Date: Mon, 12 Sep 1994 21:38:27 -0700
>From: Thomas Forster <tforster>
Message-Id: <199409130438.VAA01384@igc.apc.org>
To: mthom@igc.apc.org
Subject: Invitation to Int'l Sustainable Ag and Food Security Week
Status: RO
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1994 INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY WEEK
People's Participation in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development
October 23 - 31, 1994 Washington, DC
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September 10, 1994
Dear Colleague,
We are writing to invite you and others to join us in Sustainable
Agriculture and Food Security Week at the end of October in Washington,
DC. The background description with summary calendar of events
scheduled is attached. A number of groups are completing arrangements
and will be listed in the next electronic posting of the calendar.
Additional events you may wish to sponsor are most welcome.
If you plan to attend, or need a special letter of invitation in
order to help secure funding, please let us know as soon as possible.
We may be able to help find free or inexpensive accommodations in the
Washington area.
If you can't attend but would like to be represented, please send
a short memorandum on what is happening in your country to address
sustainable agriculture and rural development, whether at the local,
national or international level. The framework for submissions related
to sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD) by governments
should be accessible by NGOs in their respective countries. An action
framework for NGO participation in sustainable agriculture and food
security policy was developed last year during NGO meetings in
Copenhagen (Down to Earth - Between the Summits Conference.) The Major
Groups Focal Point of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
Secretariat has developed an excellent package, Guidelines for Major
Groups Inputs to the CSD. This was sent to all groups accredited to the
CSD and they encourage widespread sharing of it among interested NGOs.
FAO is the appointed Task Manager within the UN system for the SARD
Report and is using the same guidelines for submissions (NGOs have also
been invited to submit material directly to FAO). If you do not have a
copy of these two documents, we are happy to send them to you by email.
Whatever you have available regarding local, country or regional
SARD implementation, you can send to Linda Elswick (see address on
Calendar of Events below). We will see that it is shared with the group
and taken into account in the reporting process to the United Nations
Commission on Sustainable Development.
Sincerely,
Linda Elswick Thomas Forster Mark Ritchie
World Sustainable NGO Working Group on Institue for Agriculture
Agriculture Assoc. Sustainable Agriculture and Trade Policy
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1994 INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY WEEK
People's Participation in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development
OCTOBER 23-31, 1994 WASHINGTON, DC
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An Invitation to Participate:
GOAL: To provide opportunities for groups involved in sustainable
agriculture from around the world to convene workshops, panels and other
events to highlight critical issues and influence the governmental and
agency interpretation and formulation of sustainable agriculture and
rural development programmes at both the local and international levels,
including United Nations agencies, multilateral development banks and
the international research and development community.
CONTEXT: The International Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security
Week will occur midway between the 1994 and 1995 sessions of the UN
Commission on Sustainable Development, where the international framework
for coordination of intergovernmental and governmental programmes for
sustainable agriculture and rural development will be consolidated. The
timing of the week's events coincides with the annual International
Centers Week of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR) and activities related to the 50 year anniversary of
the World Bank, theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF), the General
Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and regional multilateral
development banks.
In October 1994, national strategies for sustainable agriculture are due
at the UN Commission for Sustainable Development and reports from major
groups including Farmers, Women, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, Scientists
and Business/Industry will also be due. To build participation and to
assist with coordination of the many processes and campaigns related to
sustainable agriculture policy, representatives from sustainable
agriculture organizations from both the South and the North gathered in
Copenhagen, Denmark last December and proposed an international
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Watch. The October
Week events are an opportunity to build on and support worldwide efforts
to secure a sustainable and secure food system for people everywhere.
FORMAT OF THE WEEK: Any organization or group of organizations may
sponsor and schedule events during the week of October 23 - 31.
Sponsoring organizations are responsible for coordinating their events,
inviting participants and funding the event. A coordinating facility in
Washington will be responsible for posting the week's events to a
worldwide Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Watch Calendar. The
calendar will be updated regularly, posted electronically and available
in print. Briefings to overview events of the week and coordinate
scheduling will be organized at a central location.
At the end of the week there will be an NGO strategy session to organize
for the 1995 session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development,
including framing of an NGO report to the CSD based on regional and
national NGO strategies developed by that time. Plans are underway to
facilitate electronic mail and conferencing for the Sustainable
Agriculture and Food Security Watch and for events of this week. PLEASE
CONTACT THOMAS FORSTER AT TFORSTER@IGC.APC.ORG IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE
EMAIL BULLETINS DURING THE WEEK AS EVENTS OCCUR. All events are free
unless otherwise noted. The Calendar of Events for the week is
included in a second email message.