Initiatives for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development
ISSED

Farmers in the room where decisions are made

Policy Advocacy and Community Engagement

Amplifying the voices of rural farmers in the policy processes that shape their livelihoods, and strengthening civic participation at community level.

Rural farming households are the group most affected by agricultural policy and the group least present when it is written. ISSED treats that gap as a development problem in its own right.

The work runs in two directions. Upward, ISSED carries farmer priorities into policy dialogue with government and development partners. Downward, it strengthens the community structures through which people can act on decisions locally.

How we engage

  • Policy dialogue with government ministries, district structures and development partners.
  • Evidence from the field — policy recommendations grounded in what ISSED’s own monitoring shows.
  • Civic and leadership training so community members can participate credibly in local governance.
  • Inclusion by design, with explicit attention to the share of women and young people in leadership roles.

Advocacy without a constituency is lobbying. ISSED’s position in policy conversations rests on the fact that it works with these communities every season, and can speak to what is actually happening in their fields.

How we measure it

Objectives and indicators

6 Objective 6

Strengthen civic participation and leadership so community members actively shape local development.

Expected outcome

Community members and structures participate actively in local governance.

Indicators

  • Number of community members trained in leadership and civic engagement
  • Number of community structures engaged in local decision-making
  • Percentage of women and youth in leadership roles within supported groups

Verified through: Training records, meeting minutes, community structure registers

7 Objective 7

Advocate for inclusive, farmer-centered agricultural and socio-economic policies through engagement with government and partners.

Expected outcome

Government and partners adopt policies that reflect farmer priorities and needs.

Indicators

  • Number of policy dialogues and engagements held
  • Number of policy recommendations submitted or adopted
  • Number of partnerships established with government and development partners

Verified through: Meeting reports, policy briefs, partnership agreements

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