Frontline Community Delegation at COP28

We are proud to introduce the members of the Frontline Community Delegation (FCD) who will participate in the UNFCCC COP28 from November 30 – December 12, 2023.

With funding from The Robertson Foundation, we have helped convene 30 leaders from the Global South, including Indigenous Peoples, smallholders, family farmers, local community, women, and youth representatives, all working at the frontlines of climate action, community resilience building, and food systems transformation.

In collaboration with our key partners, Alianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y Bosques (AMPB), Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC), Redes Chaco, the World Farmers Organization (WFO), and the World Rural Forum (WRF), we can facilitate opportunities for FCD representatives to share their expertise at COP28. Read the representatives’ bios below.

Invite a Frontline Speaker to Speak at Your Event

If you are planning an event inside or outside the Blue Zone and would like to invite a frontline speaker to participate, please email Holly Foster, hfoster@merid.org and Liz Duxbury, lduxbury@merid.org with the following information: name of the event, concept note, date/time (UAE), interpretation services (if offered), preferred speaker, expertise, and background.

Schedule an Interview with a Frontline Representative

If you would like to schedule an interview or media engagement with a frontline representative, please email Alejo Maggini, amaggini@merid.org with the following information: name of the opportunity, topics/themes to be discussed, language, preferred speaker, expertise, and background.

Meet the FCD Representatives

Alkali MF Ceesay, National Alliance for Agroecology in The Gambia (NAAG)
Languages Spoken: English
Alkali MF Ceesay is a development practitioner and an agriculturist that serves as Program Officer at the National Alliance for Agroecology in The Gambia (NAAG). Alkali is a climate activist and a member of several global organizations, including La Via Campesina. He has also worked with the Freedom From Hunger Campaign as a Project Manager in the Global Climate Change Alliance project as well as the Global Transformation of Forest for People and Climate with a focus on climate mitigation and adaptation in West Africa.

Briseida Iglesias Lopez de Guerrero, Bundorgan Women’s Network
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Briseida Iglesias was born in Guna Yala on September 2, 1955, of traditional parents. She is a connoisseur of history and ancestral cultures and specializes in the origin of the mola (traditional textile art). She is the founder of the Bundorgan Women’s Network, Darelis Erhman, leader of the women’s organization Nis Bundor and Kandra Ehrman, the general secretary of the Guna Youth. She is also recognized as a Guna sage.

She is currently working with Congreso de la Cultura and Congreso General as the national and international Bundorgan women’s coordinator, representing the four Guna nations. She is an active member of the Cultural Heritage Institute of the Guna people at the comarca level. She is also the founder of the Gori Gori Cultural Group (theater, dance, singing, poems and Guna culture), and of the Ustupu Center Panama chapter of ONG. She also works as the producer and coordinator of the projects Gori Gori, as a coordinator of seminar-meeting of new indigenous cultural creation with the Garifuna groups of Honduras. Learn more: https://www.alianzamesoamericana.org/en/ancestral-knowledge-contribution-of-indigenous-peoples/

Elizabeth Nsimadala, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) / WFO Board Member
Languages Spoken: English
Elizabeth is a small-scale farmer and agriprenuer from Uganda. She currently serves as the President of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) and is the director in charge of women’s affairs. She has previously held the position of President at the Pan Africa Farmers Organization (PAFO) and represents Africa on the Board of the World Farmers Organization (WFO). Additionally, she is a member of the Food Systems Reference Group for COP28 and has served on the United Nations Advisory Committee for the UN Secretary General’s Food Systems Summit in 2021.

Elizabeth is also a task force member for the AU-EU Cooperation in Agriculture, a member of the FAO Global Steering Committee for the Forest Farm Facility, and a Board Member for the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa. She sits on the Technical Committee for Common Africa Agro-Industrial Parks by the Africa Union Commission and the Steering Committee of the Pan Africa Agribusiness Chamber, among many other committees. Elizabeth holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and a Master of Science in Project Planning and Management. Her dedication and efforts have earned her numerous national and global recognitions for her significant contributions to sustainable agriculture. Learn more: https://eaff.com/

Juan Carlos  Jintiach, Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC)
Languages Spoken: Spanish and English
Juan Carlos Jintiach Arcos is the current Executive Secretary of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC) and was recently nominated as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize 2023. Hailing from the Shuar community of the Ecuadorian Amazon, he is a partner and active member of the Interprovincial Federation of Shuar Centers of Ecuador (FICSH) and a key constituent of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CONFENIAE).

Jintiach Arcos previously served as the coordinator of International Cooperation of the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA), as a Parliamentary Advisor to an Amazonian Indigenous Congresswoman (now known as the National Assembly of Ecuador), and as a Coordinator of the Inter-federal Committee in Resistance Against Extractive Industries (mining and oil). He studied Natural Resources Management, Environmental Control and Environmental Administration at the University of San Francisco de Quito – Ecuador and holds an International Diploma from the International Center for Education and Training of Indigenous Peoples of the University of Nuuk Greenland. Learn more: https://globalalliance.me/

Levi Sucre Romero, Bribri-Cabécar Indigenous Network (RIBCA)
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Levi Sucre Romero, an indigenous Bribri Costa Rican who currently directs the technical and organizational management of the Bribri-Cabécar Indigenous Network (RIBCA), a group of eight indigenous territories in Costa Rica. He is a farmer and specialist in indigenous organizations and cultures and environment in Central America. He comes from the Talamanca Cabécar indigenous territory in Costa Rica, and has more than 20 years of experience in rural development and community organization, and 15 years of experience in project design, implementation and evaluation in indigenous territories and local communities. Levi is the general director of the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests, and he is a member of the Leadership Council of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities. Learn more: https://www.alianzamesoamericana.org/en/

Maria Pedro de Pedro, Association of Eulalense Women for the Development Pixan Konob’ (AMEDIPK)
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Maria Pedro is an Indigenous leader, who promotes agroecology from within her family, as a producer of vegetables and oyster mushrooms. She is a representative of the Association of Eulalense Women for the Development Pixan Konob’ (AMEDIPK), from where she has been promoting the strengthening of agroecological planting practices based on Maya ancestral knowledge for 15 years. Also, she is part of the Strengthening Community Radio Snuq’ Jolom Konob, with a period of 17 years with ad honorem service. She is the former president of the Community Forestry Association of Guatemala Utz Che’, a civil association formed by community organizations dedicated to the sustainable management of their natural resources and was awarded the Equator Prize by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Maricela Fernández Fernández, Kábata Könana Women’s Association
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Maricela Fernández Fernández currently serves as the President of the Kábata Könana Women’s Association, a network of more than 200 families in more than 15 communities focused on economic, social, and environmental development. The Association led the “Weavers of Knowledge” initiative to rescue native seeds and traditional farming practices. Fernández is also the spokesperson of the Association for the Comprehensive Development of the Talamanca Cabecar Indigenous Territory, a representative of the Cabecar Women in the National Forum of Indigenous Women, and a translator for Cabecar women in in the defense of their rights. She led the process of creating COVID 19 community care protocols in her territory. Learn more: https://www.alianzamesoamericana.org/en/kabata-konana-indigenous-womens-association-receives-prestigious-equator-prize-from-united-nations/

Mariela Melgar Ibañez, Redes Chaco – Guarani Leader
Languages Spoken: Spanish
As an indigenous woman of the Guaraní Nation of Bolivia, Mariela Melgar assumes the portfolio of Gender within the Zonal Board of the Assembly of the Guaraní People Yaku-Igua area. Within the gender portfolio, Melgar works according to the needs of the population, watching over the rights of the people for a better quality of life. This includes working in reforestation programs with native plants to rescue the deforested forests in the territories subjugated by extractivists; empowerment of women in the area of rights; environmental law; and the organic production of vegetables in communal and family gardens.

She also works on the prevention of violence in all stages of human development such as: workshops on the prevention of sexual violence, unwanted pregnancies, socialization of the prevention protocol, action and complaints in educational units. Finally, her work involves awareness raising and environmental education in schools and rural schools for the care of water, forests, natural reserves and territory. Learn more: https://redeschaco.org/

Mina Setra, Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago – Indonesia (AMAN)
Languages Spoken: English
Mina Susana Setra is an indigenous woman leader (Dayak Pompakng) from West Kalimantan, Indonesia. She is currently the Deputy to the Secretary General of Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago – Indonesia (AMAN) on Social Culture Affairs, previously serving as Deputy on Advocacy, Law and Political Affairs. She also serves as the Co-Chair of Global Dedicated Grant Mechanism (DGM) under Forest Investment Program (FIP) of the World Bank, an innovative grant program fighting forest loss in thirteen countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

She is the president of the board of If Not Us Then Who, an organization supporting a global campaign highlighting the role of Indigenous peoples and local communities in protecting the planet. She is a member of the Leadership Council of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities. Ms. Setra has been actively involved in various international forums related to climate change and forests, including the UNFCCC COP, UNREDD Policy Board, Forest Investment Program, Oslo REDD+ Partnership, Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, Climate Summit, among others. Learn more: https://www.aman.or.id/

Monica Ndoen, Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago – Indonesia (AMAN)
Languages Spoken: English
Monica Ndoen, an indigenous leader from Rote, Indonesia, is the special envoy to AMAN’s Secretary-General. She’s dedicated 8 years to advocating for Indigenous Peoples’ rights in Indonesia, collaborating with government teams, including NHRI and Ministry of Environment and Forestry. She’s also an indigenous fellow with UN OHCHR, completing her legal studies in 2013.

Muhammad Arman, Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago – Indonesia (AMAN)
Languages Spoken: Indonesian
Muhammad Arman, a certified Advocate and Mediator from Indonesia, dedicated 14 years to advocating for Indigenous Peoples’ rights. With a law degree in 2004 and a Master’s in Agrarian Law in 2020, he played a key role in drafting legislation, including the Indigenous Peoples Bill and Land Law. Arman served as Coordinator for the Legal Team challenging the Nusantara Capital City Law and participated in cases concerning the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples. Since 2009, he’s been with the Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), rising to the position of Director of Policy, Law, and Human Rights Advocacy, showcasing a commitment to indigenous rights.

Nidia Pacheco, Coordination of Territorial Women Leaders of the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMPB)
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Nidia Pacheco is a 23-year-old leader from the Ipeti Emberá community. A student of Nursing, Nidia is an active member of the Association of Emberá Artisan Women (AMARIE) and is part of the Emberá collective territory of Alto Bayano. Since her adolescence, she has actively participated in the struggles for the defense of the territory, a legacy passed down from her father. In AMARIE, she leads the coordination of Youth and directs the program to rescue the traditional knowledge of the Emberá planting system.

Pablo Frere, Redes Chaco
Languages Spoken: Spanish and English
Pablo Frere is a veterinarian and for almost 40 years he has been accompanying the process of rural development with indigenous and peasant families in the Gran Chaco Americano. Pablo teaches at the National University of Salta and for the last 16 years has been Executive Secretary of Redes Chaco, a multi-stakeholder platform in the Gran Chaco. Learn more: https://redeschaco.org/

Sara Omi, Coordination of Territorial Women Leaders of the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMPB)
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Sara Omi is from the Emberá People who live in Panamá. She serves as President of the Coordination of Territorial Women Leaders of the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMPB), a space for articulation and management of the climate agenda of indigenous women and local communities that inhabit and care for the main forests of the Mesoamerican region. She is the first Emberá woman lawyer. Sara has been recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the “100 most powerful women in Central America” for her role as defender of territorial rights and the rights of indigenous women in local, regional and international advocacy spaces. Learn more: https://www.alianzamesoamericana.org/en/cwtlm/

Tamisha Lee, Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers (JNRWP)
Languages Spoken: English
Tamisha Tamara Lee is a farmer and serves as the president of the Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers (JNRWP), an organization dedicated to the upward mobility of rural women to improve quality of life and the social and economic conditions of their communities. Tamisha is a member of the World Farmers Organisation.
Learn more: Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers

Dr. Nandini Azad, Indian Cooperative Network for Women Leaders (ICNWL)
Languages Spoken: Englis, Hindi, and Tamil
Dr. Nandini Azad currently serves as the President of the Indian Cooperative Network for Women and the Working Women’s Forum India with over 625,000 women members across South India. She also coordinates the World Farmer’s Organization Global Working Group on Cooperatives, where her leadership significantly advances the global agricultural cooperatives.
She was the first woman cooperator elected in 50 years to the Board of International Raiffeisen Union, Germany and re-elected to the IRU global board in 2023. Dr. Azad served as the elected Chairperson of the International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP).

In 2017, she received the Asia-Pacific International Award from the Global Achievers’ Foundation, honoring “women’s empowerment and financial inclusion”. In 2020, she was honored with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the 12th Women Achievers Award. The Hindu Newspaper recognized her with an “excellence award in Agriculture and Rural development” (2023). Dr. Azad spoke at TED-X, IIIT in 2023 on “Shaping world through women’s cooperatives”. And also presented the paper entitled “Family farming and reconstructing women’s roles at the FAO-CFS 51 meeting.” in Rome at the FAO panels on food/ nutrition, 2023.

Her collaborations with international organizations such as UNDP, ILO, IFAD, UNCHS, FAO, ADB, and UNIFAD have focused on addressing poverty, cooperatives, and gender equity on a global scale. Dr. Azad has a strong academic background in International Development, Public Policy, and Women’s Studies and expertise in poverty, cooperatives and gender issues. Learn more: http://www.icnw.in/index.html

Noureddine Ben Ayed, Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries
Languages Spoken: French and Arabic
Noureddine Ben Ayed is a fishing shipowner, seafood exporter, member of the World Farmers Organisation, and vice-president of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fishing (UTAP), a trade union and development organization. In his role as vice-president, Noureddine works with the agriculture and fishing sectors throughout Tunisia, acting as a spokesperson for farmers and fishermen. He also serves as the current president of UTAP, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Groupement Interprofessionnel des Produits de la Pêche, and a member of the Observatoire de la Pêche de la Méditerranée. Learn more: http://www.utap.org.tn/language/en/

Priscilla Chitimwango, Young Emerging Farmers Initiative (YEFI)
Languages Spoken: English
Priscilla with the YEFI team have led several projects and programs with an outreach of over 500000 young people in Zambia. I have a passion for renewable energy as a major bridge between climate change mitigation and industrialisation in the Agricultural sector.

Toussaint N’guessan Konan, Ivorian Network for Sustainable Agriculture
Languages Spoken: French
Toussiant N’Guessan Konan is a farmer and planter of cocoa, natural rubber, cassava, and vegetables, and a processor and exporter of cassava and derivatives. He serves as the President of the Ivorian Network for Sustainable Agriculture and of the Cooperatives and World Association of Cocoa Farmers (OMCC-WCPO). He is also a member of WFO-OMA and of the ACP-EU follow-up committee. Learn more: https://www.worldcocoaproducers.com/

Zeinab Al Momani, Productive Farmer Women in Jordan (SUFWJ)
Languages Spoken: Arabic
Dr. Al Momani is the founder and president of the Sakhrah Women’s Society Cooperative, a union working on capacity building for small agricultural organizations in Jordan. She is a pioneer in empowering female farmers and fighting for their rights, and her efforts to preserve and protect agriculture and environment are recognized in Jordan and abroad.

Dr. Al Momani also serves as President of Arab Farmer network (Arrinina) and president of the Specific Union for She is a member of Jordan Farmer Union (JFU), World Farmer Organization (WFO), and Climate Change and Food Security (CCFS). She serves on boards and committees including the World Union and the Center for Agricultural Research and Extension (CARE). Dr. Al Momani received the Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2008 and was recognized as an Ashoka Fellow and a social entrepreneur with Synergos in 2009. She holds a B.A. in Business Management, an M.A. in Business Management Administration, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Management.

Alberto Ercilio Broch, Enlarged MERCOSUR Confederation of Family Producers’ Organizations (COPROFAM)
Languages Spoken: Portuguese and Spanish
Alberto Broch is a family farmer from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. He currently holds the positions of President of the Enlarged MERCOSUR Confederation of Family Producers’ Organizations – COPROFAM, Vice-President of the World Rural Forum and Vice-President of the National Confederation of Rural Workers, Farmers and Family Farmers – CONTAG. Learn more: https://coprofam.org/

Betty Chinyamunyamu, National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM)
Languages Spoken: English
Dr. Betty Chinyamunyamu is an accomplished Development Economist with a proven track record of devising and implementing development programmes that expand opportunities for people to lift themselves out of poverty. She specializes in strategic planning, agribusiness development, project development and management, policy analysis and advocacy, farmer organization development and management, food security, women empowerment, and monitoring and evaluation.

She is currently the CEO for the National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM) – Malawi’s largest independent smallholder farmer organization with a membership of over 130,000 farmers. Previously, she worked as a Policy and Programmes Manager for the Smallholder Agribusiness Development Project, an agribusiness project managed by ACDI/VOCA. She has also held various positions in NASFAM including Programmes Manager; Development Director; and Deputy CEO during which time she has engaged extensively with agricultural development policy processes at both country, regional and international levels.

She is a Board member of several organisations including Malawi National Planning Commission, the Reserve Bank of Malawi Monetary Policy Committee, Agricultural Commodity Exchange for Africa (ACE), the World Farmers Organisation (WFO) and a Trustee of the Economics Association of Malawi (ECAMA).
Learn more: https://www.nasfam.org/

Irish Baguilat, Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
Languages Spoken: English
Irish currently serves as the Coordinator for Sustainable Agriculture and Women Farmers’ Agenda with the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), providing support to AFA members in 16 countries on various initiatives. Irish has coordinated a number of regional initiatives including the Collective Action on Forgotten Food and Inclusive Digital Transformation of Agriculture, and One Million Voices Initiative: Introducing Citizen Science for Agroecology.

Irish sits on the Agriculture for Food Security (AgriFoSe2030) Steering Committee and the Coordination Committee of the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism of the Committee on World Food Security. With a degree in agriculture and community development, Irish has more than 10 years of experience coordinating and managing programs tackling food security, nutrition and family farming. Learn more: https://asianfarmers.org/

José Ángel Coto Hernández, Regional Rural Dialogue Program (PDRR)
Languages Spoken: Spanish
José Ángel Coto is a farmer, community leader and cooperativist from El Salvador, who has worked as an agroecologist and field technician. In recent years, he has held the position of President of the Confederation of Federations of the Salvadoran Agrarian Reform (CONFRAS) and the regional representation of the Regional Rural Dialogue Program (PDRR), acquiring experience in political dialogue and creation of public policies focused on family agriculture and food sovereignty.

Rim Ferchichi Larbi, Maghreb and North African Farmers Union (UMNAGRI)
Languages Spoken: French and Arabic
Rim Ferchichi has been the Secretary General of UMNAGRI since 2015 and is a member of the World Farmers Organisation. UMNAGRI is a regional farmers’ organization, based in Tunis and made up of the seven National Farmers’ Organizations. UMNAGRI represents its members in North African countries in regional and international organizations; works in coordination with member organizations to defend their interests and those of their members, ensuring the adoption of common policies in the agricultural sector and works to open markets between the countries of the member organizations, and to remove barriers and customs duties., Website: https://umnagri.net/

Toutkoul Drem- Taing, Plateforme Régionale des Organisations Paysannes d’Afrique Centrale (PROPAC)
Languages Spoken: French
Drem-Taing Toutkoul is currently the Regional Coordinator of the Plateforme Régionale des Organisations Paysannes d’Afrique Centrale (PROPAC). In this role, Toutkoul works to promote and defend PROPAC’s vision of family farming; develop PROPAC’s operational strategy; coordinate the implementation of PROPAC’s interventions; and represent PROPAC and manage relations with partners including governments, intergovernmental organizations, donors, and others.

Before taking up the position of Regional Coordinator, Toutkoul served as Program Manager for six years. In this role, he supported the structuring of organizations into cooperatives so that they could improve the economic services offered to their members, thus enabling members to improve the quality and quantity of their production and thus improve their incomes and living conditions.  Learn more: http://infopropac.org/

Emmanuel Justine, Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Farmers Forum (ESAFF)
Languages Spoken: English
Emmanuel Justine is a dedicated young professional who is passionate about addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change. He channels his unwavering commitment through his active involvement with a prominent environmental organization (ESAFF). In his role Emmanuel supports climate adaptation initiatives and amplifies the critical messages of climate advocacy. Within his organization, Emmanuel plays a pivotal role in fundraising efforts, leveraging his adept skills in resource mobilization to secure essential financial support for projects dedicated to climate resilience and adaptation.

Emmanuel is an experienced communicator that uses his voice and influence to spread awareness about climate-related issues. He engages in public speaking, media outreach, and educational campaigns to inspire and mobilize others to join the fight against climate change. Learn more: https://esaff.org/index-php/

Laura Lorenzo, World Rural Forum
Languages Spoken: Spanish and English
Laura Lorenzo is the Director of the World Rural Forum. Agronomist and Social development worker. She has spent her career in the field of rural development, working with family farmers’ organizations in the five continents in various capacities, including researcher, international relations, advocacy and campaigns coordinator and networker.

During the last 15 years, Ms. Lorenzo has been engaged in the definition and implementation of numerous policy and institutional frameworks in favor of family farming along the 5 continents, always supporting the work developed by the WRF members in the countries and regions. Not in vain the World Rural Forum (WRF) -an international network composed by family farming organisations rural development organisations, agri-cooperatives and research centers, representing the interest of 35 million of family farmers and with solid collaboration relationships with different international organizations. The WRF has consultative status with ECOSOC, liaison status with FAO, observer status in the UNFCCC”. Learn more: https://www.ruralforum.org/en/

Musa Sowe, National Coordinating Organization for Farmers Association the Gambia (NACOFAG)
Languages Spoken: English
Musa Sowe currently serves as President of the National Coordinating Organization for Farmers Association the Gambia (NACOFAG), which is the leading organization comprised of farmer, livestock, forest, fisheries, and food processor associations. At the national level, he has extended his knowledge in the development of key agriculture and natural resources policies. He also participated in the Working Group in the Development of Long-Term Strategies for Climate Change and the Gambia National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) on Climate Change.

Sowe is also the vice president of the West Africa Producers and Processor Network (ROPPA) and was the first president of the youth college of ROPPA. Prior to taking on the role of Secretary General of the National Alliance for Agroecology, Climate Change, and Environmental Sustainability, he served as the Executive Director National Youth Association for Food Security for 16 years. Sowe serves on numerous committees, including the IFAD-funded project ROOTS steering committee; IFAD Global Farmers Forum Steering Committee and Chairman IFAD Regional Farmer Steering Committee; World Rural Forum Steering Committee; International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC); and others.
Learn more: https://roppa-afrique.org/about-us/

Stuart McAlpine, RegenWA (Western Australia)
Languages Spoken: English
Stuart McAlpine is a fourth-generation farmer who with his wife Leanne, owns and manages a 5,000-hectare farm at Buntine, Western Australia. Stuart has expert knowledge in soil and regenerative agriculture practice and his efforts in natural resource management saw him honored as a Soil Champion in the International Year of Soil 2015 and then added to the Regional Natural Resource Management Leadership Honor Roll in 2016 by the Northern Agricultural Catchment Council in Western Australia. He regularly presents at the University of Western Sydney’s Soil Biology Masterclass.

Stuart is Chairperson for RegenWA a network of committed West Australian farmers and industry stakeholders who are identifying, implementing and sharing innovative land management practices that other farmers can adopt. He recently joined the board of Perth NRM, a highly regarded for-purpose organization in the natural resources management (NRM) sector that collaborates with governments (federal, state and local), community, academics and the corporate sector to deliver solutions to environmental issues.

Tamara Toria, Georgian Farmers’ Association
Languages Spoken: English
Tamara Toria is the Executive Director of the Georgian Farmers’ Association (GFA). She is the Chairwoman of the Sector Skills Organization “Agro Duo” and a member of the Appeal Board of the Educational Programs for General and Higher Education Institutions. Previously she worked at the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) at the British Embassy in Georgia, Millennium Challenge Georgia Fund (MCG) and USAID funded New Economic Opportunities Initiative (NEO).

Tamara holds MPA degree from Georgian American Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) and Mastery of Management Graduate Diploma in Corporate Strategy & Planning from Cambridge International College. She is a graduate of Public Leadership Program at the Unity Apolitical Academy and is an alumna of Stanford University Leadership Academy for Development (LAD), USDA Cochran Fellowship Program in Agribusiness Management and Marketing at Fresno, California, USA, and MASHAV International Course on Mitigating Climate Change Through a Holistic Approach in Haifa, Israel. Learn more: https://new.gfa.org.ge/?lang=en 

Kyle Stice, Pacific Islands Farmer Organizations Network (PIFON)
Languages Spoken: English
Kyle Stice is the co-founder and Executive Director of Pacific Farmer Organizations, a regional farmer organization network with membership in 13 Pacific Island nations and a direct reach of 98,000 farmers. Kyle Stice has led climate change adaptation programs in the Pacific, working through farmer organizations for the past 15 years in partnership with IFAD and other organizations. Kyle is a contributing author to the SPC 2015 Book, ‘Vulnerability of Pacific Agriculture and Forestry to Climate Change’ and the 2022 ‘Farmers’ Guide to Climate Smart and Sustainable Cropping Practices in the Pacific Islands’. Learn more: https://pacificfarmers.com/

Richard Kachungu, Young Emerging Farmers Initiative
Languages Spoken: English
Richard Kachungu is Co-Founder of the Young Emerging Farmers Initiative in Zambia, a youth-oriented nonprofit building and empowering the next generation of agripreneurs. Richard believes that a young farmer can make the world a better place through agribusiness, as everyone needs food and can earn an income from it. He is passionate about positively changing the lives of young people towards their potential. Richard’s civic hero is his father, Lennard Kachungu. Learn more: https://yefiafrica.com/

Luiz Facco, Enlarged MERCOSUR Confederation of Family Producers’ Organizations (COPROFAM)
Languages Spoken: Portuguese and Spanish 
Luiz Vicente Facco, born in Nova Palma, Rio Grande do Sul, is the son of a family farmer, resident of the Federal District of Brasilia. Luiz is an agricultural technician and economist who has dedicated 32 years of work to the Rural Workers Union Movement of Brazil. He was an agricultural policy advisor for 8 years in the Federation of Rural Workers of Rio Grande do Sul, 4 years in the Parliamentary Advisory in the Chamber of Federal Deputies and 23 years in the National Confederation of Agricultural Workers (CONTAG), in Brasilia and in the last 7 years also advises the Confederation of Organizations of Family Producers of the Enlarged MERCOSUR (COPROFAM).