Quezon City, Philippines – AsiaDHRRA co-organized the celebration of International Year of Family Farming+4 – Knowledge Learning Market and Policy Engagement (IYFF+4 – KLMPE) 2018, with the theme,  “Inclusive Agricultural & Rural Development: No One Left Behind,” held on 7-8 November 2018 at DA-BSWM Convention Hall, Diliman, Quezon City.
 

KLMPE 2018 gathered some 300 representatives from civil society organizations, farmers’ organizations, and, government agencies in the annual event to share success stories and good practices; discuss initiatives and innovations; and, propose policy recommendation on issues confronting family farmers in the country.

AsiaDHRRA Secretary General, Ms. Marlene Ramirez, provided the overview of thematic cases to be presented and discussed in break-out sessions on five priority agenda, particularly: Agri-Governance, Asset Reforms, Climate Resiliency, Market Power, and Youth and Gender in Agriculture.
AsiaDHRRA Program Manager, Ms. Mags Catindig-Reyes, and AFA Program Director for Agri-Cooperatives, Mr. Cresente Paez synthesized the break-out sessions results. Four (4) critical facilitating/success factors for an inclusive agriculture and rural development were identified, specifically: (1) organizing – creating strong people’s movements through capacity building, strengthening organizational governance, and, employing participatory approaches;                           (2) customizing – developing innovations/critical interventions based on local realities/contexts;                (3) bundling or connecting – thinking beyond the project and utilizing integrated approach to implementation of development initiatives; and, (4) partnering or synergizing – engaging multi-stakeholders partnerships and mechanisms.

The two-day event was convened with the collaborative efforts of the national Technical Working Group members of Agriculture and Rural Development Knowledge and Policy Platform (ARDKPP) composed of government agencies, including: Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR),          Department of Agriculture (DA), and, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR); farmers’ organizations, including: Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), Medium Term Cooperation Programme with Farmer Organizations in Asia and the Pacific Phase II (MTCP2), Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA); and, civil society groups and development organizations such as International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA), AsiaDHRRA, Trias, and, We Effect.