Don:

Yes. That is correct. I was recently asked to join the IAFN. This was my first meeting. I attended day one meetings and did the interview. Unfortunately, I had to be pulled away from most of the day two meetings due to a pressing and emergent project at Sorghum united. A real shame, considering attending those was a top priority for me there.

I can summarise this much:

1) The IAFN is highly respected by the UNFAO CFS.

2) The FAO is seeking more robust private sector engagement.

3) The FAO is seeking better representation of organizations representing small-holder farmers (Such as SU).

4) The members of the IAFN are highly influential in large and respected companies. Many of which were keen to know more about sorghum and millets. A great group.

5) IAFN members have been invited to attend a forum on investment in October at the same time as the World Food Forum. I am planning to attend.

Hope that helps!

Nate Blum

On Sat, Jun 15, 2024 at 11:27 AM Don Osborn <don@milletsalliance.org> wrote:

Thanks, Nate, for sharing your interesting interview on BBC. A great opportunity to underscore the important potential of sorghum and millets for the global food system.

As I understand it, you were in Rome for meetings of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), which is convened by the FAO,/1/2 and the International Agri-Food Network (IAFN)./3/4 Will you have a summary of your experience there?

Btw, one of the areas I'm looking at these days is food policy on several levels. A very small starting point several years ago was US regulations on food labeling as regards "millet." However the larger picture - even on a country level, before even talking about the international one at which one finds structures like CFS & IAFN - gets complex, of course.

DO, EL, MI, US
NAMA

Notes:
1. https://www.fao.org/sustainable-development-goals-helpdesk/champion/article-detail/committee-on-world-food-security/en
2. https://www.fao.org/policy-support/mechanisms/mechanisms-details/en/c/426373/
3. https://agrifood.net/
4. https://emergingag.com/international-agri-food-network-iafn/

On Fri, Jun 14, 2024 at 1:14 PM Sorghum United via Collab <collab@lists.millets2023.space> wrote:
Greetings, fello millets advocates.

I thought you may be interested to see the conversation that Sorghum United had on the BBC World News this past Monday.

Enjoy: https://youtu.be/ebQN3rNQlxU
nate-blum-bbcw-10-jun-24-0734-6OL.mp4

--
Nate Blum
Chief Executive Officer
Sorghum United
+1 402 802 1850
sorghumunited@gmail.com

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