Sun Dec 14 01:30:16 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summary and rewrite of the provided text:
Summary:
A national conference held in Jaipur, Rajasthan, over the weekend of December 14, 2025, brought together experts, policymakers, and agricultural practitioners to discuss creating fair and inclusive markets for small and marginal farmers in India. The conference, titled “Food systems transformation: From ecological farms to fair markets,” emphasized ecological farming practices, resilient food value chains, and market systems. Participants highlighted the need to address climate change impacts, fluctuating incomes, rising production costs, and gender inequality. The conference also showcased the potential of organic and natural products through an exhibition by farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) and small and medium enterprises.
News Article:
Rajasthan Conference Calls for Fair Markets, Ecological Farming to Support Small Farmers
Jaipur, December 14, 2025 – A national conference in Jaipur concluded this weekend with a resounding call for reshaping agricultural markets to be fairer and more inclusive for India’s small and marginal farmers. The two-day event, titled “Food systems transformation: From ecological farms to fair markets,” brought together experts, policymakers, and farmers from eight states to address pressing issues facing the agricultural sector.
Organized by the Banswara-based voluntary group Vaagdhara, in collaboration with Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and the Centre for World Solidarity, the conference focused on building resilient food value chains and strengthening local food systems. Discussions centered on mitigating the impact of climate-induced crop losses, stabilizing fluctuating farmer incomes, and tackling rising production costs.
“Restoration of non-dependent systems is essential for establishing ‘market swaraj’ (self-reliance) for small farmers,” said Jayesh Joshi, Secretary of Vaagdhara. He advocated for direct farmer-consumer relationships, minimizing the need for external certification.
Participants also emphasized the importance of preserving traditional water conservation practices and addressing gender inequality within the food value chain.
The conference featured an exhibition showcasing organic and natural products from over 40 farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) and small and medium enterprises, highlighting the economic potential of sustainable agriculture. Speakers raised concerns about the potential impact of large agricultural market players on local food systems and urged for policies that support smallholder-friendly markets.
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