Born in Havanna, Cuba, in 1996, as a proposal of peasant organizations, Food Sovereignty became the principle of social movements and it has now become a right recognized at governmental level and by global governance agencies such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The International Planning Committee (IPC) Coordinator, Mario Ahumada, started the debates of the movements talking about the current state of the concept of Food Sovereignty at international level.

The principles governing the concept of Food Sovereignty include its prioritization in agreements that regulate the international trade of food, becoming a right of communities. “This means that Food Sovereignty plays a central role in the criticism and mobilization against neoliberal policies”, established by the actions of the World Trade Organization (WTO), according to the Chilean professor and
activist.

“From 1996 to this day, Food Sovereignty has gone from being a concept to a principle and then a fundamental right, and we clearly understand that it is a duty that involves us all”, said Ahumada.

In addition, the movements decided to broaden the basis of organizations with the common goal of Food Sovereignty, and this week, the organized civil society is actively participating in the 32nd Regional Conference of the FAO which is celebrated in Palacio San Martin, in Buenos Aires, putting their demands on the table and trying to raise awareness on the governments of the region about the food crisis and the proposals of movements.

Photo: MNCI