On 3 June 2025, AgriCord organised a virtual Steering Committee meeting of the Farmers’ Organizations leading Research & Innovation on agroecology for sustainable food systems (FO-RI) programme to assess progress, reflect on lessons, and reaffirm commitments to farmer-led agroecological transformation.Representatives from the EU, OACPS, agri-agencies, and farmers’ organizations gathered to review the 2024 achievements, highlight innovations, and address challenges across the FORI programme.
AgriCord, with financial support from the European Commission and OACPS, is implementing 13 action research projects across 17 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific through 7 member agri-agencies and Pacific Farmers Organisation (PFO) in collaboration with partner Farmer Organisations at all levels.
At the heart of the FORI programme is a deep commitment to co-creating knowledge through farmer-led action research, rooted in local needs and agroecological principles. As Marion Michaud of the EU emphasized in her remarks, agroecology "is an integrated and transformative framework" that must be adapted to each context through the active involvement of all actors, especially farmers.
"This articulation between agroecology and farmers-led research that we commonly call action research is what makes FORI quite special. (...) The FORI program contributes to addressing a large number of critical issues that are the core of other EU-funded programs in the sustainable agriculture sector." Marion Michaud
Yvonne CHILESHE of the OACPS echoed this appreciation, noting how FORI empowers small-scale farmers to take a more proactive role in shaping research agendas.
“Despite difficult conditions,” she said, referencing challenges in Haiti and Burkina Faso, “the project maintained steady progress ... and I believe that the targets which were set have actually been exceeded.”
2024: A Year of Expansion and Capitalisation
2024 marked a significant scale-up:
- Training participants increased from 1,263 in 2023 to 4,653.
- Women and youth involvement rose from 569 to 2,498.
- Capitalization products, including videos, factsheets, and stories, nearly tripled (from 19 to 52).
For Strengthening Farmer–Researcher Collaboration and Creating an Enabling Environment for Agroecology
Trust has been built along the implementation process between researchers and farmers, reinforcing collaboration and creation. By working together, farmers and researchers co-created solutions that were grounded in local realities, ensuring that the research was more relevant and actionable.
Cases from Tanzania and Mali showcased the tangible outcomes resulting from advocacy for Agroecology. In Tanzania, advocacy contributed to the creation of a national ecological organic farming strategy. In Mali, farmers influenced legislative frameworks on seed policies.
Peer-to-Peer Learning
Informal dissemination via farmer-to-farmer networks and early adoption of practices such as vermicomposting and biopesticide use showed that participatory processes go beyond project boundaries to build enduring local knowledge systems.
Brazil and Uruguay FORI initiatives were presented during the meeting:
- In Brazil, 30 reference units with 90 direct participants (42 women and 14 youths) advanced agroecological methods through a farmer-to-farmer learning model, local seed networks, and production of bio-inputs. Regional exchanges and thematic groups enriched co-learning across diverse agroecosystems.
- In Uruguay, 15 experimental units (local workshops) with 48 direct participants (19 women and 15 youths) focused on soils, plant health and plant farm management. A 34% increase in good practices was recorded in just one year of co-innovation work. These actions were supported by public and private institutions.
Despite progress, challenges persist:
- Security concerns in some regions, but progress is ongoing.
- Logistical barriers due to remote locations.
- Need for post-project sustainability through policy and institutional backing.
However, the Steering Committee recognized that FORI is not just a programme, it is a process of transformation, grounded in equity, participation, and shared learning. The meeting concluded with renewed commitments to scaling impact, strengthening gender integration, and ensuring knowledge capitalisation remains a core strategy moving into 2025.