Farmers are the protagonists at the Climate Conference

“We have now entered a new era, in which climate change and is not seen only as an environmental problem. Keyconcepts such as development, human rights and sustainability are now included in the subject. We also hope that agriculture becomes part of this new vision”.

By Alice Tomaselli

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With these words Adriana Opramolla, from Caritas International, opened the event “Development of resiliance to climate change and disaster risk management through sustainable agriculture”, one of many events promoted in a full day dedicated to those who are engaged in agriculture.

The third day of the COP was, in fact, dedicated to farmers and the links between climate change and agricultural practices.

A day to reflect by comparing the different experiences and attract the attention of negotiators to a question, which according to participants of the event, deserves further consideration, given their potential. Some comments made by Mildred Crawford, a member of the World Farmers Organization, help to better understand how relationships between agriculture and climate change also include very relevant social issues: gender issues in the first place.

Women, as the most vulnerable category always, are likely to suffer most from environmental problems, especially among communities where working in farms is a female prerogative.

Moreover, even the combination of youth and agriculture is also worth being considered. With views over the coming days at the COP, Mildred Crawford expects the attention of negotiators falls on all these aspects.

She criticizes however that in many events organized by civil society, including those organized by institutions working closely with farmer groups, the presence of those who must decide on the new agreements is virtually nil, which compromises the constructive exchange of information. With this, we run the risk of encouraging what Charles Ogang, also of the World Farmers Organization, does not want to continue happening, a constant discourse of “recommendations, but no application.”