Key themes of the next WFO General Assembly announced

The General Assembly meeting of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO-OMA) is approaching. It is to be held in Buenos Aires from March 25 to 29, 2014. As every year, the event will be an opportunity to bring together about 100 agricultural confederations from 80 countries who will meet in Argentina to discuss the future of global agriculture. The annual event will be hosted by the Sociedad Rural Argentina (SRA), the organization designated to host the event after JA ZENCHU, Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives in Japan.

Climate change, innovation, food security, value chain, women and youth in agriculture are some of the key themes of the meeting which will be discussed by agricultural organizations from around the world. The event will also be an opportunity for meetings and debates between the leading experts of world agriculture and large international organizations affiliated to it. Among other attendees , there will be members of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), World Meteorogical Organisation (WMO), Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases and Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), OIE, the International Meat Secretariat (IMS), International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), International Finance Corporation (IFC). Among the prominent personalities, there will be the United Nations ambassadors of the International Year of Family Farming, Gerd Sonnleitner and Myrna Cunningham, the U.S. Ambassador Dr. Quinn, President of the World Food Prize. The presence of the mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, the Director-General of WMO (World Meteorological Organization) and many other representatives of international agricultural is also expected.

The World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly will be preceded by four workshops which will address the following themes: animal welfare on farms, improvement of agricultural contracts, innovative processes in the field of agriculture and services related to climate. The days of the General Assembly will be dedicated to in-depth sessions on the role of farmers in the food chain, to the changes as a result of climate change, food security, the role of women, gender differences in this area and, finally, issues related to the generational renewal.

“As every year – said Marco Marzano, WFO Executive Director – the World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly will be an important opportunity for the global agriculture communityto discuss the major challenges of the near future. Also, towards which direction global agriculture is moving, as it changes to cope with the effects of climate change, such as innovative ways to take on and manage the economic crisis: these are some of the topics on which farmers’ organizations will be called upon to discuss”.

The General Assembly in Buenos Aires will also be a crucial political moment for the World Farmers’ Organisation that will elect a new president. The appointment takes place on March 28th and will be the essential moment of the five days in Buenos Aires in which all members are invited to vote for a new president who will succeed to Robert Carlson for the next three years.