Poor Farmers log on to Hunger Debate

The worldwide web has helped poor and marginalised farmers to fightback against neo-liberal economic policies which they believe are destroying their livelihoods and failing to reduce hunger. A new report launched today is the result of an "E-conference" that allowed farmers and others from more than 30 countries to debate global food policy in three languages.

Organised by the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and others, the "E-conference" took place over two and a half months last year. Half of the 227 registered participants were engaged in farming-related activities. Most contributions were from individual farmers, small scale producers and indigenous peoples.

IIED's Dr. Michel Pimbert said: "Policy discussions, virtual or reality, tend to be dominated by professional experts from the richer countries. Small-scale farmers, landless people, fishing communities and indigenous groups are routinely excluded. These people form the bedrock of agricultural production in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and governments should start to respond to their concerns. After all, they are the real experts and the E-conference is a modest attempt at giving them a say."

Entitled "Farmers' Views on the Future of Food and Small-scale Producers", the report is published ahead of next week's governmental meeting organised by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome (starts 30 October). Government officials will discuss the failing pledge to halve world hunger by 2015 made ten years ago at the UN World Food Summit.

The E-conference found that current neo-liberal policies - trade liberalisation, industrial agriculture and the development community's neglect of local food systems - are creating rather than alleviating world hunger, deepening poverty and increasing environmental degradation. The world food system is increasingly controlled by a handful of large corporations at the expense of millions of ordinary farmers who struggle to compete and inevitably go out of business.

The farmers wanted a radically different approach based on local needs and the wellbeing of both producer and consumer:

• National policies that regenerate diverse farming and more self reliant local economies rather than production of exports and dependence on imports. -
  

• Greater national and local control over food and farming priorities rather than dominance of big companies.
  

• More extensive and organic production rather than energy intensive monocultures, GM technology and high levels of pesticide use.-
  

• Land reform and redistribution rather than privatisation of land for industrial agriculture.

For further information

Liz Carlile on +44 207 388 2117

Tony Samphier on +44 208 761 8155

Notes to editors:

Spokespeople, including representatives of local farming groups, are available for interview.

The report "Farmers' Views on the Future of Food and Small-scale Producers" is available as a free download in English, French and Spanish.

The E-conference was organised from 14 April to 1 July 2005 by:

• The International Institute for Environment and Development
  

• Progressio (www.progressio.org.uk)
  

• The Small and Family Farms Alliance
  

• The UK Food Group (www.ukfg.org.uk)
  

• The Indigenous Peoples' International Centre for Policy Research and Education (TEBTEBBA) (www.tebtebba.org)