BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6af702ee5b609 DTSTART:20151217T030000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20151217T050000Z LOCATION:Geneva\, Switzerland SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: Reactions from Civil Society to the launch of UNC TAD'\;s Commodities and Development Report 2015 CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:UNCTAD'\;s Commodities and Development Report 2015: Smallho lder Farmers and Sustainable Commodity Development will be launched by Mr. Joakim Reiter\, Deputy Secretary General of UNCTAD\, on the margins of th e 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi on Thursday 17 December.\n\nA fter the launch\, the event held in Geneva will give civil society represe ntatives an opportunity to share their views on the Report'\;s analysi s and key messages.\n\nThe panel will be composed of:\n\n\nMr. Samuel Gayi \, Head of the Special Unit on Commodities\, UNCTAD\nMr. John Schluter\, C afé Africa\nMr. Philippe Egger\, Special Advisor\, Development Innovation s Network (IRED)/West Africa Farmers Organisation (ROPPA)\nMs. Charlotte L ibog\, Founder and Coordinator\, Afrique Grenier du Monde\nMr. Alain Vergu eylen\, Executive Director\, International Guarantee Fund (FIG)\nDr. Shail a Seisha Gavin\, Assistant Professor\, The Graduate Institute\n\n\nSummary of the Report\n\nSmallholder farmers constitute the largest contingent of the poor and yet they produce more than 80 per cent of the world'\;s food\, in value terms. The Report highlights the range of constraints that they face in developing economies and specifically provides new analyses of the state of their integration into the global economy. It underlines t hat smallholder farmers are both victims of climate change and key actors in the achievement of a more inclusive and environmentally friendly develo pment path.\n\nThe report argues for specific measures at the national\, r egional and global levels\, including in international trade and investmen t agreements\, for unleashing the full business potential of smallholders. It showcases good policy practices\, including the role of strong politic al leadership in reversing the policy neglect that small farmers have suff ered from.\n\n"\;Business as usual"\; is not an option if the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to be achieved. In light of this\, the Report calls for greater resources to be devoted to supporting smallho lders. It also urges for the establishment of an accountability mechanism for monitoring progress on key commitments related to smallholders.\n<\; p>\;<\;strong>\;UNCTAD'\;s Commodities and Development Report 20 15: Smallholder Farmers and Sustainable Commodity Development<\;/strong& gt\; will be launched by Mr. Joakim Reiter\, Deputy Secretary General of U NCTAD\, on the margins of the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi o n Thursday 17 December.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;After the launch\, the e vent held in Geneva will give civil society representatives an opportunity to share their views on the Report'\;s analysis and key messages.<\ ;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;The panel will be composed of:<\;/p>\;\n\n<\; ul>\;\n<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Mr. Samuel Gayi<\;/strong>\;\, He ad of the Special Unit on Commodities\, UNCTAD<\;/li>\;\n<\;li>\;& lt\;strong>\;Mr. John Schluter<\;/strong>\;\, Café Africa<\;/li&g t\;\n<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Mr. Philippe Egger<\;/strong>\;\, Spe cial Advisor\, Development Innovations Network (IRED)/West Africa Farmers Organisation (ROPPA)<\;/li>\;\n<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Ms. Charlot te Libog<\;/strong>\;\, Founder and Coordinator\, Afrique Grenier du M onde<\;/li>\;\n<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Mr. Alain Vergueylen<\;/s trong>\;\, Executive Director\, International Guarantee Fund (FIG)<\;/ li>\;\n<\;li>\;<\;strong>\;Dr. Shaila Seisha Gavin<\;/strong&g t\;\, Assistant Professor\, The Graduate Institute<\;/li>\;\n<\;/ul& gt\;\n\n<\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Summary of the Report<\;/strong>\;& lt\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;Smallholder farmers constitute the largest conti ngent of the poor and yet they produce more than 80 per cent of the world& #039\;s food\, in value terms. The Report highlights the range of constrai nts that they face in developing economies and specifically provides new a nalyses of the state of their integration into the global economy. It unde rlines that smallholder farmers are both victims of climate change and key actors in the achievement of a more inclusive and environmentally friendl y development path.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;The report argues for specif ic measures at the national\, regional and global levels\, including in in ternational trade and investment agreements\, for unleashing the full busi ness potential of smallholders. It showcases good policy practices\, inclu ding the role of strong political leadership in reversing the policy negle ct that small farmers have suffered from.<\;/p>\;\n\n<\;p>\;"\ ;Business as usual"\; is not an option if the 2030 Agenda for Sustaina ble Development is to be achieved. In light of this\, the Report calls for greater resources to be devoted to supporting smallholders. It also urges for the establishment of an accountability mechanism for monitoring progr ess on key commitments related to smallholders.<\;/p>\;\n\n\nView meet ing on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting/panel-discussion-reactions-c ivil-society-launch-unctads-commodities-and-development-report DTSTAMP:20261113T123038Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR