This document discusses the role of farmers' organizations in driving progress towards sustainable development goals. It summarizes that stronger farmers' organizations can lead to more democracy, economic services for farmers, and more equal income distribution. The organization AgriCord works with farmers' organizations around the world through its Farmers Fighting Poverty program to contribute to goals related to no poverty, zero hunger, gender equality, economic growth, responsible consumption, climate action, life on land, peace and partnerships. The program has supported over 100 farmers' organizations in Africa and Asia through 348 projects focused on strengthening organizations and their positions in value chains and policymaking.

1. Where are the farmers, when
investing for the SDGs? – Farmers’
organisations drive change towards
sustainable development
Lode Delbare
Vice-President, AgriCord,General Director Trias
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2. Stronger farmers’ organisations =
1. More democracy (better institutions, stability)
2. More economic services (better services for farmers, stronger
chains and food systems, more innovation)
3. More equal income distribution (balanced rural development)
AgriCord manages Farmers Fighting Poverty, FFP, which
contributes to progress towards SDGs 1, 2, 5, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16 &
17.
AgriCord’s vision and mission

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4. Initiative of farmers’ organisations
What is AgriCord ?
• Initiative of professional farmers’ organisations and their cooperative
businesses from countries in Europe, Canada, Africa and Asia
• Bundling efforts and mobilizing funds for strengthening their peers in
developing countries
• 12 agri-agencies are the development agencies of these farmers’
organisations
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Country FOs and cooperatives Agri-agency
France FNSEA, APCA, Jeunes Agriculteurs, CNMCCA Afdi
Netherlands LTO, SSVO, NCR and NAJK Agriterra
France Groupe Céréaliers de France (AGPB, AGPM, ARVALIS, UNIGRAINS) Fert
Belgium Boerenbond, Landelijke Gilden, KVLV and KLJ Trias
Canada Union Professionnelle Agricole (Québec) (UPA) UPA DI
Sweden Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF) We Effect
Belgique Fédération Wallonne d’Agriculture (FWA) CSA
Asia Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) AsiaDHRRA
Sénégal Organisations agricoles du Sénégal membres d’Asprodeb Asprodeb
Finland MTK, SLC, the Association of ProAgria Centres and Pellervo-Seura FFD
Spain Unión de Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos (UPA),FADEMUR Acodea
Germany Deutscher Bauernverband (DBV) AHA

5. FFP supports farmers’ organisations
• 124 farmers’ organisations
• 348 projects
• over 200 structural changes in farmers’ organisations
value chain position or their position in policy making
processes
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6. Table 1: FFP scope per continent, 2016
Projects FOs Funding
Africa 109 73.6% 87 70.2% 83.9%
Asia 37 25.0% 35 28.2% 15.0%
Latin America 2 1.4% 2 1.6% 1.1%
Totals 148 100% 124 100% 100%
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Figure 1: Value chain links addressed by farmers’ organisations

7. Farmers’ organisations make value
chains work
Union Régionale des Coopératives des Producteurs d’Anacarde
URCPA- Benin (support by EU – Ifad)
• Cashew nuts
• 1.500 members but 12 500 farmers use their services
• FO to FO exchange with Unicoque from France
• Extension, access to finance for collective commericalisation of nuts,
contracts with private traders
• 1733 ha of unproductive orchads were rehabilitated
• Increase in yields 40%, sales volumes 30% and prices to members
30%
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8. Investment strategies should support farmers’
organisations in making agro-food chains work
The world´s more than one billion farmers should be central to any
agricultural investment strategy as they are the biggest potential
investors in this sector.
Investment in agriculture should enable farmers’ organisations and
cooperatives to fully develop their members entrepreneurial capacities,
their potential to create decent jobs and effectively participate in the
food value chains.
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Multi-donor setting – Financial partners 2016