Brazil attends official opening of Global Family Farming Forum in Rome

Fernanda Machiaveli, Executive Secretary of Brazil's Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming (MDA), represented Brazil at the official opening of the Global Family Farming Forum, which kicked off today (October 15) in Italy. The event gathers international leaders and experts to discuss and share strategies for advancing family farming as a key driver of sustainable and resilient food systems.

Machiaveli took part in a plenary session titled “Public Policy Innovations for Family Farming,” where she showcased Brazil’s innovative policies aimed at strengthening the crucial role of family farming in addressing global food system challenges. She emphasized the positive impact of these measures in combating hunger and poverty, reaffirming Brazil’s commitment to sustainable rural development.

“Family farming is a fundamental pillar of efforts to counter the interrelated challenges of poverty, hunger, health promotion, adaptation to climate change, industrialization and inequality reduction,” said Machiaveli. She took the opportunity to reinforce the call to join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, proposed by Brazil when taking on the G20 Presidency in December 2023.

Brazil has made remarkable progress in reducing poverty and hunger over the years. Since the beginning of President Lula’s third term, in January 2023, the extreme poverty rate has dropped 40%, while the number of people facing severe food insecurity fell from 33 million to 8 million.

“Strengthening family farming has been crucial in this process. These farmers provide much of Brazil’s food supplies and represent three-quarters of the jobs available in rural areas,” stated Machiaveli.

According to the executive secretary, in the current context, where the consumption of ultra-processed foods has risen, family farmers ensure the production and supply of fresh and healthy foods. "Programs such as the Food Acquisition Program (Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos / PAA) and the National School Meals Program (Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar / PNAE) purchase and distribute foods from family farming for the social assistance network, schools and hospitals, fostering healthy nutrition and food diversification," exemplified Machiaveli.

Machiaveli also highlighted the importance of policies to promote gender equality in rural areas. “We have reached impressive results through increasing women’s participation in public policies, with specific credit lines, strengthening associative movements and cooperatives, and providing more access to land, water, technical assistance and rural extension. The support provided to women’s productive yards has bolstered their economic autonomy and contributed to food safety and environmental sustainability.”

She also stressed that family farming is one of the central pillars of the Brazilian strategy to build sustainable food systems. In 2023, policies that support the transition to agroecology were revitalized, incentivizing soil and biodiversity conservation through specific credit lines, technical assistance and the use of biofertilizers.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to dialogue with various nations, Fernanda Machiaveli announced the launch of Brazil’s Food Supply Plan (Plano de Abastecimento Alimentar / PAA), which aims to strengthen the supply of healthy and accessible foods, particularly in areas classified as “food deserts” and in urban peripheries. “Tomorrow we will launch an important Food Supply Plan. Moreover, on World Food Day, President Lula will launch Brazil’s third Agroecology and Organic Production National Plan (Plano Nacional de Agroecologia e Produção Orgânica / PLANAPO),” informed the executive secretary.

Machiaveli also highlighted the Productive Forests Program (Programa Florestas Produtivas), which contributed to the recovery of degraded lands and promotes agroforestry systems, generating income through the production of fruit, nuts, rubber, medicinal plants and other products – a strategy that values standing trees and contributes to environmental conservation.

Ministerial Programs to Strengthen Family Farming

During the event, Fernanda Machiaveli presented some of the Ministry’s key initiatives to strengthen family farming and promote agroecological practices in Brazil:

-          Agroecology and Organic Production National Plan (Plano Nacional de Agroecologia e Produção Orgânica / PLANAPO): the program places family farming at the center of a sustainable model, aligning agroecological practices with the demands of the domestic market and the international environmental concerns.

-          Productive Forests Program (Programa Florestas Produtivas): Focused on the restoration of conservation areas, the program incentivizes actions to plant native forests and productive varieties, generating income while keeping the forests standing.

-          Brazil Without Hunger Plan (Plano Brasil Sem Fome): With initiatives focused on productive inclusion and combating land concentration, the plan also aims to strengthen the role of rural women in sustainable development.

-          Our Land Program (Programa Terra da Gente): With the goal of ensuring access to land to almost 300,000 new families by 2026, the program promotes social inclusion and economic autonomy in rural areas.

Brazil has been an example in the implementation of public policies that prioritize sustainability and support for family farming, with direct impact on food security and combating climate change. “We are dedicated to continue this work because we believe that a sustainable and inclusive future is possible. By strengthening family farming, we are investing not only in the present but also in the future of our planet,” concluded Machiaveli.

THE EVENT —The Global Family Farming Forum takes place during the 4^th edition of the World Food Forum (WFF), at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy. The meeting will continue throughout the week, gathering world leaders and experts to assess the advancement of the United Nations Decade for Family Framing, instituted by the UN General Assembly in 2017 as a means to promote best practices for the sector, considered essential for the eradication of hunger and rural poverty.