Strengthening the Australasian voice into the CSIPM
This article is to share an update on the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples Mechanism (CSIPM), its purpose and function, why AFSA engages in this global food governance space, and details on the CSIPM Coordination Committee mandate renewal process. The CSIPM, as a collaborative space grounded in diverse civil society voices, is strengthened by people’s participation: your voices shape this work and guide how our local realities can influence policy on the global stage.
AFSA National Committee member, Rob Arcidiacono is the current Coordination Committee (CC) member from the Australasian region in the CSIPM, that feed into the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). Rob is a critical food system academic, son of an Italian migrant and part of a farming family, growing vegetables on Gumbawal country (near Stanthorpe) in South-East Queensland. CSIPM CC members facilitate the diverse perspectives of our region (not to represent groups or constituents), with Rob facilitating this perspectives from Australia and Aotearoa into what is the largest and most inclusive civil society platform within the UN system. Under the CSIPM Constitution, CC members are required to seek endorsement from partners, collaborators, and food sovereignty advocates when extending a mandate.
As such, the following aims to: 1) introduce and provide context on the CSIPM and CFS, 2) to highlight CSIPMs achievements, and how it is relevant for your region, 3) to share details about upcoming CSIPM activities that may be of interest or relevance, 4) to highlight opportunities for you to participate more actively in CSIPM working groups and activities, and finally, 5) to seek your support for the next two years in facilitating the regional perspective into the CSIPM coordination committee.
1) What is the CSIPM, and why is it important to food system transformation in Australia and Aotearoa?
The Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism (CSIPM) is a democratic, self-organised platform that facilitates the participation of civil society and Indigenous Peoples in global food governance, through the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). It brings together ‘constituencies’, including small-scale farmers, Indigenous Peoples, fishers, pastoralists, agricultural workers, women, consumers, landless peoples, youth, urban food insecure and NGO’s, from all across the globe. CSIPM plays a critical role in ensuring that global food policy processes are informed by those most affected by food insecurity, marginalisation, and ecological change, strengthening legitimacy, accountability, and rights-based approaches in international decision-making.
CSIPM matters for food systems in Australia and Aotearoa because it connects local actors to global policy processes that increasingly shape national food and agriculture agendas. It provides a pathway for farmers, First Nations peoples, and civil society organisations to influence international debates on sustainability, resilience, and equity. Engagement within, and the advocacy of the CSIPM helps ensure regional perspectives are heard internationally, while also strengthening domestic advocacy, collaboration, and accountability within food systems governance.
The Coordination Committee is made up of 2 people from each of the 11 constituents (detailed above) and one from each of the 17 regions. Coordination Committee members are appointed for an initial two‑year mandate, with an expectation that this will be extended for a further two years. This structure is set out in the CSIPM governance documents and is designed to balance continuity and renewal, allowing time to build relationships, develop a deep understanding of CSIPM processes, and carry institutional knowledge forward, while also creating space for new people to step into these roles every four years.
2) CSIPM’s key achievements and their relevance to our region.
Since the 2010 reform of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), which formally embedded civil society and Indigenous Peoples’ participation within global food governance, CSIPM has become a central actor in shaping food policy at the international level. Over this period, Australia and Aotearoa have shared our voice helping to ensure that CSIPM positions remain grounded in lived experience, territorial realities, and movement‑led analysis.
Across key CFS outcomes, including policy recommendations on agroecology, the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT), and the Gender Equality Guidelines, CSIPM has ensured human rights, food sovereignty, and the centring of the voices of those most affected by food system injustices. CSIPM seeks to operate as a two‑way flow: carrying grounded, regional realities from home into global policy spaces in Rome, and bringing internationally negotiated frameworks back to support local advocacy, accountability, and food systems transformation across the region. To do so, we need an active and engaged movement here at home to ensure this conduit flows both ways.
3) Looking forward: Upcoming Activities in the CSIPM
The following areas have already been identified as core priorities for the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism in 2026–27.
– Resilient food systems Workstream: Taking place in a global context marked by conflict, climate shocks, and supply‑chain disruption, this Resilient Food System workstream is more important than ever as the fragility of industrial, fossil‑fuel‑dependent and highly globalised food systems is exposed.
– Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge systems: The focus of the 2027 CFS workstream will be on preserving, strengthening and promoting Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems and traditional practices for sustainable food systems, important to the realisation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
– Women’s and gender justice: The Women and Gender Equity Working Group Toolkit developed through extensive regional consultation was designed as a practical resource for movements and organisations, to centre women’s and gender‑diverse experiences and leadership within food system struggles.
– Data, digitalisation, and AI in agriculture: The Data Working Group critically examine issues of power, control, and digital sovereignty, particularly where technological “solutions” risk further marginalising small‑scale food producers and Indigenous Peoples, pushing back on the dominant narrative that AI, digitisation, and data will be beneficial for all.
4) Strengthening the Australasian relationship with the CSIPM
Historically, engagement from the Australasian region across CSIPM working groups has been relatively limited, due in part to structural challenges, including meeting times that tend to favour Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Increased participation from our region would however not only strengthen our collective voice, but also improve our ability to shape how, and when, these spaces operate.
If you have an interest, you’re encouraged to explore the range of CSIPM working groups. Food‑sovereignty‑aligned organisations are welcome to join, and you can sign up here. Current working groups include Resilient Food Systems, Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems, Fisheries, Global Food Governance, Monitoring, Women and Gender Diversities, Youth, Data, and Food Systems and Nutrition.
5) Mandate renewal and strengthening our collective regional voice
With the support of rights‑holders from across our region, Rob is committed to continuing in the Coordination Committee role for a further two‑year mandate. At present Rob co‑coordinates the Resilient Food Systems Working Group, participates in the Global Food Governance and Data Working Groups, and co‑leads the Finance Working Group. This is all voluntary, and takes immense amount of time and energy, and reflects Rob’s commitment to facilitating this Australasian voice into these policy platforms with humility and care.
This role nevertheless remains open to renewal, so if it is of interest (and you can do late nights and at least a day a week of commitment), please don’t hesitate to reach out, and we can share more details about the renewal process. If not a coordination role, we would also strongly encourage engagement in the working groups outlined above, to build familiarity with the space and support a stronger regional voice into the CSIPM.
The Australasian voice within CSIPM is collective; the weight of this does not fall on one individual or one organisation. If you would like to stay informed about CSIPM activities or contribute perspectives from your own work and context, we invite you to follow our social or contact us, and we will also share details periodically about a quarterly update to strengthen our food sovereignty network across the regional.
Look forward to sharing more with you soon!
In Solidarity,
AFSA
