World Farmers' Organisation

World Farmers' Organisation
Name	World Farmers' Organisation
Abbreviation	WFO
Formation	2011
Type	International nonprofit
Headquarters	Rome, Italy
Region served	Global
Leader title	President
Leader name	Nohelia Linares

World Farmers' Organisation The World Farmers' Organisation is an international not-for-profit representing farmer organizations and agricultural producers across continents. Established in 2011, it brings together national and regional groups to influence global policy forums such as Food and Agriculture Organization, World Trade Organization, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Group of Twenty and Convention on Biological Diversity. The organisation convenes stakeholders from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania to address issues affecting producers in supply chains spanning markets like New York Stock Exchange, Euronext, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Shanghai Stock Exchange and Sao Paulo Stock Exchange.

History

The organisation traces roots to farmer movements and federations such as La Via Campesina, International Federation of Agricultural Producers, Farmers' Union of Wales, National Farmers' Union (United Kingdom), American Farm Bureau Federation and regional bodies like African Farmers' Association of Uganda, Asia Pacific Farmers Forum, Confederación Nacional Campesina (Mexico), Confederación Nacional de Agricultores de Brasil and Canadian Federation of Agriculture. Early milestones involved partnerships with the Food and Agriculture Organization and coordination around major events including the World Food Summit, Rio+20, COP21 and meetings of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Founders drew inspiration from historical agrarian movements such as Green Revolution, French Agricultural Revolution and campaigns led by figures associated with Mahatma Gandhi, Emiliano Zapata and Cesar Chavez. Organizational development paralleled reforms at institutions like World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Commission and policy shifts following the 1996 World Food Summit and 2008 global food price crisis.

Mission and Objectives

WFO articulates objectives aligned with global agendas like the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement, Nagoya Protocol and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Its mission emphasizes farmer representation in dialogues involving World Trade Organization negotiations, United Nations General Assembly sessions, G20 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting and policy frameworks shaped at Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Core aims include promoting access to markets such as African Continental Free Trade Area, strengthening resilience to shocks like the 2007–2008 world food price crisis and fostering innovation reflected in collaborations with institutions like International Rice Research Institute, CIMMYT, CGIAR and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.

Governance and Membership

Governance employs a Presidium and regional chairs drawn from federations such as European Farmers' Association, Asian Farmers' Organization, Pan-African Farmers' Organization, Comité Permanente Inter-États de Lutte contre la Sécheresse dans le Sahel and national unions including Federación Nacional Agraria (Peru), Union of Agricultural Workers (Russia), National Peasants' Confederation (Spain) and All India Kisan Sabha. Membership spans smallholders represented by La Via Campesina affiliates, commercial producers like those in U.S. Farm Bureau, and cooperatives akin to Cooperative League of the USA, Rabobank-linked entities and credit unions modeled on Grameen Bank. Internal procedures reflect governance norms emphasized by International Organization for Standardization, transparency initiatives promoted by Transparency International and accountability benchmarks discussed at United Nations Development Programme forums.

Programs and Activities

Programs address productivity, resilience, market access and climate adaptation through technical work with research centers including International Food Policy Research Institute, Bioversity International, World Agroforestry Centre and International Water Management Institute. Activities include capacity building workshops similar to those run by FAO Farmer Field School, policy briefings presented at United Nations Committee on World Food Security, and pilot projects financed in partnership with Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund and philanthropic foundations like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. Sectoral initiatives target commodities and systems involving rice, maize, wheat, livestock, dairy, horticulture, fisheries and forestry and collaborate with certification schemes such as GlobalG.A.P., Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International and UTZ Certified.

Partnerships and Advocacy

WFO engages in advocacy with multilateral actors including Food and Agriculture Organization, World Trade Organization, World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Programme and donor agencies like USAID, European Union External Action Service, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Strategic partners comprise research and training bodies like Wageningen University, University of California, Davis, Copenhagen University, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and International Development Research Centre. Advocacy campaigns intersect with movements and events including World Social Forum, World Economic Forum, Global Landscapes Forum, Stockholm+50 and policy coalitions such as Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and One Planet Network.

Impact and Criticisms

WFO has influenced outcomes in arenas like Committee on World Food Security negotiations and contributed inputs to Paris Agreement discussions on agriculture and land use, while facilitating farmer voices in dialogues at COP climate conferences and G20 Summit side events. Supporters cite successes in capacity building with partners like CGIAR and in market linkage projects modeled on Fairtrade supply chains. Critics argue the organisation risks privileging larger interests similar to critiques leveled at World Bank interventions and International Monetary Fund programs, and faces scrutiny over representation compared with grassroots movements such as La Via Campesina and indigenous rights advocates represented at United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Debates continue over approaches to biotechnology debated in forums like Convention on Biological Diversity and Codex Alimentarius Commission, trade liberalization contested at World Trade Organization, and climate finance allocation negotiated at UNFCCC sessions.

Category:International agricultural organizations