Message from IFAP President Jack Wilkinson:

Good Farm Outlook for the 38th IFAP World Farmers' Congress

Warsaw, Poland

May 30 - June 6 2008

With the theme ‘Working together for Profitability, Sustainability and Development’, the 38th edition of IFAP biannual Congress will take place for the first time in the Polish capital, Warsaw, May 30 - June 6, 2008. This Congress comes at a time of renewed optimism in the farm sector, with a favourable context for investment, marked by a rise in commodity prices and new openings and opportunities such as renewable sources of energy for family farmers.

However, farmers worldwide are being challenged to respond to concerns over the sustainability of bioenergy developments, escalating food prices, persistent hunger and poverty, and difficult world trade negotiations. Farmers, on the other hand, are looking for answers in order to face the adverse effects of global warming, as they are also part of the answer to mitigate these effects. The Congress will attempt to address these challenges through discussions among farmer leaders, sharing experience and ideas, and dialogues with international institutions. It will work to develop key policy recommendations for decision makers and for society (the consumers).

Policy makers at the international level are increasingly calling for a better mainstreaming of agricultural and environmental issues in policy and development agendas.

The effects of Climate Change on agriculture will be emphasized throughout the Congress, with keynote speeches and special sessions devoted to managing the risks and market volatility resulting from climate variabilities and assessing the implications for the future model of agriculture. Leaders from the World Meteorological Organisation and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will share their projections with farmers, and delegates will exchange experiences on managing risk in the farming sector. The UN Conference on Trade and Development will lay the foundations for a strategic dialogue with IFAP to deal with commodity risk management.

In Warsaw, farmer leaders will point out the need for farmers to be rewarded for ecosystem services they render to nature, and will exchange on identifying the mechanisms to be put in place in both developed and developing countries to encourage farmers to use environmentally friendly practices.

Supply chain problems are at the forefront of the international agenda as a result of commodity shortages, an escalation in consumer food prices, as well as a lack of organisation. How can new investments be encouraged into agriculture to alleviate supply chain shortages and generate economic development and rural development? How can farmers better organise themselves in commodity supply chains in order to reap greater benefits from the revenues generated by the food chain? The experiences of different countries in organising commodity supply chains will be brought to the Congress.

The Congress will also deal with other food chain issues, including:

food quality and safety;

animal welfare;

global private standards for ‘good agricultural practises’; and

farmers’ health.

The World Bank, which has recently published its World Development Report 2008 on agriculture, the first in 25 years, will present its main orientations so that recommendations for improving the situation of farmers can be developed.

International trade issues figure prominently on the IFAP agenda, and the Congress will give farmers the opportunity to dialogue with the Chair of the WTO agricultural negotiations, Crawford Falconer, on the proposals to conclude the Doha Round of agricultural negotiations.

This will be my last Congress as IFAP President, as it will be as well for many of the chairs of the specialized committees and commodity groups. Member organisations are encouraged to put forward names of new leaders for IFAP to ensure continuation and strengthening of the efforts of our Federation to improve the livelihoods of farm families.

The National Union of Farmers, Cooperatives and Agricultural Organisations of Poland have prepared a warm welcome for their colleagues from other countries, and we look forward to seeing you all in Warsaw to work together to develop agriculture worldwide.

Jack Wilkinson

(Copy from www.ifap.org)