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As the process of globalisation and its implementing institutions such as WTO and bilateral trade agreements is confronting communities in various countries in Asia and elsewhere, a key area of concern and action is the impact of corporate agriculture on people’s lives.

 

Trade now determines agriculture and food policies at the national and international levels. As a result, food producers themselves such as peasants and farmers are losing their control over their productive resources such as land, seeds, water, sustainable or ecological farming knowledge and other aspects of biodiversity.

 

Meanwhile, hunger and malnutrition in Asia is on the rise. The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that more than 500 million out of the total 800 million people who are considered hungry and malnourished are in Asia. Ironically, most these 500 millions are food producers themselves.  In short, the same people who grow food cannot feed themselves anymore.

 

The development of People’s Food Sovereignty in the recent years provides an alternative comprehensive platform against corporate control on food and agriculture.

 

What is People’s Food Sovereignty?

 

It is the individuals’, peoples’ and communities' fundamental right to determine their food and agricultural policies that affect their lives and livelihood. It is the right to access and control of means of production to ensure that their sovereignty over food is protected. It is the right to safe, culturally appropriate foods and sustainable food production. It includes gender justice and recognises the right of women to economic and political rights.

 

Under this platform, the PAN AP facilitated the historical “People’s Caravan for Food Sovereignty” which directly mobilised a million people coming from more than 500 organisations in 13 countries in Asia and 3 in Europe in 30 days of simultaneous actions. In one voice, grassroots people put forward their demand: land, food, resources to produce food in an ecological manner and power to decide for themselves on their agriculture and food policies.

 

While Food Sovereignty touches on various issues on food and agriculture, PANAP’s contribution in the struggle towards achieving this goal will be through our four focus areas which we will be focusing on in the next 4 years 2006-2009):

 

1. Access to Productive Resources including land, seeds and water

2. Right to Food

3. Safe Food

4. Ecological Agriculture