The aim of the Asian Farmers’ Committee is “Sustaining small-farm agriculture in the context of trade liberalisation and globalisation”. It does this through:

• Improving the awareness and understanding of farmer organisations in Asia of trade issues, the status of trade negotiations, and related matters through briefing papers, studies, publications and the electronic exchange of information.
  
• Conducting impact assessment studies on the effects of trade liberalisation on small-farm agriculture and study how some countries are coping with change and liberalisation (i.e. crop diversification in Vietnam).
  
• Evaluating possible risk management tools and programs (crop insurance, income insurance, commodity finance, etc.) that farmers in Asia could adopt to address risks and problems arising from weather disturbances.
  
• Studying the current and potential impacts and the role of China on agricultural trade in the region.
  
• Promoting regional economic integration in the best interests of farmers.
  

History

Following on from the success from the IFAP Asian workshop held in Tokyo in April 1997, IFAP was able to set up a new Asian regional committee. This IFAP Asian Farmer’s Committee was officially established in Lucknow, India in December 1997.