16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology
Apr 8, 2019
Story
In October 2018, Fahamu Networks for Social Justice engaged communities in advancing , defending and celebrating 16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology. Supported by Pesticide Action Network( PANAP- Asia Pacific) we organised activities with women , farmers and students to discuss agroecology .Through organised community reflection forums , in collaboration with students at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) we discussed what is politics and how it relates to food, what is seed sovereignty and why are seeds important when we talk about food, the footprints of Transnational corporations in our food systems as well as linkage between food production and climate change .
With farmers we discussed seeds , importance of farmers having power over what they produce , price of their produce and distribution .We further discussed the importance of movements for agroecology and food sovereignty .Additionally , we had conversations on how farmers are deprived of power through Seed and Crop Acts and how transnational corporations influence legislations in various countries as part of controlling the food systems.
The convening discussed agroecology in depth , principles of agroecology and presented agroecology as an alternative to the food crisis which in essence is created to enable transnationals sell their seeds and chemical inputs.
The convening further enabled experience sharing on food and crop production from South Africa including identification of areas of commonality with regards to food and farming as a struggle especially for smallholder farmers .
The convening resolved to continue with information sharing on agroecology to dismantle the false " solutions " on food production being presented by transnational corporations