IDF’s Laurence Rycken Reflects on 13 Years of Progress Toward Sustainable Dairy Partnerships
Sourse: DairyNews.today
When I began with International Dairy Federation | Fédération Internationale du Lait 13 years ago, dedicating an entire week at the FAO to the livestock sector felt unimaginable.
Laurence Rycken
Director General at International Dairy Federation
Director General at International Dairy Federation
The Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation this past week has shown just how far we've come, with intense dialogue on the sector's responsibility to sustainably leave no one behind.
A central question was posed to us: What has worked best for you when engaging governments, farmer groups, and private sector players to co-create sustainable public-private partnerships?
The dairy value chain is incredibly complex and dynamic. What has consistently been proven most effective for IDF is simple in principle but requires dedicated action: fostering genuine collaboration by creating a platform where every voice is heard, and every decision is grounded in science.
The 'how' is just as important as the 'what'. For us, this happens primarily through our National Committees, which bring the entire value chain to the table—from farmers, processors, suppliers to governments and leading researchers.
But to make such a diverse group work, you need a common language.This is the role of sound science. It provides a neutral, fact-based foundation that shifts the discussion from differing priorities to shared, evidenced-based solutions. This is the key to building trust.
I’m grateful to all who have made this happen, past and present. A special thank you to thanawat-tiensin-12b07068/">Thanawat Tiensin for using FAO's convening power to open the road for dialogue between all stakeholders and creating an enabling environment for the development of science-based policy.
A central question was posed to us: What has worked best for you when engaging governments, farmer groups, and private sector players to co-create sustainable public-private partnerships?
The dairy value chain is incredibly complex and dynamic. What has consistently been proven most effective for IDF is simple in principle but requires dedicated action: fostering genuine collaboration by creating a platform where every voice is heard, and every decision is grounded in science.
The 'how' is just as important as the 'what'. For us, this happens primarily through our National Committees, which bring the entire value chain to the table—from farmers, processors, suppliers to governments and leading researchers.
But to make such a diverse group work, you need a common language.This is the role of sound science. It provides a neutral, fact-based foundation that shifts the discussion from differing priorities to shared, evidenced-based solutions. This is the key to building trust.
I’m grateful to all who have made this happen, past and present. A special thank you to thanawat-tiensin-12b07068/">Thanawat Tiensin for using FAO's convening power to open the road for dialogue between all stakeholders and creating an enabling environment for the development of science-based policy.
