The first day of the 2025 Internal Affairs Session of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) General Assembly recently concluded, marking a key moment for farmer-led advocacy. Farmer delegates from across all regions came together and, after thorough discussions and debates, reached a consensus on two new policy documents that will guide WFO’s engagement in international policy discussions over the coming year.

Reaffirming WFO’s dedication to democratic governance and consensus-based decision-making, Member organisations have set a clear political direction on two critical issues for the future of agriculture: digitalisation and artificial intelligence, and food loss and waste.

The new Policy on Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence outlines how digital tools and AI should be developed and applied in the agri-food sector in a way that reflects farmers’ realities. It calls for equitable access, data protection safeguards and cybersecurity measures, and farmer participation in the design and deployment of technologies. It also addresses the urgent need to close the digital divide, particularly for women, youth, and underserved farming communities.

The Policy on Food Loss and Waste recognises the crucial role of farmers in reducing food loss and waste while stressing that real progress requires shared responsibility. It calls for a collaborative, system-wide approach, calling on all stakeholders along the food value chain to contribute.

Together, these two policies reinforce WFO’s position as a key voice in multilateral spaces and will inform its advocacy efforts to ensure that decisions affecting agriculture reflect the needs and on-the-ground experiences of farmers worldwide.

“These outcomes represent more than a vote—they are a united message from the world’s farmers to the decision-makers: solutions must be shaped with us, not for us,” said WFO President Arnold Puech d’Alissac.

Cover photo: ©WFO