Quezon City, Philippines – AsiaDHRRA and FAO-PH, with support from FAO-RAP, co-organized the first FAO-CSO national consultation-workshop in the Philippines on 29 April 2019, with the theme Strengthening Engagement and Convergence. The consultation aimed at promoting and mobilizing broad-based support for short a long term development agenda between FAO and CSO stakeholders in the country.

Representatives from 32 organizations (16 national, 4 sub-national, 8 local POs/AgriCoops, 4 regional NGOs) with a total of 46 participants (of which 32 are female, 24 are male, and, 13 youth) attended the one-day workshop consultation held at the Sulo Riviera Hotel, Quezon City.

Ms. Marlene Ramirez, Secretary General of AsiaDHRRA, co-organizer of the event, underscored the importance of bringing together different stakeholders to discuss most important issues confronting the agriculture and rural development sectors in the countries; and, of brainstorming resolutions to fill in these gaps, with the hope of being able to work closer together, identify mechanisms, and, agree how to institutionalize these processes through building upon existing platforms and creating new mechanism to move forward.

Ms. Kaori Abe, Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Officer of the FAO Regional office for Asia and the Pacific, highlighted the importance of working with CSOs for the realization of FAO’s framework and focus in the region. She discussed six areas of 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.

At the end of the consultation, Ms. Margarita de la Cruz, PhilDHRRA chairperson, gave a closing message on behalf of the CSO. She expressed her hopes for FAO to also consider CSOs as their partners more than just beneficiaries of their programs, and, emphasized that there are already existing multi-stakeholder platforms that can be tapped for specific areas of joint FAO-CSO actions.  She also stressed the important role of FAO in bridging CSOs and government.

Lastly, Mr. Jose Luis Fernandez, FAO representative in the Philippines, delivered his hopes for the consultation to open avenues for new synergies contributing to in attainment of FAO’s, government’s, and, CSOs’ our shared goals of eradicating food insecurity and malnutrition, supporting sustainable rural development, managing the country’s environment and natural resources.

Documents and highlights of consultation may be accessed here.