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20 August 2013 | Chronicles | Asamblea Alianza Soberanía Alimentaria América Latina y el Caribe | Food Sovereignty
Chronology of an Alliance
Chilean activist Mario Ahumada on the long struggle for international food sovereignty
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The Assembly for Food Sovereignty of the Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean is the result of 17 years of efforts by social movements and regional networks to participate in multilateral meetings of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). At the meetings they submit proposals, which have the same standing as the proposals submitted by governments, to raise awareness about the importance of food sovereignty in fighting hunger and social exclusion.
Real World Radio interviewed Chilean activist Mario Ahumada. He coordinated the work of the Assembly as a member of the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty and told us about this historical and political process.
As part of this process the movements have already managed to include food sovereignty in the agenda of the FAO’s 2012 biannual regional meeting held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. About this Ahumada said “We need to strengthen this space, we need to open it to other countries. Social movements are faced with the challenge of discussing with governments and including people in this alliance”.
Ahumada also claims that the concept of food sovereignty, which is essential for rural
development, went from being a specific proposal to becoming a principle for the organizations, and it is now considered a right that comprises the human right to food and a duty included in the governmental and multilateral agenda.
“We have made some progress in the past 17 years. The Alliance has improved”, said Ahumada in his speech before representatives of 23 regional networks that are working to reclaim food sovereignty.
In its Constituent Assembly, the Alliance approved a political charter and created a space for political facilitation and guidance with peasant and indigenous movements, fisherfolk, African-descendants, agro-ecological and environmental networks.
