The Intercontinental Network of Organic Farmers Organisations (INOFO) participated in the Cresol and Agricord International Seminar in Francisco Beltrão/PR, an event on “Innovation in food systems and sustainable finance” that took place from the 5th to 7th of June 2024.
Cresol, the largest credit cooperative institution focused on family farming in Brazil, hosted this seminar, which welcomed participants from more than 30 countries, including farmers’ organizations from Africa and Asia, global farmers’ organizations such as INOFO, members of the OPLP – Organizations of Portuguese Speaking Countries, as well as representatives from the United Nations (UN), BID (Inter-American Development Bank) and government representatives at federal and state level.
INOFO was represented by its Global Relationships Manager, Thales Bevilacqua Mendonça and its local member, the organic farmer organization – Ecovida PGS Network, with 10 participants representing more than 400 hundreds of families from our network, demonstrating our agroecological productive power.
Among the main issues debated during the panels were:
- Financing climate change adaptation and mitigation in agriculture; – Transforming food systems for sustainable and resilient agriculture;
- Transforming food systems for sustainable and resilient agriculture;
- Empowering Producer Organizations through innovation and local knowledge in agriculture.
Among many jackets and ties, we were present with our roots and agendas, highlighting our work, and we were invited to speak on a panel about the empowerment of producer organizations through innovation and local knowledge in agriculture.
The agroforestry organic farmer Thales Bevilacqua Mendonça had the opportunity to talk about how we organize ourselves through PGS, how it works and what are the benefits far beyond just organic certification, connecting the local level with a global organization, INOFO, which Ecovida is member.
We had very positive feedback and interest from the participants about PGS, which INOFO has a huge experience in. Our participation through strategic networks and organizations like World Rural Forum and Agroecology Coalition was highlighted there, giving a bigger impact and amplified voice for our members!
The construction is daily, the journey is long and winding, but we leave with the certainty that we are on the right track, working, defending and promoting Agroecology as a solution to a good part of the problems and challenges we face in food systems around the world.
Let ‘s keep sowing!
Report by Thales Bevilacqua Mendonça