On 21 November 2025, the President of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), Arnold Puech d’Alissac, joined leading experts and stakeholders at the GROWTECH ANTALYA Exhibition in Antalya, Türkiye, bringing the global farmers’ perspective to the evolving field of international agricultural diplomacy.

President Puech d’Alissac underlined the need to ensure that farmers are fully included in international decision-making, noting that agriculture increasingly sits at the intersection of climate action, food security, trade, and geopolitical stability. He stressed that global policies in these areas must be shaped by those who experience their impacts directly on the ground.

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He highlighted that agriculture is far more than crop and livestock production. It is closely connected to biodiversity, water resources, rural economies, public health, and cultural heritage — all of which position farmers as essential partners in building sustainable and resilient food systems.

Calling for long-term planning, President Puech d’Alissac encouraged countries to adopt coherent national strategies aligning food production with climate commitments, trade frameworks, and social priorities. Such strategic stability enables farmers to invest, innovate, and respond effectively to evolving challenges.

He also reaffirmed WFO’s engagement in key UN-led processes on climate, biodiversity, Agenda 2030, and disaster risk reduction, as well as its regular dialogue with international organisations such as FAO, IFAD, WTO, UNFCCC, and UNEP. He reiterated WFO’s commitment to advocating fair and transparent trade rules, science-based and internationally harmonised standards, and evidence-driven policies that reflect the realities farmers face.

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He further recalled that WFO’s policy positions are built through a bottom-up consensus process, ensuring that the diversity of farmers’ voices across regions and production systems continues to shape the global agenda.

Reflecting on the role of agricultural diplomacy as soft power, President Puech d’Alissac underlined the value of agriculture as a bridge between countries and communities, highlighting WFO’s contribution to promoting farmer-led innovation, strengthening coherence across climate–food–trade policies, and enabling farmer-to-farmer knowledge exchange to support resilience and sustainable development.

Cover photo: ©GROWTECH.ANTALYA