From July 8 to 18, Ms Meena Pokhrel, Deputy General Manager at Nepal Agricultural Co-operative Central Federation Ltd. (NACCFL), represented the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) and the Farmers’ Major Group at the 2024 session of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at UN Headquarters in New York.

The HLPF 2024, convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), centred on the theme “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions.” The forum featured an in-depth review of SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This was the first session of the HLPF since the SDG Summit in September 2023 and aimed to support the implementation of the Political Declaration and other outcomes of the SDG Summit to advance the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

Addressing many official meetings, side events, and special events, Ms Pokhrel underscored the crucial role of farmers in tackling global challenges such as poverty eradication, food insecurity, and climate resilience.

Here are the event highlights:

Tuesday, July 9 – Official Meeting “SDG 2 and Interlinkages with other SDGs – Zero hunger”

At this official session, discussions focused on the complex interconnectedness of global economic trends, finance, poverty, security, and geopolitics, and efforts to align policy responses with the triple planetary crisis. Representing the Farmers’ Major Group, WFO delegate Ms Pokhrel called for:

  • support for sustainable production, noting this cost cannot be borne by farmers,
  • investment in agriculture and farmers’ training to increase production and productivity, and
  • an open, fair, and rules-based global trading system that provides farmers with stable market access.

Wednesday, July 10 – Official Side Event “Uniting Forces: Integrating Science, Policy, and Society to Achieve Zero Hunger”

This side event, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), and the European Union, featured a panel discussion with distinguished speakers sharing experiences and exploring the co-creation of innovative solutions to accelerate progress towards Zero Hunger. The event focused on the importance of the science-policy-society interface in driving transformative change towards SDG 2 for evidence-based policies to end hunger and achieve food security and nutrition for all. Ms Pokhrel emphasized:

  • the importance of having farmers directly involved in global and regional discussions about farming,
  • the need to integrate scientific advancements with farmers’ traditional knowledge and experience to create more effective solutions,
  • the necessity of multi-stakeholder partnerships to mobilize resources, share expertise, and drive collective action for achieving SDG 2.

Thursday, July 11 – Official Side Event “Building Resilience of Small-Scale Farmers in Low and Middle-Income Countries in the Face of Climate Disasters”

Hosted by the WFO and the Brooke- Action For Working Horses and Donkeys, this event focused on solutions that improve the resilience of small-scale farmers in low- and middle-income countries in response to climate disasters. The discussion covered examples from various regions, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America, highlighting the connection between Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 13.

Ms Pokhrel showcased the significant impact of NACCFL’s Small Farmers Agriculture Cooperative Model in enhancing the climate resilience of Nepali farmers, thereby contributing to Zero Hunger. This collaboration between farmers and government is a best practice that should be replicated in other Countries.

Tuesday, July 16 – Official Side Event “Eliminating Poverty and Hunger: Building Resilient Strategies through Stakeholder Partnerships”

At this official side event organized by the UNDRR Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism, Mr Rati Kochlamazashvili from the Georgian Farmers’ Association, representing WFO, discussed the critical role of community-led governance for SDG 1 and SDG 2. He highlighted the experience of the Farmers’ Council in Georgia and WFO’s commitment to knowledge sharing within its global farmers’ family through working groups and committees on thematic areas.

On July 17, WFO coordinated the intervention of the Farmers Major Group in the “General debate: From the SDG Summit to the Summit of the Future,” further contributing to key discussions of the Forum.

Throughout the consultation phase leading up to the event and during the entire Forum, the WFO strengthened relationships with representatives of the Major Groups and Other Stakeholders (MGoS) mechanism. These discussions focused on future commitments and joint advocacy actions in preparation for the Summit of the Future, scheduled for September 22-23, 2024.

In the past week, the second revision (REV2) of the Pact for the Future, the anticipated outcome document of the Summit, has been released. The World Farmers’ Organisation will continue to engage actively in the consultation process to ensure the interests and perspectives of farmers are well-represented.

Photo by IISD/ENB – Kiara Worth