The Benefits of Food Sovereignty and Agroecology
In a time of environmental uncertainties and world hunger, the ability to feed oneself is arguably one of the most important tasks a person or community can undertake. However, the current conventional agricultural system of global exports though the free trade market, reliance on agrochemical inputs and monocropping is failing in a number of ways in providing enough food for communities all over the world. Fortunately, there are alternative systems that have been proven to care for both people and the planet in ways that the conventional agricultural systems have not. The concept of food sovereignty, defined as “the right of people to produce, distribute and consume healthy food in and near their territory in an ecologically sustainable manner” (Altieri, 2011) can be used as a framework for these alternative agricultural practices.
It could be argued that free trade is responsible for much of modern food’s accessibility. For example, cheap bananas, are available in almost any U.S. city and are an inexpensive, tasty and nutritional option. Without the free trade global market, this would not be possible. The problem lies with the limited transparency free trade export systems, where a low price for bananas means a low wages for farm workers in foreign countries and a deteriorating environment. The real price of conventional agriculture is easily hidden.
So what are some alternatives to the global export market? One is the idea of agroecology, which is a small farmer based system where local farmers have a close connection with the land and each other. One such agroecological program is Campesino a Campesino, a Central American based agroecology program which enables accumulation of knowledge and resource self reliance through connecting farmers to each other (HoltGiménez, 2001). When farmers are able to feed their local community, they do not need to rely on fluctuating global market prices or environmentally degrading practices in order to produce their food. Instead, they are able to achieve food sovereignty through their self sufficiency.
It can be said that agroecology encompasses much of the ideals of food sovereignty. In an agroecological system, farm workers replace petroleum fertilizers with plant and animal wastes, becoming more independent of limited fossil fuels. According to Altieri, agroecological farms can also save energy by using more human labour instead of fossil fuels. Additionally, agroecology provides resilience (the ability to recover in the wake of disasters) in terms of crop diversity and also in diversity of landscapes. Agroecological systems have also been shown to be more energy efficient, producing more food per acre than their conventional farm counterparts because of crop diversity (Altieri, 2011).
Besides being more energy self sufficient, food sovereignty calls for community involvement and self organization. Now, due to agroecological initiatives in Mexico, “peasant and indigenous territories contain the main sources of water, biodiversity and genetic resources in the country, constituting a unique biocultural wealth” (Altieri, 2011). This inspiring accomplishment shows what could be achieved when communities work together.
While the current agricultural system has been unsuccessful in feeding earth’s population, using agroecological principles, farm workers could become more self reliant both in terms of knowledge and agricultural inputs. The remaining piece of food sovereignty then lies with the question of place. In order to be truly self reliant, the surrounding land must be cared for. As we have seen, a accountability can only be achieved when we establish a connection with the local land and with our neighbors. This can be done when local food systems replace the free global market.
One big issue to overcome is how to spread agroecological practices, small farmer systems and the idea of self reliance in a society controlled by corporate profits and competing cheap prices. For example, how does one sell a local fruit that is twice the price of imported conventional priced products such as cheap bananas? The answer lies with agroecology initiatives such as Campesino a Campesino. We can change the market by connecting farmers together to share knowledge, resources and surplus.
Works Cited:
Altieri, Miguel a., and Victor Manuel Toledo. 2011. “The Agroecological Revolution in Latin America: Rescuing Nature, Ensuring Food Sovereignty and Empowering Peasants.” Journal of Peasant Studies 38 (3) (July): 587–612.
Holt Giménez, Eric. 2002. “Measuring Farmers’ Agroecological Resistance After Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua: a Case Study in Participatory, Sustainable Land Management Impact Monitoring.” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 93 (13) (December): 87–105.