Archive for 2009
Whose Land Is this Land?
Those of us who have been working in development for any length of time know that land is a central issue, but that it comes and goes. Well, at this summit, land looms large again. After all, without land you can’t grow food, organize your community, or achieve food sovereignty.Read More…
The Coastal Zone is a Danger Zone
If you thought the issue of land degradation and deforestation were bad, don’t even think about the oceans. Ocean deforestation and the state of the world’s fisheries is far worse than what we’re doing to our forests. Except nobody can really see it! Read More…
Who’s Minding the System?
There is great concern about the institutions that govern the food system; that is, how the Rome-based food agencies – struggling to keep small farmers on the agenda – coordinate and relate to the UN and other NY-based agencies looking for a technological fix to food security. The doctor is out, but the consensus is that the patient is sick. More…
The Orthodoxy Is Breaking Down
The fact that Olivier de Schutter and, increasingly, many others people in mainstream aid institutions, are talking about small farmers and agro-ecological approaches, means that the long-standing food orthodoxy is breaking down. Agro-ecological and food sovereignty approaches are gaining ground. It’s encouraging. More…
The Right to Food and Food Sovereignty
The opening address of the People’s Forum, entitled Food Sovereignty Now! was given by Olivier de Schutter. He has quickly gained profile for an issue that has been in the limelight ever since. More…