Anisah Madden
Facilitation as a participatory methodology that addresses power dynamics and institutionalised inequities, to elevate the participation of small-scale farmers, peasants, Indigenous Peoples, women and youth in agri-food policy discussions.
I am a late-stage PhD candidate and a political geographer at Western Sydney University's Institute for Culture and Society, Australia. My research considers the participatory opportunity opened up by the reform of the UNCFS, and analyses the participation of social movements, civil society organisations, and Indigenous Peoples' organisations in the CFS through the CSIPM. I was an alternate focal point for Australasia on the CSIPM Coordination Committee from May- October 2019, and a co-facilitator of the CSIPM Youth Working Group from Jan 2020- Jan 2022. I have also served on the board of the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance - a national, farmer led organisation working for food sovereignty in Australia, from October 2018 - October 2020. In these roles, I have worked directly with grassroots and Indigenous knowledge holders, academic researchers, and social and natural scientists to facilitate their participation in agri-food systems policy discussions. I have also personally followed and contributed to a number of CFS policy instruments, and have participated in various FAO convention and treaty meetings with the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty. Prior to this I worked for 15 years in Canada as an herbalist, agro-ecological market gardener, and community organiser in local and regional agri-food economic development.
Anisah Madden
Background
I am a late-stage PhD candidate and a political geographer at Western Sydney Umiversity's Institute for Culture and Society. My research looks at the participatory opportunity opened up by the reform of the UNCFS, and analyses the participation of social movements, civil society organisations, and Indigenous Peoples' organisations in the CFS through the CSIPM. I was an alternate focal point for Australaisia on the CSIPM Coordination Committee from May- October 2019, and a co-facilitator of the CSIPM Youth Working Group from Jan 2020- Jan 2022. I have also served on the board of the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance - a national, farmer led organisation working for food sovereignty in Australia, from October 2018 - October 2021. In these roles, I have worked directly with grassroots and Indigenous knowledge holders, academic researchers, and social and natural scientists to facilitate their participation in agri-food systems policy discussions. I have also personally followed and contributed to a number of CFS policy instruments, and have participated in various FAO convention and treaty meetings with the IPC. Prior to this I worked for 15 years in Canada as a community organiser in local and regional agri-food economic development.
These roles and experiences have provided crucial insights into the barriers and opportunities for scientists and other knowledge holders to contribute to informing policy for more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. For this consultation, I want to focus on just three key points that I think are crucial elements for the FAO's new Science and Innovation Strategy
What counts as knowledge / evidence, and who decides?
How do we effectively and meaningfully engage a range of knowledge-holders into agri-food policy discussions and into the implementation of policy instruments.
If you would like to learn more about facilitation as a participatory methodology, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Anisah Madden
PhD Candidate, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University
Community Economies Research Network (CERN). Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples Mechanism (CSIPM) for relations with the United Nations Committee on World Food Security. Youth Working Group https://www.csm4cfs.org/policy-working-groups/youth/
Recent publications
Healy, S., Chitranshi, B., Diprose, G., Eskelinen, T., Madden, A., Santala, I., & Williams, M. (2020). Planetary food commons and postcapitalist post-COVID food futures. Development, 63(2), 277-284. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41301-020-00267-9
Lyne, I., & Madden, A. (2020). Enterprising new worlds: social enterprise and the value of repair. In The Handbook of Diverse Economies. Edward Elgar Publishing.