Small-scale farmers vital for sustainability but neglected in global trade, say experts at WTO Forum

At a side event of the WTO Public Forum 2024 in Geneva, government and non-government speakers highlighted that small-scale farmers are key contributors to sustainability but are among the hardest hit by climate change and environmental degradation. The event, titled "Trade Rules for Supporting Small-Scale Farming as Contributors to Green Trade in Agriculture," was co-organised by the COAST Foundation of Bangladesh and Belgium-based NGO Humundi.

Ogwuche Sunday, Senior Counsellor for Nigeria at the WTO, stressed that Nigerian small-scale farmers lack access to technology and are excluded from agricultural trade negotiations despite being central to production. Jonas Jaccard of Humundi noted that EU farmers face declining prices due to unfair WTO subsidy rules. Helene Bank of Handelskampanjen added that poor policy, not financing, is the primary issue affecting these farmers. Ranja Sengupta of Third World Network (TWN) India criticised the WTO for failing to ensure agricultural sustainability as outlined by the SDGs.

The session was moderated by Barkat Ullah Maruf of COAST Foundation.