WFO and AHA have officially launched “Farmers’ Organisations: A Handbook,” a publication developed to strengthen understanding, leadership, and capacity within farmers’ organisations worldwide.

On 20 May 2026, the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) and the Andreas Hermes Akademie (AHA) launched “Farmers’ Organisations: A Handbook” on the occasion of AHA’s 20th anniversary celebration in Berlin. The publication was conceived as a practical guide to help farmers’ organisations worldwide strengthen leadership and capacity to better serve their members.

At a time when farmers are facing increasing pressure from climate change, market volatility, demographic shifts, and evolving sustainability requirements, strong farmers’ organisations are becoming more important than ever. They are the structures through which farmers organise collectively, access markets and services, strengthen their negotiating power, and contribute to the policies and decisions affecting agriculture and rural communities — and their strength ultimately depends on how faithfully they carry the voices of the farmers they represent.

“Strong, well-organised farmers’ organisations are not a luxury, but a strategic necessity. The future of agriculture must be built with and by farmers, not merely for them.” — Arnold Puech d’Alissac, President, World Farmers’ Organisation

Authored by Dr Theo de Jager, Executive Chair of Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI) and former WFO President, together with Philipp Conze-Roos, former Deputy Director of AHA, “Farmers’ Organisations: A Handbook” draws on experiences and lessons learned from organisations across different regions and contexts, covering organisational models, governance, financial sustainability, leadership, democratic representation, and organisational resilience.

©Andreas Hermes Akademie / William Veder

Examples from WFO member organisations across different regions and contexts are featured throughout the publication, including KENAFF in Kenya, NASFAM in Malawi, AFASA and SAAI in South Africa, SRA in Argentina, SUWFJ in Jordan, FNSEA in France, LTO in the Netherlands, DBV in Germany, Cia-Agricoltori Italiani and Coldiretti in Italy, JA Zenchu in Japan, and NFU in the United Kingdom.

The Gymnasium, the WFO’s global capacity-building programme for young agricultural leaders, is also highlighted as an example of investing in future leadership within farmers’ organisations.

The role of farmers’ organisations in building sustainable and resilient agriculture is also central to the upcoming 2026 WFO Annual Meeting, which will bring together farmer leaders from around the world in Nairobi this June under the theme “Future Fields: Investing in Farmers’ Organisations and Empowering Communities for Sustainable Agriculture.”

“Farmers’ Organisations: A Handbook” is co-published by AHA and WFO, with financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The publication is available HERE.

Cover photo: ©Andreas Hermes Akademie / William Veder