Today is the first anniversary of the declaration of the International Year of Family Farming-IYFF-2014, by the UN General Assembly, on December 21rst 2011.
Today is the first anniversary of the declaration of the International Year of Family Farming -IYFF- 2014, by the UN General Assembly, on December 21rst 2011. It is time, again, to express gratitude to all the farmers and rural organizations of 5 continents, to FAO, IFAD, and the governments, lead by the Philippines, that, with their support, made it possible.
During 2012 many initiatives have taken place to push the preparation of the IYFF 2014 ahead, like the establishement of several National Committees, coordinated at regional and world levels, aimed at promoting during 2014 a special period of dialogue between the organizations of family farmers, paysans, artisan fishers, pastoralists, indigenous communities, landless workers, the governments and the international organizations.
Through these initiatives, the effective recognition of the right of peoples to produce their own food, eradicating Hunger and Malnutrition, on a land, sea, forests, owned mainly by the women and men farmers, fishers, pastoralists, indigenous communities, landless people, appears gradually as the backbone of the IYFF 2014 objectives.
We do wish that 2013, in addition to being a Year of Peace, Freedom and Justice, could represent the last and crucial stage of the good preparation of the IYFF 2014, the year when the women and men family farmers, peasants, artisan fishers, pastoralists, indigenous communities, landlees peole, will be on top of the international agenda, gaining rights that have been postponed for too long.
Together we can overcome,
José A. Osaba
WRF-FRM
IYFF-AIAF 2014-Coordinator preparation programme 2012-2013