Small scale farm in Santa Elena (Colombia) (Own photo)
The idea of food sovereignty has appealed to many actors who adopted the concept as a symbol of social justice and a reform of food systems, and react vehemently against the principles of the agri-food system, proposing changes in favour of agroecological, localized and democratic methods of production and exchange (Carlile, R., Kessler, M., & Garnett, T. (2021).
In the same way, the concept of food sovereignty is based on an antagonistic idea of what food security represents, in this way, while food security does not object to the concentration of economic power at different stages of the food chain or international trade in food, nor the ownership of important means of production such as land or a more modern access to information, the concept of food sovereignty is based on examining the different markets and spaces of power involved, as well as the asymmetries of power in multilateral trade negotiations (Gordillo, Gustavo, 2012).
Likewise, while food security is in harmony with industrial agriculture based on the intensive use of fossil fuels, organic agriculture with biomass and biotechnology, to which GMOs belong, food sovereignty is clearly oriented towards small-scale agriculture (including livestock, forestry and fishing), non-industrialized agriculture, preferably organic, using the concept of organic agriculture (Gordillo, Gustavo, 2012).
The principles and foundations of food sovereignty differ fundamentally from those of industrial food systems or food security. Consequently, "The Six Pillars of Food Sovereignty" resulting from the Nyéléni Declaration for Food Sovereignty in 2007 (Figure 1) have become an internationally recognized reference point for discussions and research on Food Sovereignty.
Figure 1. Six pillars of food sovereignty
Source: own elaboration based on Nyéléni Declaration (2007)
Focuses on food for people: This pillar emphasizes that the primary goal of agriculture and food systems should be to ensure that everyone has access to safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food. It prioritizes meeting the nutritional needs of communities rather than generating profits for corporations.
Values food providers: Numerous small-scale farmers face acts of violence, marginalization, and racism inflicted upon them from corporate landowners and governments. Food sovereignty values and supports the contributions, and respects the rights, of women and men, peasants and small scale family farmers, pastoralists, artisanal fishers, forest dwellers, indigenous peoples and agricultural and fisheries workers, including migrants, who cultivate, grow, harvest and process food; and rejects those policies, actions and programs that undervalue them.
Localises Food Systems: This pillar highlights the importance of preserving and supporting local food systems, including traditional knowledge and practices. Food sovereignty brings food providers and consumers closer together; puts providers and consumers at the centre of decision-making on food issues and protects consumers from poor quality and unhealthy food, inappropriate food.
Puts Control Locally: Food sovereignty empowers local food providers with control over resources like territory, land, water, seeds, livestock, and fish populations, respecting their rights. It encourages their sustainable use and sharing, emphasizes the importance of diverse conservation, acknowledges transboundary territories, safeguards the rights of local communities to inhabit and utilize their territories, promotes positive collaboration among food providers across regions and sectors to address conflicts, and opposes the privatization of natural resources through legal, commercial, and intellectual property means.
Works with Nature: Food sovereignty employs diverse, low external input agroecological production and harvesting methods that utilize and enhance the contributions of nature. These methods aim to maximize ecosystem contributions, enhance resilience, and facilitate adaptation, particularly in response to climate change. Food sovereignty strives to restore the health of the planet, recognizing that it is essential for our own well-being. It opposes practices that harm beneficial ecosystem functions, such as energy-intensive monocultures, livestock factories, destructive fishing practices, and other industrialized production methods that damage the environment and contribute to global warming.
Builds Knowledge and Skills: Food sovereignty relies on the expertise and local knowledge of food providers and their organizations in preserving, enhancing, and overseeing localized food production and harvesting systems. It involves the establishment of suitable research systems to support these practices and the transmission of this wisdom to future generations. Furthermore, food sovereignty opposes technologies that undermine, jeopardize, or contaminate these systems, such as genetic engineering.
Family fishing, older women teaching younger family members fishing techniques in Ecuador (own photo).
In brief, there are huge and marked differences between food security and food sovereignty. The relevance of food sovereignty systems as an alternative to the industrial food system cannot be overstated. This approach offers multiple benefits that address the shortcomings of the current system and promote a more just, resilient, and sustainable food future.
References
Carlile, R., Kessler, M., & Garnett, T. (2021). What is food sovereignty? TABLE Explainer Series. TABLE, University of Oxford, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Wageningen University & Research.
Gordillo, Gustavo. (2012). Seguridad y Soberanía alimentaria. Documento para la discusión. Organización de la Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación (FAO).
https://nyeleni.org/en/declaration-of-nyeleni/
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