Background
From September 22 to 26, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, through the Forest Farm Facility and the Vietnam Farmers Union (VNFU) will organize the INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR SHARING AND LEARNING WITH FOREST AND FARM PRODUCER ORGANISATIONS: SAVING OUR FUTURE: Investing in locally-led diversification for climate resilience.
The objective of the conference is to bring people together to discuss how business models can foster diversification – not uniformity. Gathering representatives from Forest Farm Producer Organizations (FFPOs), governments, international organizations, CSO/NGOs and other stakeholders from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, the conference will enhance peer learning through south-south exchange and cooperation. It will share innovative examples of inclusive climate resilient business models and financing structures developed by FFPOs. It will stimulate upscaling of best practices across a global network of FFPOs, facilitated by the Forest and Farm Facility. The conference will also help strengthen the collaboration and synergy of FFPOs with governmental institutions, private sector, finance institutions and other relevant stakeholders to promote inclusive, fair and climate resilient business models linked to forest and farm value chains.
Share Fair
To enhance the learning and sharing process, a Share Fair Exhibition Space is being organized. In this space, the Forest and Farm producers themselves can share their stories, products and services to the conference participants and other visiting audiences.
Participants of the exhibition and fair will be members of FFPOs and other partners. This can also enhance exchange in interaction with new organizations to stimulate innovative thinking, synergies, collaborations and networking. Close to 25 stands are envisioned representing more than 15 countries. The Share Fair will feature not only products but is also a venue to display posters and loop videos from partner FFPOs. “Lightning talks” from farmers and forest producer groups will also be interspersed into the program.
Objectives
1. Provide for a venue for Forest Farm producers to be able to share the climate -resilience and business resilience stories behind their products
2. Provide a physical space, with an attractive display to visually share product stories and product sampling and selling
