Strengthening Food Sovereignty in Timor-Leste

By: Arsenio Pereira Da Silva, HASATIL

What is food sovereignty?

“Food sovereignty mean the RIGHT of peoples, communities, and countries to define their own agricultural system, labour, fishing, food and land policies which are ecologically, socially, economically and culturally appropriate to their unique circumstances. It includes the true right to food and to produce food, which means that all people have the right to safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food and to food-producing resources and the ability to sustain themselves and their societies”(IPC 2006, p.1).

Origins of food sovereignty

Food sovereignty, originally, existed in most countries in the world.

Food sovereignty means, food that has its own local point of origin.

Usually these are diverse, adaptable and integrated with local environment without intervening influences from outside.

Food sovereignty, also means access to land, water, genetic resources, as well as the people’s right to know and to decide about their food policies.

Pandangan sikap kedaulatan pangan SPI Indonesia

Obstacles of food sovereignty

Colonialism Globalization of the free market system Large corporations manipulate food issues force developing

countries to open their markets by damping food aid in the name of “Humanitarian Aid”.

Privatization of land, water and seeds Most native food plants have been polluted or mixed Traditional diet of most of the world’s population has changed

dramatically including Timor-Leste

Concept of food security covers three aspects; ‘availability, access to ability and food safety’ (FAO at World Food Summit in Rome, 1996)

Concept of food security?

Food security concept- challenges

Concept of food security was not strong enough to advocate for farmers on agricultural issues.

This concept also very limited and of itself insufficient.

Created dependency of people of import food Fuel prices and climate change automatically will

affect the food production in exporting countries and food prices will go up all the time

Solution for food security

“Food security can only work if it follows the

principles of food sovereignty incorporating;

food as a basic human right, application of

agrarian reform, protecting natural resources,

reorganising food trade, ending the

globalisation of hunger, social peace, and democratic control” (Windfuhr and Jonsén,2005)

The 6 Food Sovereignty Principles

1. Focuses on Food for People

2. Values Food Providers

3. Localizes Food Systems

4. Makes Decisions Locally

5. Builds local Knowledge and Skills

6. Works with Nature (La Via Campesina 2007, p.2)

Conclusion

To achieve the concept of food sovereignty farmers need to reject GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) and land reform which privatizes communal resources.

Farmers and peasants have the right to grow food and consumers the right to decide ‘what they consume’

Conclusions continued

Consumers as a group need to know how a particular commodity is produced and ‘by whom it is produced’.

Countries have a right to protect themselves from agricultural and ‘food imports’ which may be dumped on them.

Conclusions continued

Diversify local food crops with sustainable land management

Promoting community seed saversUsing appropriate technology for farming

systemEstablish community cooperative system and

credit

Food sovereignty

conceptThank you