Food Sovereignty

by Benoît Bleau, translated by Sheila Lord  (June 2015)

The International Peasant Movement known as La Via Campesina, defines food sovereignty as : “The right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems.” Now, with international agreements being drawn up by the agrobusiness multinationals, these rights are being seriously threatened and often violated.

But what can we really do? Below are the main challenges facing us :

The first challenge : Respect for male and female workers in the whole of the food chain, particularly seasonal workers. Does this mean something to you? Yes, these are those workers we can observe during the hot summer days or in the pouring rain in the fields of black earth in this area. More than 8500 leave their families each summer to come and work here. We are very glad to have them as very few of us would agree to do this work at minimum salary in the same conditions. But as a society, are we willing to grant them the same rights as those which our fellow citizens enjoy? The program “Somos Hermanos” sponsored by the dioceses of Longueuil and Valleyfield, ensures support for these seasonal workers. For more information : facebook.com/ somoshermanos

The second challenge : respect for inhabitants of the world who need healthy food at a reasonable price. At present over 850 million people endure hunger and a large percentage of this group are peasants and small famers. The monopolization of fields for industrial cultivation deprives the inhabitants of land which should be used primarily to produce their own food. Furthermore, when priority is given to cultivation intended for agrofuels such as methanol, the cost of basic commodities like corn is artificially inflated with the result that people less fortunate cannot afford to buy these foods. As Laure Waridel has said “To buy is to vote”. We all exert influence through the choices we make, whether at the food store or in our eating habits. In choosing to buy local products or produce in season, such as those obtainable from Les Jardins d’en Haut (see page 15) we are giving direct support to neighbouring farmers and indirect support to the peasant in the south by reducing pressure on industrial cultivation.

Transportation is reduced, thus less greenhouse gas is created and that is good for the local economy. At least when we buy products that come from the south, let’s make sure that they are certified fair trade so that we can be confident that the peasants’ rights have been respected. For references visit : www.equiterre.org

The third challenge relates to respect for land with limited resources. Since the Second World War, we no longer look at soil in the same way. It has become a production tool which has to obey the same economic laws as are applied to industry : yield takes precedence over quality, flavor and nutritive value. Petrochemical and pharmaceutical companies quickly recognized the immense potential in the sale of fertilisers and pesticides. Their powerful lobbies have effectively overtaken the top-level world decision-makers in order to persuade them to promote this modern agriculture which is supposed to eradicate the problem of hunger in the world and of which we are now seeing the total failure. We have forgotten that soil is a living element and that if we fail to respect the laws of nature it deteriorates and loses its vital potential. Our very survival is at stake. As consumers we have the opportunity to make choices which reduce the impact of our passage in this world. The site: foodsecurecanada.org  offers us many ways to reflect, choose and act so as to protect this land which nourishes us. Let us take the opportunity to rethink our habits and let our consciences guide our choices.