Saronjini V. Rengam is responsible for the overall programme planning, development and implementation of Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP). She is also in charge of building and strengthening the network in the Asia-Pacific region. And, as if this doesn’t keep her busy enough, Mrs. Rengam is also the former chair of PAN International, a global network working to eradicate pesticide problems, and promoting food sovereignty and ecological agriculture. She is currently co-chairing the People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty, a global network of grassroots groups working towards food sovereignty.
Ms. Rengam, do you think that agricultural issues were high enough on the agenda of the High Level Forum (HLF) on Aid Effectiveness in Accra?
No, agricultural issues were not very high on the agenda in Accra. This said, however, Round Table 8 did clearly highlight the need for a renewed focus on rural development in order to alleviate poverty in developing countries, since the majority of the world’s poor (up to 75 percent) live in rural areas. And many of the interventions considered and the posters displayed in Accra clearly highlighted the work in rural areas.
In recent years we have often seen insufficient representation and participation of agricultural stakeholders in policy formulation. Was it different at the HLF in Accra?
There was space for intervention during the roundtables. However, since so many countries and groups wanted to intervene, somehow the voices of the small farmers and rural women were not heard. In addition, not many representatives from rural areas were able to participate at all, for several reasons.
First, there is a lack of awareness of the processes and the issues that were discussed in Accra among small farmers and rural women. In addition, it is not clear for them how these processes and issues may have an impact on their daily lives.
Second, small farmers and rural women are seldom involved in their country’s development processes. This means it is hard for them to gain ownership of development. They are excluded.
Third, there were concerns that agricultural policies and development agendas are driven by donors. And lastly, the processes for accreditation to forums such as the HLF in Accra are cumbersome.
“Round Table 8 did clearly highlight the need for a renewed focus on rural development.”
How can insufficient representation and participation of agricultural stakeholders be changed — so that they can better contribute to the whole aid effectiveness debate?
First of all, it is important for rural civil society organisations (CSOs) and people’s movements to be included. The donor agencies should institutionalise mechanisms to genuinely consult rural CSOs and people’s movements and allow them to participate.
In addition, it is also important to build capacity and awareness of the issues in a systematic way, so that rural stakeholders can become organised and able to respond to the issues and assert their right to participate.
We must also ensure that the full range of people’s organisations — small rural producers, rural women and marginalised groups — are involved in the development of policy and the implementation of plans at both national and local levels. There must be clear processes for consultation with the diverse groups that represent different constituencies.
We also need to develop mechanisms and institutionalise the participation of rural CSOs and people’s movements at national and international levels. For example they should participate in national economic strategy planning units or in international bodies. It is also important to ensure that their suggestions and recommendations are taken seriously, and are included in development agendas and policies, since these will have a direct impact on their lives and livelihoods.
