Session 1: Understanding FAO

1a - Global and Regional FAO-CSO Partnership Mechanisms and Regional Programming Priorities

Ms. Kaori Abe explained FAO’s perspective of working with CSOs alongside its priorities in the region. She explained six (6) areas for engagement with CSOs, such as in (1) emergency and humanitarian response; (2) normative activities; (3) policy dialogue; (4) field programmes; (5) advocacy and communication; and, (6) knowledge sharing and capacity development. She also highlighted the existing joint initiatives with CSO partners of FAO-RAP through APRC such as with AsiaDHRRA, AFA, and La via Campesina who are taking relevant lead roles in ensuring CSO involvement in global and regional engagement mechanisms.

She also shared about FAO’s works, which largely address to SDG 2 but also contributory to all the 17 goals. She also presented FAO’s work on Family Farming campaign.

1b: Understanding FAO - Presentation of FAO PH Country Program Framework and Country Projects

Ms. Tamara Palis-Duran, Assistant FAO Representative in the Philippines, presented the overview of FAO-PH Country Programing Framework (CPF) 2018-2024 and country projects, citing emerging challenges relating to food and agriculture in the Philippines that threatens the overall food supply chain in the country. She highlighted that the CPF is anchored to PDP 2017-2022, Ambisyon natin PH 2020, UNPPFSD, and, SDG 2030. She elaborated the three main outcomes of the CP,F which are: (1) Improving food security - talking about policy enhancements and supporting government planning and programming, addressing institutional gaps/ challenges; (2) Promoting sustainable and competitive production of agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and, managing environment and natural resources - helping stakeholders improve their productivity in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner; and (3) Improving capacity to manage climate change impacts and natural and human-induced disasters - where all of FAO’s work related to CCA, DRRM, emergency response, and, supporting communities affected by conflicts in Mindanao fall under.

Session 2a: Presentation of Philippine CSO Platforms

Mr. Socrates Banzuela, National Coordinator of PAKISAMA, shared about 2 existing farmers organizations’ and civil society platforms in the country, such as MTCP 2 and ARDKPP.  MTCP2 is a platform of national farmers’ organizations united for common advocacy agenda, capacity building, and, economic empowerment. ARDKPP or Agriculture and Rural Development Knowledge and Policy Platform, is a multi-stakeholder engagement mechanisms among government agencies, civil society groups, farmers’ organizations, and, development partners in the country. The group first came together to celebrate and promote the International Year of Family Farming in 2014. Now, the group rallies behind policies in support of family farmers’ asset / tenurial security, climate resiliency, market empowerment, and, agri-governance, including gender and youth empowerment in agriculture sector. In the end of his presentation, he expressed his hope for FAO to see more meaningful participation and support to these movements

   

Mr. Cresente Paez of AgriCooPh shared about the organization’s formation and some of its prospects. AgriCoop PH is a national federation of agricultural cooperatives in the country. It was established by 20 primary cooperatives and 24 partner-organizations with an aim of converging to increasing smallholder farmers’ income, especially those members of the agri-cultural cooperatives in the country. AgriCoopPh was duly registered on August 15, 2018. Mr. Paez highlighted AgriCoopPH’s 4-Pillar Strategic Plan: Platform of Engagement and Convergence, such as (1) Business Capacity Development, (2) Competitiveness, (3) Coop-to-coop Cooperation, and, (4) Enabling Environment.