IFAP: A Worldwide Farmers' Organization

The International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) is a world farmers’ organisation. Founded in 1946, it currently represents more than 600 million family farmers with a membership of 112 national farmers’ organizations in 87 countries around the world. IFAP has General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.


Vision and Mission

IFAP’s vision is a world free from hunger, in which farmers and their families are able to live decently from their work. IFAP’s mission is to develop farmers’ capacities to influence decisions that affect them at both the domestic and international levels.

Through its actions, IFAP:

• helps secure the fullest cooperation between organizations of agricultural producers in meeting the optimum nutritional and consumptive requirements of the peoples of the world; and
• helps improve the economic and social status of all who live by and on the land.

Objectives

• To Act as a platform or forum in which leaders of national farmers’ organisations can meet to:
  • highlight mutual interests and take coordinated action to further such interests;
  • develop an understanding of world problems; and
  • exchange information, experiences and ideas.
• Keep members informed about international events of concern to them as farmer organizations.
• Act as a recognized spokesperson for the world’s farmers, bringing concerns of agricultural producers to the attention of international meetings of governments and other bodies.
• Promote the creation and strengthening of independent, representative organizations of farmers throughout the world.

Structure
IFAP’s main event is the World Farmers’ Congress, which occurs every two years. It brings together all member organisations and operates by the principle of one vote per country. At this Congress, the Federation’s President and the 24 members of the Executive Committee are elected and policy priorities are established. IFAP’s secretariat, situated in Paris, France is in charge of the management of the organisation and the actual implementation of IFAP’s members’ decisions. IFAP is composed of numerous committees and working groups whose presidents are also elected at the World Farmers’ Congress.


Specialized Committees

• Commodity Groups: Grains and Oilseeds, Sugar, Tropical Commodities (cocoa, coffee and cotton), Dairy Products, Meats and Feeds.
• Regional Committees: Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, the Mediterranean and the OECD.
• Standing Committees: Agricultural Cooperatives, Women in Agriculture, Young Farmers.
• Development Cooperation Committee: DCC is the main instrument of IFAP's development activities.

IFAP in Action
The focus of IFAP’s policy work is to improve the position of farmers in a rapidly changing worldwide environment, characterized by globalization, liberalization and changes in what is expected from the agricultural sector. IFAP's policy priorities are the following:

• Increasing recognition for farming as a profession, and recognition of farmers' contributions to the well-being of mankind.
• Supporting the family farm as the basis of a sustainable system of agriculture, for today and in the future.
• Promoting farmer-to-farmer cooperation for strengthening farmers' organizations to participate in self-help development.
• Pressing for farm policies to achieve food security, poverty eradication and the opportunity to earn a fair and reasonable income from farming.