From 2 to 6 June, the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) joined global leaders and stakeholders in Geneva, Switzerland, for the eighth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025), convened by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and hosted by the Government of Switzerland.

Under the overall theme “Every Day Counts, Act for Resilience Today“, this year’s session aimed to assess and discuss progress in implementing the recommendations put forward through the Political Declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly in May 2023 and to give practical guidance to accelerate its further implementation.

It was also an opportunity for different stakeholders to share new knowledge, exchange best practices, and discuss the latest developments and trends in reducing disaster risk.

WFO representatives at the event included Gunsham Seeborun, WFO Board Member for the African Constituency; Meena Pokhrel from WFO Member Nepal Agricultural Cooperative Central Federation Ltd. (NACCFL); and Francesca Mancarella, WFO Policy Officer. They advocated for farmers’ needs and priorities, ensuring that their perspectives and concerns were heard in the main discussions on disaster risk reduction and resilience-building.

Farmers as Key Partners in Designing Effective and Reliable DRR Strategies

On 4 June, Meena Pokhrel, Deputy General Manager at the Nepal Agricultural Cooperative Central Federation Ltd. (NACCFL), spoke at the “MSP2: Leave no one behind: Realizing the guiding principles of the Sendai Framework”, which focused on the importance of inclusive leadership and whole-of-society participation in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

©WFO

In her speech, Ms Pokhrel underlined that ensuring grounded, reliable and more effective DRR strategies requires the active inclusion of diverse key stakeholders—such as farmers:

“Farmers are not only affected by disasters; they are experienced risk managers with critical knowledge of local ecosystems, biodiversity, and seasonal cycles. This insight is vital for developing early warning systems and nature-based solutions that are effective and context-specific.”

With the growing global population and increasing demand for food, anticipating disasters that threaten food production and security is imperative. To achieve this, governments, development partners, and the private sector must prioritise funding for DRR measures that empower farmers and ensure their participation in designing, planning, and implementing these strategies:

“Preventing disasters that impact farmers is not only a practical necessity but also a moral obligation for the world”.

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Farmers Driving Early Warning Systems in Africa

On the last day of the event, WFO Board Member for the African Constituency, Gunsham Seeborun, brought the voice of farmers and shared practical examples of how farmers in Africa contribute to developing Early Warning Systems at the “HLD4: Advancing multi-hazard early warnings and early and anticipatory action: user centered design for a resilient future”.

©WFO

The session highlighted the importance of early and anticipatory action in reducing disaster risks through more inclusive, people-centred and forward-looking approaches.

Mr Seeborun presented concrete examples of co-designed systems created and used by farmers in response to climate risks:

“In Niger, farmer cooperatives help monitor and report rainfall and crop pests. In Ethiopia, indigenous weather knowledge is being integrated with scientific forecasts to build trust. In Zambia, women-led farmer groups are creating climate-smart contingency plans based on seasonal forecasts.”

In his intervention, the WFO Board Member also emphasised that building resilience starts with recognising farmers not only as recipients of aid, but as co-creators of solutions — they are innovators, data contributors, and first responders on the frontlines of climate risk.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVENTION HERE

Ensuring Farmers’ Involvement in DRR Key Discussions

WFO remains committed to ensuring that farmers are not only included in global discussions on disaster risk reduction and resilience building but are also actively involved as co-creators of solutions. Strengthening their role is essential for building more effective, inclusive, and locally grounded DRR systems.

Cover photo: ©WFO