Governance

IAFN GOVERNANCE GUIDELINES FOR THE INTERNATIONAL AGRI-FOOD NETWORK

  1. The International Agri-Food Network is a network rather than an association that monitors and provides input into multilateral processes related to food and agricultural issues. It is incorporated and operates on a virtual basis with no office premises.
  2. It is a network of the willing.
  3. Membership is open to international business organisations linked to production, trade, processing and retailing agricultural and food products. In cases where there is no international level body, a regional association can represent the industry and should reach out to the other regional groups in their field to co-ordinate input into the network. Special provision is made for national and regional farmers groups to join the Network.
  4. The International Agri-Food Network (IAFN) will undertake such activities as agreed by the members throughout the year. Such activities may include, amongst others:
    1. Information sharing on multi-lateral processes
    2. Identification of emerging issues
    3. Work sharing to manage multilateral processes, such as the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
    4. Development of position papers
    5. Networking and advocacy
  5. Decisions are taken through the maximum consensus possible. Silence is counted as agreement. If the chairperson deems that consensus cannot be reached, then a decision can be made by a simple majority vote of members. No IAFN member shall be precluded from taking any position that may differ from the IAFN position, regardless of whether that member attended the meeting.
  6. It is possible to become a member of IAFN by sending a request to the chairperson or secretariat (see web site for current contacts), and said request is subject to the approval of the other members. If approved, the member’s association will be listed on the IAFN web site.
  7. Any member wishing to leave the Network, can do so through notification of the chairperson or secretariat in e-mail or letter. In extraordinary circumstances, members may also opt to remove a member from the register.
  8. A chairperson is selected for the Network every two years. No set term limit has been established. In principle, the chairmanship should rotate between members who have paid dues.
  9. Members shall convene at the call of the chairperson to settle matters related to:
    1. Secretariat services
    2. Budget
    3. Expenditures
    4. Assessing work load
    5. Dues-setting and levies
  10. For so long as IAFN is the private sector focal point for the Committee on World Food Security, the member named to the Advisory Group shall rotate every two years or be reconfirmed by the membership every two years.
  11. From 2012-2014, IAFN supported the Private Sector Mechanism of the UN Committee on Food Security extensively to assist its formation. On the go forward, IAFN shall convene a meeting with the Supporting Members of the Private Sector Mechanism to mutually agree on program priorities and funding as defined in the governance document.
  12. There shall be a minimum of one in-person meeting of the Network each year. Those present form a quorum. Other communications and consultations shall be primarily via e-mail. The chairperson may convene conference calls and further in-person meetings at his/her discretion.

IAFN Membership

  • Non-OECD national and regional organizations where no international organizations exist – €300 a year
  • OECD national organizations where no regional or international organizations exist – €1000 a year 
  • International associations – €7500 a year