ICARRD: the result of a fruitful and constructive dialogue among governments, international community and social movements

Photo: Ubirajara Machado

One of the defining features of the ICARRD Conference is the prominent role that civil society has being playing all throughout the process: leading to and during ICARRD, and the follow up chapter.

Recognizing the importance of an enhanced dialogue among the various stakeholders on the subject of agrarian reform and rural development, the ICARRD Secretariat facilitated the participation of NGOs, civil society organizations and social movements since the early stage of the preparation of the conference.

At national level, FAO promoted the participation of civil society organizations in the Thematic Dialogues organized prior to the Conference. Their participation enriched the dialogues and the reports to be presented at ICARRD on their progress on agrarian reform and rural development.

In addition, one of the five official issue papers for discussion at the Conference in Porto Alegre, entitled “Agrarian Reform in the Context of Food Sovereignty, the Right to Food and Cultural Diversity: “Land, Territory and Dignity” was produced by the International NGO/CSO Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC).

In Porto Alegre, NGOs and social movements from all over the world celebrated the Forum “Land, Territory and Dignity", in parallel with ICARRD official Conference aiming to debate and articulate processes and proposals as an input to the action of the social movements and to the Intergovernmental Conference.

The Civil Society Forum “Land, Territory and Dignity”

The Forum started on 6th March 2006, at the PUC University building facilities in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It was organized in a series of working groups, workshops and plenary sessions, with a view to discuss, exchange experience and further elaborate on the principles, recommendations and plans of joint action for genuine, integral and original land reform based on food sovereignty.

About six-hundred people representing organizations of farmers, landless, agricultural workers, indigenous peoples, pastoralists, artisanal fisherfolk, migrants, women, youth, and NGOs active on human rights and rural development, from all continents registered at the Forum. Many of them also attended the sessions open to the public at the official conference.

Civil society organizations and social movements elaborated further the concept of food sovereignty, and in the Final declaration of the Forum, they called, among other, for the recognition of the right to land for all peoples and the adoption of policies which guarantees their effective access to and control over natural and productive resources.

In the closing session of the Forum, civil society organizations and social movements called on FAO to promote a ‘Special Programme on Agrarian Reform’ and manifested their willingness to support and collaborate with the Organization in its effort to resume the global debate on agrarian reform.

The participation of Civil Society at ICARRD

		Civil Society Organizations and Social Movements have played a crucial role in the success of the ICARRD, and their active and at times scenic participation – such as the delegation of the Women’s March on Women day received in the Plenary and the Chair, the Minister of Agriculture of South Africa, breaking into song at the end - has indeed been an innovative dimension of the Conference.
Photo: Ubirajara Machado

Innovative practices which proved to be appreciated by many official delegations as well as by participants from Intergovernmental, NGOs and civil society organizations include:

• the participation of a civil society spokesperson, or a representative from the civil society forum being held in conjunction with at intergovernmental conference, at the Inaugural Ceremony of the official conference;
• presentation of case studies by NGOs and civil society organizations as well as the identification of eminent speakers from civil society to give opening remarks during technical/thematic sessions and commissions;
• the organization of multi-stakeholder panel discussions and/or dialogue sessions, such us the open debate between civil society and governments on agrarian reform and food sovereignty, and the expert panel on agrarian reform, social justice and sustainable development;
• the inclusion in the agenda and in the report of the conference of the civil society statement and the declaration of the parallel social forum;

Throughout the conference, the importance of expanding the dialogue with civil society and the key role that FAO should play in facilitating such dialogue between governments and civil society was widely recognized.

Read more on the innovative practices at ICARRD to promote participation.

Follow-up to ICARRD

Civil society organizations and UN organizations dealing with food sovereignty, food security agrarian reform and rural development will continue to participate in the process of implementation of the ICARDD Principles. This will include enhanced participation in FAO’s technical committees, such as the Committee of World Food Security and the Committee on Agriculture, as recommended by the ICARRD Declaration, as well as in other mechanisms to institutionalize social dialogue, cooperation, monitoring and evaluation of progress in agrarian reform and rural development.

A first step toward the implementation of the ICARRD recommendations in this area has been the establishment of a Interface Working Group (IWG) integrated by FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and civil society organizations and social movements grouped around the International Planning Committee (IPC).

A first meeting of this IWG took place last July 10. For detailed information about the meeting and the issues discussed, click here.

In addition, the civil society will have a relevant participation in the Special Forum of the FAO Committee of World Food Security (CFS) scheduled for 30 October- 3 November 2006. This year the CFS will be devoted to evaluate the progress achieved in the implementation of the 1996 Wold Food Summit Plan of Action. A Special Forum will be organized in parallel to the official meeting to provide additional ideas and promote partnerships in order to achieve the commitments made in 1996.

A Special section on agrarian reform and rural development will be held at the Forum with the participation of panellists from governments, international institutions, producers’ organizations and social movements.