Food and Agriculture

Sustaining local food systems, agricultural biodiversity and livelihoods

Update: Read the Open Letter of the Peoples of Cusco (PDF) to the FAO Director General, Feb. 10.

On 26 February 2010, Peruvian indigenous organizations, local government bodies and civil society organizations in Cusco, Peru, held a meeting to formulate a strategic response to a FAO ABCD10 starting on 1 March that will push for greater use of genetically modified organisms. A demonstration through the ancient Inca streets followed up this multi-stakeholder gathering. The meeting produced a Declaration which underlines that the FAO agenda does not represent the best approach for tackling agricultural challenges, including those brought by climate change.

Multimedia Publication: Towards food sovereignty: Reclaiming autonomous food systems

Towards Food Sovereignty is an online book with linked video and audio files. The first 6 chapters, available here, begin to describe the ecological basis of food and agriculture, the social and environmental costs of modern food systems, and the policy reversals needed to democratize food systems. The video and audio clips show farmers, indigenous peoples and consumers all working to promote food sovereignty, it highlights the importance of locally controlled food systems to sustain both people and nature.
 

Protecting community rights over traditional knowledge

News: Protecting Community Rights over Traditional Knowledge: Key findings, recommendations and case studies, 2005-09 Project Folder: Now available

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The current system of intellectual property protection designed to promote commercial and scientific innovation, offers little scope for protecting the knowledge rights of indigenous peoples, traditional farmers and healers. Safeguarding this rich knowledge base requires the development of alternative systems, which support the distinct socio-economic, cultural and ecological needs of local resource users.

CBD Working Group on Access and Benefit-Sharing

Date
Monday, 9 November, 2009 - Sunday, 15 November, 2009

Governments to negotiate an International Regime on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing, Montreal, 9-13 November

 

Strengthening local voices in the governance of food systems, land use and the environment

The aim of this action research is to identify and support processes that can help democratise the governance of food systems, land use and the environment. It seeks to find more equitable ways of including citizens in policy making and in the design of technologies and institutions that shape food systems and the environment.

Strengthening local voices policy debates on climate change, agro-fuels and the food-energy nexus

National and global debates on climate change strategies around agrofuels and agricultural development have had little input from civil society, particularly from groups traditionally excluded from policy processes such as women and indigenous people.

Citizens reframing conservation policies and practice for food and livelihood security, environmental sustainability and justice

Two complementary activities are being carried out to allow citizens’ to assess, re-imagine and influence conservation policies and practice:

i) Creating safe spaces for citizens who have experienced censorship and marginalisation after criticising mainstream conservation practice

Transforming agri-food research for citizen participation and the public good

Throughout the world, public funded research shapes the choices that are available to farmers, food workers, consumers, and the environments in which they live and work. There is an increasing need to explore ways of democratising the governance of science and technology, ensuring that it continues to serve the public good rather than narrow economic interests.

Food and farming futures for small producers and indigenous peoples

The food sovereignty paradigm affirms the fundamental right of peoples to define their food and agricultural policies. This implies that food providers and consumers are directly involved in policy making and institutional choices.

New Directions for Integrating Environment and Development in East Africa

This paper synthesizes the findings of a study carried out to explore opportunities for sustainable development in East Africa. It is based on a survey of nearly 200 leaders in environment and development in Ethiopia., Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as international experts, and uses their views and recommendations as a foundation to suggest priorities for action towards sustainable development in East Africa.

Peasant Seeds: the foundation of food sovereignty in Africa

A multimedia publication released in Bamako today, 11th December 2008, captures the deep concern among West African farmers about the privatisation of seeds and knowledge.

International farmers exchange for mutual learning: Privatisation of knowledge and seeds

In February 2007, ahead of the Nyéléni Forum for Food Sovereignty, IIED and its partners from India, Indonesia, Iran and Peru facilitated a preparatory workshop for farmers from Mali and neighbouring countries.

Conservation and Food Sovereignty Workshop Video - Barcelona Oct '08

These 13 short clips document this Alliance workshop, which set out to critically analyze the emerging concept of “food sovereignty”.

Deliberative democracy: Citizens' Juries

Citizens' juries are processes that aims to link local voices and visions with national and international policy making. The idea of making a decision or judgement based on an often randomly selected group of members of society has been accepted in many countries for hundreds of years. The composition of a jury and the way jurors are chosen varies considerably from country to country.

Gatekeeper Series

The Gatekeeper series aims to highlight key topics in sustainable natural resource management. Each paper reviews a selected issue of contemporary importance and draws preliminary conclusions for development that are particularly relevant for policymakers, researchers and planners.