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With a group of participants as passionate and diverse as this, divergence is inevitable. Yet, when challenges are offered respectfully, dialogue can continue and ideas are strengthened. There was considerable discussion concerning the role of government and universities, with agreement on the importance of Policy and Education coupled with experience that there is a significant need to implant Organic practices into these institutions. Discussions in all three Talanoas touched to some degree on people’s resistance to change with first-hand experiences of farmers reluctant to take up Organic... Read more practices. Consensus realizes that this will be a major challenge for scaling up. Along with resistance to change was some disagreement on the extent of challenges including labour, infrastructure, baseline data and data capture. When discussing markets there was divergence on how much emphasis should be given to local versus exports. Read less

Talanoa 3: Innovation Organic farmers are innovative, successfully blending traditional methods with modern scientific knowledge. We know that the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers in these fragile Pacific ecosystems is problematic, yet farmers have become significantly dependent on them logistically and financially. We also know that natural nutrient cycling and Pest Protection Materials are possible for most agricultural needs. Due to the relatively recent appearance of Organics as a player in the agricultural arena, leading to the fact that organic farmers are significantly unders... Read moreerved in R&D and product development, the area of innovation is especially important for reinventing our Food System. Game-changing Innovation ideas include 1. Investing in labour and time saving technologies, methods and techniques to make the profession of Organic farming more attractive to a wider number of people. Without mimicking conventional practices that are not regenerative, farmers switching to Organic need to know they can do so as a commercially viable alternative. Much of the innovation depends on sharing of current knowledge and technologies, which need to be collected, curated and in some cases scientifically tested. 2. As mentioned above under Culture and Tradition, this group also proposed exploring innovation into indigenous and traditional knowledge and practices. The Pacific Oceania community does not let go of their roots and highly values indigenous and traditional socio-ecologic farming and cropping systems. The region is more than ready to be proactive and pioneering on all levels. Based on their unique island and community structures, a multi-level approach with system transformation are likely to be successful in the Pacific. 3. Public and private funds and efforts to support research and innovation are critical and will need to shift focus from chemical/industrial research to sustainable practices. On the farming side this would include research on composting at scale, natural plant protectants and natural based livestock feed. On the production side, value added production without food additives and Organic compliant phytosanitary alternatives are among the top priorities. 4. To overcome barriers, lack of understanding and fear of change, the group identified the need for education at the community level an important and basic Organic and regenerative way of farming through a collaborative National and Organic Partnership incorporating already on the ground Organic certified farmers. Read less

Talanoa 2: Health Working on the premise of Health from a systems-wide perspective comprised of soil, plants, animals (including people), ecosystems, community/society and economy, etc., discussions revolved around the concept of food systems with the potential to improve health from many directions. Game-Changing Solutions can be grouped under three broad concepts. 1) Create top-down, whole country support for organics at the national level. Country-wide bans on GMOs and synthetic and other inputs modelled on examples of islands like Cicia (Fiji), and countries including Bahrain, Sri Lanka an... Read mored parts of India. In order to successfully ban chemicals, Governments must also scale up infrastructure for nutrient capture and recycling, as well as retrain Extension toward the elimination of chemicals. Cuba serves as an example of a country that has successfully changed their food system from one dependent on inputs, to a self-sustaining, nutrient cycling organic system where 80% of fresh produce consumed is grown within five kilometres of where it is consumed. In addition to Political buy-in, significant investment in education will be necessary. University and related educators will also have to change from chemical use to teaching traditional methods, natural plant protection, vermiculture, seed saving, animal production etc. 2) Exemplify Best Farmers and Best Practices. Farmers want to be taught by farmers not “from the desk”. Success will need support per #1 above to establish Learning Farms and curriculum based on real-life experiences. There is a strong crossover here with Innovation. 3) Applying a comprehensive approach to value chain development with the focus on Local. Generally speaking, Pacific Countries including Australia and New Zealand are fully capable of meeting the nutritional needs of their populations and need to shift from importing food and inputs to self-reliance, food security and soil sovereignty. This solution links very strongly to the other four Action Tracks. Exports are important for economic health but must remain secondary to developing local markets and taking care of the local communities/society. Market development, including to the hospitality sector, and value addition will need to be prioritized. Read less

Within our major discussion topics, we present what was discussed in terms of action areas to support impact. All groups acknowledged the interconnection between the action tracks. Talanoa 1: Culture and Tradition Pacific farmers are smallholders and indigenous by nature, resilient, sustainable, independent, rich in tradition and culture. In the Pacific region, organic production is both traditional and new. It is traditional in the sense that most producers to this day use tried and tested practices handed down through the generations that are generally in harmony with the environment and wit... Read moreh modern organic principles. And it is new in that Pacific countries and territories are realizing the benefits of organics for obtaining access to markets, and the need for research and training to develop the sector. Game-changing solutions captured in this Dialogue include 1. Leveraging community knowledge and governance. Pacific Islanders and aboriginals are proud of their heritage. Cultural preservation is a high priority. Most cultures are oral however, making the first priority to capture and archive them in order to preserve and pass them to future generations. Culture and tradition must then be incorporated throughout our Organic systems, all the way up to policy and including indigenous governance training. The Pacific Organic Standards already capture culture and tradition as a key guiding principle. The principle needs to be applied to Organic in an integrated and holistic approach to ensure the sustainability of our interventions. This includes applying a GESI perspective to untap potential of individuals (regardless their gender, age, socio-economic status…) and overall sector. 2. Tapping into academia and reaching out to youth must be prioritized. 3. Crosscutting with Health and Innovation, instilling indigenous knowledge into appropriate technology development, research and development, and implementation at scale is critical. Read less

As expected, each Talanoa had their own discussion with unique ideas and solutions, and also as expected, many of the same levers for change were identified in multiple groups. This overlap shows a strong precedence to prioritize the areas of agreement, while also recognizing the value of stand-alone solutions. Although the Presenters and Facilitators worked hard to drive the conversations towards future statements and systematic solutions, all groups reported discussing the root causes, many of which are familiar themes. It seems that this was not altogether bad though as defining the problem... Read more is the first step to brainstorming solutions. As detailed in the section below, the main findings or Game Changing Solutions identified include: 1. Leveraging culture and tradition, community knowledge and governance. Pacific Islanders and aboriginals are proud of their heritage. Culture and tradition must then be incorporated throughout our food systems, all the way up to policy and including indigenous governance training. Leadership buy in is essential, including National Governments as well as local, traditional and religious leaders. A successful revised food system will require a tremendous amount of policy, infrastructure and support. Our region is rich in Culture and Traditional Governance which can act as a lever for change and a framework for action. 2. Education, training and empowerment. Education, capacity building and knowledge products are critical and will look very different in an Organic Food System than they do in the present industrial model. Education will need to start in the early grades and continue through University and Extension outreach training. Education should include traditional knowledge. For this to happen we need to Capture and archive oral traditional knowledge and practices around sustainable living and food systems components. It also includes capacity building and awareness at community level. As some traditional knowledge is already being lost farmers and communities need awareness about the biodiversity they hold and the value of traditional practices for resilience – other parts of the world can learn from these. 3. Organic Farming must be recognised as a valued profession. They are the experts that lead the change. Organic farmers, are trusted experts with real-life experience which is respected and trusted. They are the ones who need to train not only other farmers but Extension staff, academics etc. Their involvement will never end but will need to be supported ongoing in order to keep the system practical, understandable and therefore successful. Farmers must be fully engaged in research and research funding needs to be realigned to organic. Farmers must also be properly compensated and full cost accounting implemented so they are also compensated for provision of ecosystem services. 4. Localisation. Supporting a local market economy is very important with food sovereignty and environmental sustainability as a goal. A comprehensive and wholistic approach to value chain development is required from production to markets. This includes using locally developed approaches for extension and training, for example the family focus works well in many places in the region, and research for local solutions. Also diversifying products to reach out to a wider market segment developing transformed products made from local raw materials. Read less

The Dialogue was centered around using organic practices to boost Nature-positive food production, emphasizing the linkages where organic agriculture is the vehicle to address; building resilience, advancing equitable livelihoods, shifting to sustainable consumption patterns, and ensuring that everybody has access to safe and nutritious food. We were not discussing only certified organic agriculture but organic agriculture based on the Principles of Health, Ecology, Fairness and Care. Shared regional values of love, kinship, relationships were a driver with the aim to go beyond sustainability ... Read more– but to regenerate and find balance and harmony with our environment. In particular, the role of organic producers, their organizations and the communities they are part of as the drivers of these changes and who frequently do not have a voice in food system policy discussions was a major focus. Farmers tend to be ‘acted upon’ by Governments and agencies rather than recognized as primary actors and agents of change and custodians of the land and ecosystems they work within. It also focused on the ‘Oceania Pasifika’ region consisting of Australia, New Zealand and the 22 Pacific Island countries and territories. A diverse region both culturally and geographically but with strong commonalities, shared history including connections between the indigenous communities of the region, and shared values on which the Oceania Pasifika Organic Food Systems Dialogue was focused. Our Dialogue strayed somewhat from the three UN defined aspirational outcomes of Protect, Manage and Restore to three aspirational outcomes inherent to Organics in the Oceania Pasifika region: Culture and Tradition, Health and Innovation. Culture and Tradition: The region has strongly held and maintained traditional cultural systems that provide not only valuable traditional agriculture and food perseveration techniques but also governance and leadership. This is a great strength of the region. Health: The region has amongst the worst health statistics in the world with soaring rates of NCDs. We also have extremely vulnerable eco systems, the health of which is being severely impacted by practices of the current food systems and climate change. This is one of our most significant challenges. Innovation: the remoteness of the region and the large distances between us has contributed to a strong culture of innovation and invention and a hunger for learning and creating new ways to meet our challenges. This is where opportunity lies for us. These 3 areas also have applicability across all action tracks and will facilitate synergies. The outcomes were fleshed out in the pre-dialogue Discussion Starter document along with open-ended questions to start people thinking of how to contribute to the dialogues. This decision proved to work well as the participants, especially the Organic Farmers, who are familiar with the principles, needed little prompting to begin the Talanoa discussions. The modern, industrialized, input dependent, export focused, agricultural Food System is failing, and the detrimental effects on Health, Equitable opportunities, Lifestyle, Environment, Climate Change and Local Economies is perhaps nowhere more apparent than in Pacific Island Countries and Territories [PICTs] as well as Australia and New Zealand. At the same time, Organically Managed Food Systems, including Pacific Organics, which includes Culture and Tradition, coupled with Science and Innovation, and the broad definition of Health to include Soil, Forest, Livestock, Fisheries Health, and including Social and Gender equity, are proving to be the solution to these challenges. New and emerging approaches, when adopted alongside the use of traditional knowledge, and organic, regenerative and inclusive practices (such as agroecology, sustainable fishing and democratic food governance), give the potential to transition to nature-positive food production systems – ones that deliver a larger diversity of plants and animals to a growing population, without degrading the functional integrity of ecosystems, whilst meeting the nutritional needs of all current and future generations. Read less

Setting the scene: The catalytic role of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming towards sustainable, inclusive, resilient and viable food systems. The United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF) 2019-2028 calls on family farming to lead substantial transformations in current food systems, promoting actions which encompass the economic, social and environmental dimensions of family farming. The UN Resolution on the UNDFF offers the international community an extraordinary framework in which to achieve a positive shift in food systems. The Covid-19 pandemic highlights the need to redesi... Read moregn the way we produce, consume, trade and organize food supply chains in order to better prepare for future crises, ensuring more equitable sustainability in the food supply chains. Family Farming gained visibility during this pandemic, as the importance of local and sustainable food consumption has been highlighted during the crisis. Read less

Multistakeholders’ processes to contribute to sustainable and resilient food systems. The UNDFF is an on-going process, characterized by the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders - including governments (both national and local), parliamentarians, specialized agencies and other relevant bodies of the United Nations, international financial institutions and other international mechanisms, farmers and producer organizations, academic and research institutes, civil society organizations and the private sector – in the design of specific measures to enhance family farming. It makes a ver... Read morey clear connection of the global, regional, national and local levels, from the Global UN Declaration –that places the issue among the top priorities in the international agenda-, to the local level -promoting concrete and contextualized actions, legal and institutional frameworks to address the different challenges and promoting the effective participation of organizations and local governments at the municipal level. It also contributes to ensuring the rights and the creation of opportunities for women farmers and rural succession for young farmers, who will indeed be responsible for food production and the sustainable management of natural resources in the future. The collaboration between the different family farmers’ organizations, the UN agencies, FAO, FAO, governments, cooperation agencies, and other relevant stakeholders is of huge value in the UNDFF process and needs to be reinforced. In this sense, the role of the National Committees of Family Farming (NCFF) and other platforms for dialogue was highlighted and recognized. The NCFFs provide broad and inclusive platforms to the different stakeholders in the country for interaction, reflection, debate and negotiation on the current state of the agricultural sector, the strategies, programs and plans to unleash family farmers’ potential, while, at the same time, contributing to the strengthening of the role of civil society, and especially of farmers´ organizations, in the policy decision making process. Read less

Family Farming at the center of sustainable food systems Enabling and supporting family farmers can increase the availability of nutritious, sustainably produced and culturally appropriate food. Viable family farming-centered food systems can offer new economic and attractive employment opportunities, social inclusion and equity, while at the same time increasing rural-urban linkages and synergies through short food supply chains, which can offer promising solutions towards reducing food loss and waste. Apart from producing food and crops, family farmers develop multiple and crucial roles with... Read morein their communities. Among others, they ensure the sustainable livelihood of territories and they preserve the environment, reinforcing the efficient and sustainable use and management of natural resources, the conservation of biodiversity, as well as the prevention of soil depletion, water pollution and environmental degradation. It is essential to recognize and enhance the role of young and women farmers. Agro-ecological practices were highlighted as a contribution to the resilience of family farming. The inclusiveness of the food system should take into consideration a human rights approach, including appropriate access to land and water and access to appropriate technology. There is a need to strengthen the awareness of the key role that family farmers play in overcoming poverty and malnutrition, in environmental protection, as a source of employment, and their enormous contribution to sustainable food systems. Fostering the direct link between producers and consumers was highlighted as fundamental to guarantee the demand for quality and local products is aligned with family farming production. However, this enormous potential should be stimulated, with holistic and appropriate public policies. Among the different measures that were underlined during the dialogue were: access to rural credit, access and control over land and natural resources, technical assistance, appropriate technologies, digital marketing, and transformation processes. To design these policies, quality statistical data is needed which clearly measures the different contributions of family farmers. The promotion of family farmers’ articulation and association with other actors was also highlighted during the meeting. Read less

During the Independent Dialogue, the importance of highlighting NCFFs’ experiences of exploring farmers' needs and placing them on the political agenda was clearly shown. The NCFFs are diverse and their richness and specificity should be preserved. They should participate in the debate on food systems as key actors. The UNDFF proposes a set of coherent, inter-connected policies and actions to address the environmental, economic and social dimensions of rural development and provide a bridge between emergency relief, recovery, and development contexts while placing family farmers at the cente... Read morer. Furthermore, the NCFFs are involved in the process of drafting and implementing the National Action Plans of the UNDFF (NAP), which are coordinated plans to outline tangible measures and specific actions with regard to family farming, especially in terms of public policies, programs and regulations, and which act as a roadmap for countries and regions in their efforts to support the sustainable development of family farming. In other words, the NAPs transform the needs and priorities identified by various stakeholders into measures, policies and processes in favour of family farming, considering the programs and mechanisms already in place and trying to align and coordinate efforts in order to overcome the challenges of the current food systems. By stimulating the development of public policies and investment to support family farming from a holistic perspective, the UNDFF is, indeed, a key game-changing solution for local food systems. The implementation of the UNDFF 2019-2028 will unleash the unique potential of family farming in shifting towards more sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems and addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read less

The UNDFF has recognized the key role of family farmers towards ensuring global and local food security, strengthening sustainable food systems, eradicating poverty, protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development. The global independent dialogue explored the different (game-changing) opportunities created by the UNDFF to enable family farmers to contribute to, and benefit from, sustainable, inclusive, viable and resilient food systems. The event brought together different stakeholders in order to explore debate and shape pathways to sustainable food systems centered on family... Read more farming. The dialogue took a participatory approach combining two panels of keynote speakers, discussions in plenaries and in working groups, in order to ensure knowledge sharing between the different participants. Simultaneous English, French and Spanish interpretation was provided to ensure effective participation of all participants from different countries. Read less