local actors to apply scientific advances in ways that are appropriate to their sociocultural circumstances?
• How can the knowledge generated through academic research and the knowledge generated through practical application in local communities be integrated and reinforce one another?
• How can international policy making institutions not only encourage local processes of generating knowledge but draw from them as well?
• What methods can be established to ensure an ongoing learning process takes root at the local level building on both science and practical experience?

Register here