The meeting was held from August 20 to 22 under the slogan “Land, territory and dignity” in the Brazilian capital. There was an important demonstration in the Three Powers Square where the Congress, the Executive Branch and the Judiciary are located.

One of the panels made special emphasis on the importance of agroecology as a group of farming and production practices and techniques to produce food without using agrotoxics or chemical products, by respecting biodiversity and based on food sovereignty.

Valter Da Silva assessed the process of over a year that took organizing this gathering that will enable to “plan a common struggle based on a common historical analysis”.

“We are witnessing a new phase of capitalism in the countryside that is taking over peasants and indigenous territories. Right now agribusiness is working as a power agreement between large estate owners, transnational corporations and financial capital. Agribusiness balances the country’s balance of trade”, so it benefits from public policies, said the peasant leader.

Da Silva said there are 27 different forms of being a Brazilian peasant, all of them are affected by this production model. “These three words: land, territory and dignity, have so much meaning. This is what has mobilized us and made us come together”, he said after criticizing public policies aimed at promoting peasant production for being inoperative, especially under Dilma Rousseff’s administration.

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