Thumbnail Image

Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services









Also available in:

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Advancing rural advisory services in Arab countries to promote market orientation and inclusive transformation
    A regional study
    2023
    Also available in:
    No results found.

    Small-scale family farmers are the backbone of rural communities in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. Despite their extensive participation in the agricultural sector, these types of farmers and their farms are disproportionately affected by poverty, ultimately constituting about 70 percent of the poorliving in the region. Apart from adverse agroclimatic conditions, smallscale farmers experience several challenges that stem from their limited assets, land fragmentation and weak capacities, with negative impacts on their productivity, profitability and income. Specific constraints include low volume and quality of produce, high transaction costs, high costs of inputs, low prices and weak access to market information and postharvest facilities – all of which adds up to a limited ability to reach and compete in markets. Small-scale farmers need services that enable them to make informed decisions and facilitate their access to quality inputs, post-harvest facilities and more profitable markets. They also need to reinforce their capacities to act collectively and develop effective organizations that can articulate their demands, amplify their voice, and facilitate their access to services and markets. As a result of persisting gender-based social norms, women typically face more challenges than men in terms of owning assets, accessing quality inputs and services, reaching markets and achieving fair prices.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Document
    Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services Outcome Note 2023
    Also available in:

    FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa in collaboration with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has organized a regional meeting to discuss the vision, mission and roadmap towards the establishment of the Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS). The meeting took place in Cairo, Egypt, on 24 and 25 July 2023. The Forum is envisaged to operate under the umbrella of the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), hence joining the array of existing regional networks of RAS across the globe. Deliberations focused on the roadmap for the establishment of AFRAS which was developed with the support of a voluntary advisory group of experts facilitated by FAO. They also focused on the priority functions for AFRAS, viable institutional format, operational and technical modalities. FAO, jointly with IFAD, will communicate to ministries of agriculture through its country offices the outcomes of the meeting and will solicit interest and support from stakeholders in member countries towards the official a launch of AFRAS, tentatively envisaged in the first months of 2024. The meeting discussed and agreed on the vision and mission of AFRAS as outlined below, as well as on AFRAS values and principles, areas of thematic focus and priority functions.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Stocktaking and situation analysis of FAO's work with cooperatives and other forms of collective action in the Near East and North Africa region 2025
    Also available in:
    No results found.

    Agricultural cooperatives, Producer and Professional Organizations (PPOs), and Water Users Associations (WUAs) in the North Africa and Near East (NENA) region play a crucial role in supporting small-scale family farming, which is vital for the regional economy. Recognized as a strategic sector, agriculture benefits significantly from the contributions of cooperatives and other forms of collective action. They can help address common challenges faced by NENA countries, such as limited access to arable land, water scarcity, soil salinization, high production costs, market access issues, technical knowledge gaps, and climate change.The FAO has a longstanding commitment to supporting cooperatives, PPOs, WUAs, and other forms of collective action (CA) in the NENA region. This work is primarily carried out at the country level and within subregions. The FAO's approach includes consultative work, capacity development, advocacy and networking, knowledge generation and sharing, and support for the enabling environment. Most specifically, creating an enabling environment is a critical area of FAO's work, assisting governments in revising and developing policies and legislation that support cooperative development. This also involves facilitating policy dialogues and capacity development to help organizations engage in negotiations and understand regulatory impacts.This paper aims at providing a situation analysis of these forms of CA in the region and of FAO’s work towards promotion of CA, with the final aim to inform a regional programme in support of FAO’s work with these organizations.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.