Over 300 farmers, farmer leaders, women and youth farmers, and representatives from farmer and fisher organizations (FOs) from all corners of the Philippines, representatives from government offices, civil society organizations (CSOs), and development partners participated in the Knowledge Learning Market and Policy Engagement 2018 of the 5th International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) held at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Convention Hall in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines on 7-8 November 2018.
Asian Farmers’ Association (AFA), PAKISAMA (member of AFA in the Philippines), and MTCP2 Philippines actively participated in organizing the two-day event and during the event itself. Among the participants, around 140 are farmers and youth farmers under the MTCP2 Programme and PAKISAMA. Case studies from PAKISAMA were also presented during the learning session.
AFA Secretary General Esther Penunia attended the KLMPE 2018 and synthesized the policy recommendations for the five thematic agenda during the dialogue with the government representatives.
Highlights of the KLMPE 2018
This year’s KLMPE started with the opening of the interactive learning exhibits of the five thematic agenda namely: Asset Reforms, Climate Resiliency, Market Power, Agri-governance, and Youth and Gender in Agriculture. The exhibit showcased knowledge products and processes related to smallholder agriculture / family farming from IFAD, ADB, government agencies, CSOs, private sector and other international Development Partners (DPs) supported programmes and projects.
AFA and MTCP2 Philippines worked together in conceptualizing and manning the Asset Reform booth, where related publications/KM products of AFA were distributed to the participants.
Another highlight of the KLMPE 2018 are the the interactive demos on home-based coco sugar production by Project ConVERGE and DAR, forage chopper mechanical weeder, and practical application of Drone-Based Land Mapping and Monitoring by AFA and PAKISAMA. John Lagman and Lanz Espacio of PAKISAMA discussed how drones can be useful in mapping lands, as well as in inspecting farms, etc.
Source: https://www.gfar.net/
