WTO Public Forum 2026
From 15 to 17 September 2026, a delegation from the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) will participate in the WTO Public Forum 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland, held under the theme: “Powering the Future.”
The Public Forum is the largest outreach event of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It provides a unique platform for interested stakeholders from around the world to discuss the latest developments in global trade and propose ways of enhancing the multilateral trading system.
This year’s Public Forum will place trade services at the centre of the conversation, examining their role as an engine of development, source of income, and driver of job creation and empowerment worldwide, particularly for women and young people.
The WFO Delegation will actively contribute to the debate at the Forum and engage in bilateral meetings with the WTO and relevant stakeholders. The WFO will also host the official working session “Ensuring Global Food Security amid Trade Disruptions” on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, from 10:30 to 11:30 CEST in Room S2 at the WTO Headquarters.
The session will focus on how heightened conflict levels are disrupting the food value chain and driving up costs, in addition to disruptions from extreme weather events and rising trade barriers. Maritime chokepoints, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, illustrate the vulnerability of food production and its dependence on trade in services such as transport and logistics, thereby pushing up agricultural input costs and agrifood system expenses across all regions. The session will share findings on rising production costs, explore what farmers and traders need to secure the food supply, and examine the role trade rules can play in ensuring stability.
WFO Engagement at the WTO Public Forum 2026
Wednesday, 16 September 2026| 10:30-11:30 CEST | Room: S2 | Ensuring Global Food Security amid Trade Disruptions | Organised by World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) | Speakers: Bodhild Fjelltveit (Norges Bondelag); Isadora Barbosa Souza (CNA Brazil); Roger Pelissero (CFA-FCA); Andrea Zimmernann (FAO); Habib Turki (IRU).
The session will focus on how heightened conflict levels are disrupting the food value chain and driving up costs, in addition to disruptions from extreme weather events and rising trade barriers. Maritime chokepoints, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, illustrate the vulnerability of food production and its dependence on trade in services such as transport and logistics, thereby pushing up agricultural input costs and agrifood system expenses across all regions. The session will share findings on rising production costs, explore what farmers and traders need to secure the food supply, and examine the role trade rules can play in ensuring stability.
Wednesday, 16 September 2026| 12:00-13:00 CEST | Room: S3 | Bridging the data gap in trade in agricultural services | Organised by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) | Speakers: Isadora Barbosa Souza (CNA Brazil)
WFO Delegation to the WTO Public Forum 2026
- Hildegunn Gjengedal and Bodhild Fjelltveit – from Norges Bondelag, with Gjengedal also a Facilitator of the WFO Working Group on International Trade
- Irakli Rati Kochlamazashvili – from Georgian Farmers Association (GFA)
- Yves Ruel – from Chicken Farmers of Canada, Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA)
- Juha Ruippo – from Maa- ja metsätaloustuottajain Keskusliitto (MTK)
- Klaas Johan Osinga – from LTO Nederland
- Robin Manning – from British Agriculture Bureau (BAB)
- Ellyn Ryan – from UK National Farmers Union (NFU UK)
- Macaulay Jones and Rowena Hume – from Beef and Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ)
- Isadora Barbosa Souza – from Confederação da Agricultura e Pecuária do Brasil (CNA)
WFO Secretary General Andrea Porro, Vittoria Altese, Advocacy, Policy and Partnerships Junior Officer, and Marija Dumic, Junior Communications Officer, will also join the delegation.
Further details about WFO’s participation in the Forum will be available closer to the event.