A concept that gained prominence in the 1990s as a result of the activities of the La Via Campesina movement which resonated among indigenous communities and peasants as a reaction to the dominant industrial food system, food sovereignty is simply the right of local communities to have full control of their own food systems, referring to the three related stages of food production, distribution, and consumption. Traditionally, the idea is to empower communities to have the freedom to decide about the food they produce and consume with emphasis on sustainability and equitability.
The concept of food sovereignty is driven by about six main principles. First is a focus on local food system which encourages production and consumption within a particular enclave. Secondly, it favors the right of local communities to control their own food systems with regards to what to produce, how to produce the goods, and how to distribute them. The concept also considers agro-ecology and sustainable practices; as well as preservation of biodiversity as very critical. Fifth principle of food sovereignty is equity and social justice with recognizes the struggles of marginalized communities for free access to land, resources, and decision making powers. Lastly is the concepts opposition to corporate controlled agriculture, challenging the dominance of industry and corporate world in food production which prioritizes profit making above people and the environment.
The advantages of food sovereignty are enormous as it does not only protect the political sovereignty of a nation but also ensures food security, a very critical aspect of national security. It allows for cultural preservation particularly the traditions, practices, crop diversity and farming behavior of the indigenous people. Also, there is the environmental sustainability part of the concept. Certain agro-ecological practices which are driven by the idea of food sovereignty could contribute towards the reduction of environmental impacts which manifest in form of deforestation, environmental pollution and climate change. This is besides the general economic benefits derivable from the idea including employment opportunities and small scale businesses.
The idea, although laudable is bedeviled by gap in infrastructure and critical enabling resources as well as unfavorable policy and regulatory frameworks. Besides, power dynamics is often not in favor of small countries who would want to drive food sovereignty as it faces strong resistance from powerful multinationals and governments for certain interests.
The inability of a nation to have full control of its agricultural system to produce, consume and distribute its produce is a significant challenge to its sovereignty, particularly in the context of global food systems. It is however encouraging to know that African countries, particularly Nigeria has been taking giant steps to improve food sovereignty. This includes the Agricultural Transformation Agenda; the Anchor Borrowers Programme; the establishment of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority; several presidential initiatives on agriculture; and efforts at the level of federating units. There is no gain saying that government may need to upscale existing measures and advance new ones to ensure food sovereignty of the country.
0 Comments