“There is a need to rethink policy making mechanisms and ensure that migration and agricultural policies are able to adequately answer the needs of social and economic landscapes which have been significantly reshaped by migratory movements” said Representative of the Brussels Office of the Baha’i International Community (BIC), Ms. Rachel Bayani, at an event organized on the occasion of the culmination of the AGRUMIG research project on “Migration governance and agricultural & rural change in ‘home’ communities”. Ms. Bayani made these remarks at a panel on “Taking forward policy insights from AGRUMIG research”.

The AGRUMIG Research project was funded by the Horizon 2020 Programme of the European Union and was hosted by the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, in collaboration with other partners. The main aim of the research project was to study the transformation of communities from which migration outflows originate as caused by these mobility patterns, giving particular attention to the agrarian sector. 

During the hybrid event, the results of the research project were shared and discussions were held regarding the implications of their findings for policy across several countries as well as for broader migration governance. A combination of researchers, policymakers, and other actors attended the event. 

The BIC Brussels office has, over the last years, extensively explored the linkages between migration and agriculture as relevant to the European context. It has also looked at how European initiatives interact with drivers of migration in other countries, requiring policymaking that acknowledges that the wellbeing of one part of the world is inextricably bound up with that of the whole.