In a powerful intervention at the Public Hearing on “The Role of Family Farming Cooperatives at COP30”, the Secretary General of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), Dr Andrea Porro, addressed members of the Brazilian Senate Committee on the Environment, calling for stronger recognition of family farmers as key climate actors, and more integrated dialogue between agriculture and the environment.

“Anyone with experience in agriculture knows that farmers depend on the environment just as the environment depends on farmers,” said Dr Porro, speaking remotely from Rome. “Too often, discussions on agriculture and the environment happen in siloes. I see this invitation as a step forward in breaking down those siloes.”

Dr Porro thanked Senator Contarato and the Committee for their leadership and praised the União Nacional das Cooperativas de Agricultura Familiar e Economia Solidária (UNICAFES) and its President, Carlos de Souza, for linking national cooperative experiences to global climate discussions – a vision he described as “at the very heart of WFO’s mandate”.

Founded in 2011, the WFO today represents over 80 farmers’ organisations across 50+ countries. As the Focal Point of the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency, the Organisation works to ensure farmers have a seat and a say in the climate negotiations: “The Farmers’ Constituency brings together over 70 organisations and networks accredited to the UNFCCC, representing farmers in all their diversity and working together to give farmers a voice in the UN climate talks,” Dr Porro explained.

Highlighting the Constituency’s Joint Statement for SB62, Dr Porro outlined three key asks for COP30:

• Involve farmers’ organisations in the design and implementation of the new NDCs, ensuring targets reflect on-the-ground realities and are backed by appropriate means of implementation.
• Make climate finance available at the farm level by diversifying the financial tools, strengthening public-private partnerships and empowering farmer organisations as direct access channels.
• Elevate adaptation and recovery, ensuring farmers’ needs are central to planning and funding, aligning with the call of COP30 President-Designate Ambassador Corrêa do Lago to ground climate action in people’s daily realities.

He also stressed the importance of upcoming discussions under the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work on Agriculture, urging a shift towards “practical solutions, policy coherence and fair, equitable partnerships. Because the truth is that our agri-food systems are complex, and so is the UN system. But cooperation is not only possible – it’s necessary.”

With family farmers producing 80% of the world’s food, the WFO Secretary General urged attendees to recognise family farming as a legitimate profession: “Family farming isn’t a hobby or a gamble. It’s a profession, a responsibility and a way of life. It’s about feeding people, caring for the land, and making sure the next generation can do the same. Yet too often, family farmers are left out of the decisions that affect them the most.”

Dr Porro welcomed the launch of the Manifesto of Family Farming Cooperatives for COP30, describing it as “a powerful contribution to this effort” and affirming WFO’s commitment to collaborate with UNICAFES and other Brazilian farmers’ organisations to amplify farmers voices through the Constituency.

He also warmly welcomed the commitment of Ms Ana Toni, CEO of COP30, to creating meaningful spaces for farmers’ engagement, and “we stand ready to collaborate with the Presidency to ensure farmers are recognised as key actors in climate action.”

As Vice-Chair of the UN Decade of Family Farming, Organising Partner of the Farmers’ Major Group at the UN Economic and Social Council and Focal Point of the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency, the WFO is uniquely positioned to connect the dots across multilateral processes.

Looking ahead, he announced that the WFO will convene a Farmers’ Summit in São Paulo on 6–7 November 2025, in the lead-up to COP30 in Belém.

“We envision the Farmers’ Summit as a space to ground high-level debates in the lived experience of farmers, strengthen engagement across and beyond the value chain, and equip farmers’ organisations to lead on climate and development issues. This is an open invitation. We hope many of you will join us on this journey from Brasília to Bonn, São Paulo and Belém to elevate the role of farmers – and especially family farmers – in creating inclusive, pragmatic and effective responses to the climate crisis.”

Screenshot from the event “The Role of Family Farming Cooperatives at COP30″; Image courtesy of Senado Federal do Brasil