Regional FAO-Civil society Consultation:

 

The Regional FAO-Civil society Consultation for the European Region was held on the 23th and 24th of June in Innsbruck. More than 40 participants from 17 countries (old and new EU members, but also from Georgia, Turkey and Armenia) discussed the 3 following issues: how to face the food prices crisis in the Region and in the world; the climate change and agriculture; and the contribution of regional traditional food and agricultural products to the development of the Region. Thanks to the Heinrich Böll Foundation and miseror seven experts from the EcoFair Trade dialogue entered the FAO consultation process thus expanding our regards.

 

The Consultation was chaired by Mrs Irmi Salzer, from the Austrian organization ÖBV Via Campesina Austria. Three declarations were produced by the participants on these issues that were published in a single document (to download). A delegation was invited by the FAO Director General Jacques Diouf and could discuss these issues with him on Wednesday morning. A side event was organized by FIAN International and FIAN Austria on the implications of the actual situation on the right to food on Wednesday midday.

 

The outcomes of the Consultation were presented in the morning during the FAO Conference on the 26th of June by Mrs Irmi Salzer, the chair of the Consultation. Other further declarations were presented by other participants of the Consultation, Mr Abgar Yeghoyian (Protect the consumers' rights - Armenia) and Patrick Mulvany (Practical action-UK).