Megaphone for the marginalised:
New global project aims to put the voices of smallholder farmers at the heart of food system reform, amplifying local perspectives and shifting agricultural policy
A groundbreaking new initiative will bring together smallholder farmers, indigenous communities and civil society organisations in three to six countries in the global south to ensure local voices contribute to the worldwide transition to climate-smart, sustainable food systems.
Launched during London Climate Action Week this week, Voices for a Just Rural Transition (Voices4JRT) is a four-year project led by Netherlands-based “think-and-do tank” Clim-Eat and the University of Leeds, UK, with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
“Voices4JRT will be a megaphone for the marginalised, ensuring smallholder farmers – who produce around a third of our food – can participate in shaping more resilient food systems,” said Dhanush Dinesh, founder of Clim-Eat. “A more just, equitable and sustainable food future starts here.”
Local voices such as those of smallholders are often missing from global policy processes on climate and food systems, which are dominated by governments, industry, and well-funded interest groups. The result: policies that favour the powerful – such as the billions of dollars spent annually on agricultural subsidies to support commodities like rice, wheat, beef and dairy in richer countries. Meanwhile more diverse, sustainable, and low-tech systems in low- and middle-income countries often go unsupported.
Voices4JRT aims to make agricultural policy more inclusive, more effective, and more in tune with the needs of people and nature by bringing the experiences and interests of communities to the fore. As well as helping to share their stories and challenges, it will create a self-sustaining global network of civil society organisations to represent smallholders and influence policy development well beyond the end of the project.
“Food systems globally are deeply unequal – shaped by policies and power structures that too often overlook the knowledge, priorities and rights of the smallholder farmers, especially women, youth and Indigenous communities who grow our food,” said Stephen Whitfield, who will lead the project on behalf of the University of Leeds.
“These groups are marginalised in decision-making, yet they often bear the greatest risks from climate change and market shocks,” he continued. “Voices4JRT will work alongside farmers and communities to amplifying their voices, using creative and participatory approaches to ensure their perspectives and aspirations drive the transformation towards fairer, more sustainable food systems for all.”
The project will:
- Create a community of practice with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and farmers networks
- Lead discussions with civil society actors in national and regional meetings to discuss joint problems and solutions
- Identify joint barriers and solutions for civil society and plans for change at policy level
- Create key messages to advocate for these messages at a global level, addressing policymakers
Voices4JRT was launched at a specially-convened roundtable discussion, Crisis as a catalyst: Rewiring food and climate as part of London Climate Action Week. The discussion brought together global thinkers and change-makers to discuss ways to spark real climate action in agriculture. It is part of an effort to build momentum for smarter, more inclusive food and climate policies in advance of the United Nations’ COP30 summit, and inspire a new generation of leaders ready to drive lasting change.
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