The 11th annual Global Farmer Roundtable took place in Des Moines, Iowa October 10-12, once again during the week of the World Food Prize Symposium. It was once again an exciting week full of activity and learning experiences for everyone.
Dr. Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes of the University of Missouri moderated the roundtable discussions for the fourth time. Thirteen farmers – five women and eight men – with diverse production backgrounds comprised this year’s invitees, including the countries of Nepal and Rwanda for the first time. That takes the Global Farmer Network to about 150 farmers from 48 countries.
This marked the first time the roundtable was held after Truth About Trade & Technology re-branded itself as Global Farmer Network (GFN) shortly after the year began. The focus of the organization in recent years become more synonymous with the global farmers who’ve attended the roundtable – they played a larger role in activities and helped the non-profit organization grow in its scope and influence. The organization had become the Global Farmer Network in everything but name, so it was only natural to make that change early in 2016.
2016 Global Farmer Roundtable participants and new members of the Global Farmer Network:
Argentina – Ms. Maria Beatriz “Pilu” Giraudo
Brazil – Mr. Lúcio Alamy
Canada – Mr. Joas Van Oord
India – Mr. Pavitar Pal Singh Pangli
Indonesia – Ms. Arie Sulistyani
Mexico – Ms. Georgina Gutierrez
Nepal – Mr. Bishnu Hari Poudyal
New Zealand – Ms. Jane Smith
Rwanda – Mr. Pierre Kamere Munyura
Spain – Mr. Francisco Manuel Fernandez Camas
United Kingdom – Mr. Jake Freestone
United States – Mr. Richard Fordyce
Zimbabwe – Ms. Ruramiso Mashumba
2016 Kleckner Award
Argentinian farmer Maria Giraudo was the recipient of the 2016 Kleckner Award. A fifth generation farmer, Giraudo and her family adopted no-till agriculture more than three decades ago and now over ninety percent of her country’s farmland uses the practice. She is the tenth recipient of the award first given in 2007 and received the honor at an event the evening of October 11.
Read more about Maria Giraudo and the other Klecker Award recipients here.
Media coverage from the week’s activity:
- Food Heroes Celebrated at World Food Prize – “Celebrating 30 Years of Impact: Farmers and the World Food Prize Laureates Who Changed Their Lives” – Ruramiso Mashumba (GFN, Zimbabwe) and PPS Pangli (GFN, India) on Oct 12 panel with WFP Laureates Prof. MS Swaminathan and Dr. Howard Bouis that was moderated by Julie Borlaug.
- Farm Futures – “No-till farmer from Argentina wins Kleckner Award” Oct 11 on Maria Giraudo (2016 Kleckner Award, Argentina).
- Brownfield Ag News – “Farming Challenges Differ Around the Globe” Oct 11 includes audio/radio interviews.
- AgWeb, Farm Journal – “Argentine farmer fights for no till agriculture, wins Kleckner Award” Oct 12.
- Rural Radio Network – Oct 12 interview with Mary Boote about the Global Farmer Network.
- WHO Radio, Des Moines – Jake Freestone (GFN, UK) and Richard Fordyce (GFN, Missouri) guests Oct 13 on The Big Show.
- MU Earth (Univ. Missouri) – multiple articles including “Coffee fuels farmer and community growth” on Pierre Munyura (GFN, Rwanda), “Zimbabwe farmer empowers female farmers to scale up and work together” on Ruramiso Mashumba (GFN, Zimbabwe).
- AgWeb, Farm Journal – “A Farewell to Farms: Why Some Youth Don’t Consider a Future in Farming” Oct 14.
- Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network – “Farming without help from government” Oct 15 quotes Jane Smith (GFN, New Zealand).
- Campo (Argentina) – “Pilu Giraudo, premiada en Des Moines” Oct 16.
- Brownfield Ag News – “Missouri Agriculture Update with Director Fordyce” Oct 20 with Richard Fordyce (GFN, Missouri); discussion of GFR starts off radio interview.
- High Plains / Midwest Ag Journal – “Farming is a tough job all around the world” quotes numerous GFR folks Oct 25.
- Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network – “Post Brexit, UK short term profitability is good; long term is uncertain” Oct 31 quotes Jake Freestone (GFN, UK) – Listen here.
- Otago Daily Times (New Zealand) – “Global Farmer Network ‘amazing’” Oct 31 on Jane Smith participation.
Looking for a speaker to be on a panel or to talk at your event? Check out the Farmers webpage. You can follow Global Farmer Network on Twitter @World_Farmers where members regularly rotate posts from their farms around the world.