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Agroecology and the Struggle for Food Sovereignty in the Americas

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Agroecology and the Struggle for Food Sovereignty in the Americas IIED agroecology covers.qxd 22/3/06 12:15 pm Page 1 This book seeks to: This publication is a collaborative project of the International Institute for Environment and 1. examine the political, economic, cultural, and AMERICAS THE IN SOVEREIGNTY FOOD FOR STRUGGLE THE AND AGROECOLOGY Development (IIED), the IUCN Commission on ecological dimensions of food sovereignty Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) 2. generate and exchange technically informed and and the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental practically applicable knowledge Agroecology and Studies (Yale F&ES). By facilitating the exchange of 3. facilitate the formation of cross-cultural alliances knowledge and experiences, research and policy between the U.S. and Latin America among institutions can promote policies that better reflect academics and practitioners. lived realities in marginalized rural communities. However, this report does more than list policy the Struggle for It addresses a recurring question on how to build options – it situates them in the rich backgrounds stronger relationships between academics and and diverse experiences of farmers and other social practitioners, including farmers and NGOs, working actors, including interviews and personal at the intersection of food, agricultural, and reflections. Presentations at the workshop environmental issues. The book grew out of a Food Sovereignty emphasized the critical yet frequently obscured workshop at Yale University on “Food Sovereignty, connections between abstract-sounding policies Conservation, and Social Movements for Sustainable and the daily experiences of real people. Interviews Agriculture in the Americas”. In the spirit of this with actors from across the Americas put a human unique workshop, the organizers have compiled this face on the discussions of policy and practice, in the Americas book, which synthesizes the proceedings, expands portraying leaders who are working to define the on insights derived there, and provides concrete food sovereignty and sustainability agendas at the recommendations to academics, policy-makers, local, national, regional, and international levels. farmers’ movements, and other audiences. Avery Cohn, Jonathan Cook, Margarita Fernández, Rebecca Reider, How – and under what conditions – can diverse, localised food systems be sustained in the twenty-first century? Who gains and who loses when local food systems are strengthened? These are some of the questions examined by the Sustaining Local Food Systems, Agricultural and Corrina Steward, editors Biodiversity and Livelihoods project. This project combines a political ecology perspective on food systems and livelihoods with action research grounded in local practice. Research is done with, for and by people – rather than on people – to bring together many different ways of knowing and types of knowledge for learning and change. As such this action research seeks to bridge the gap between the academic orientation of political ecology and the largely activist focus of food sovereignty, human rights and environmental justice movements. The Reclaiming Diversity and Citizenship Series publishes lessons from case studies in India, Indonesia, Iran and Peru along with findings from other studies linked with this action research project. Contributors are encouraged to reflect deeply on the ways of working and outcomes of their research, highlighting implications for policy, knowledge, organisations and practice. The Reclaiming Diversity and Citizenship Series also seeks to encourage debate outside mainstream policy and conceptual frameworks on the future of food, farming and land use. The opportunities and constraints to regenerating local food systems based on social and ecological diversity, human rights and more inclusive forms of citizenship are actively explored by contributors. The research project and this publication series are co-ordinated by Michel Pimbert in the ‘Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity and Livelihoods’ Programme at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). It receives financial support from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS). Reclaiming Diversi TY & CiTizensHip IIED agroecology final aw.qxd 22/3/06 12:07 pm Page i Agroecology and the Struggle for Food Sovereignty in the Americas A collaborative project of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) and the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (Yale F&ES) IIED agroecology final aw.qxd 22/3/06 12:07 pm Page ii IIED agroecology final aw.qxd 22/3/06 12:07 pm Page iii Agroecology and the Struggle for Food Sovereignty in the Americas A collaborative project of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) and the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (Yale F&ES) Avery Cohn, Jonathan Cook, Margarita Fernández, Rebecca Reider, and Corrina Steward, editors Reclaiming Diversity and Citizenship Series editor: Michel Pimbert IIED agroecology final aw.qxd 22/3/06 12:07 pm Page iv Published by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (Yale F&ES), and the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP). The International Institute for Environment and International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is an international policy research Development (IIED) institute and non governmental body working for more 3 Endsleigh Street, London, United Kingdom sustainable and equitable global development. IIED acts as a WC1H 0DD catalyst, broker and facilitator and helps vulnerable groups Tel: +44 (0) 20 7388-2117 find their voice and ensure their interests are heard in Fax: +44 (0)20 7388-2826 decision-making. Environmental sustainability is a core email: [email protected] Website: http://www.iied.org concern but not at the expense of people’s livelihoods. The IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Commission on Environmental, Economic Social Policy (CEESP), is an inter-disciplinary network of and Social Policy (CEESP) C/o CENESTA: Centre for Sustainable Development professionals whose mission is to act as a source of advice on 5 Lakpour Lane, Suite 24 the environmental, economic, social and cultural factors that IR-16936 Tehran, Iran affect natural resources and biological diversity and to provide Tel: ++(98 21) 2296-4114/5/6 guidance and support towards effective policies and practices Fax: ++(98 21) 2295-4217 Commission e-mail: [email protected] in environmental conservation and sustainable development. Website: http://www.iucn.org/themes/ceesp The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (Yale F&ES) is a graduate and professional school within Yale 205 Prospect Street University that engages in teaching, research, and outreach in New Haven, CT 06511 broad areas of environmental science, policy and management. USA Tel: +1 (203) 432-5100 Its graduates have assumed influential roles in government, Fax: +1 (203) 432-5942 business, nongovernmental, and educational organizations Website: http://www.yale.edu/forestry/ around the world and its faculty has produced seminal work in many areas, including forestry, ecosystem ecology, industrial ecology, and environmental law, policy, and economics. Its goal is to be a global school of the environment, one that examines environmental problems by accounting for people, their communities, and their economies. ©International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (Yale F&ES), and the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP), 2006 Disclaimer: The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IIED, its partners or the project donors. Extracts from this book may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes without permission, provided full acknowledgement is given to the authors and publishers as follows: “Agroecology and the Struggle for Food Sovereignty in the Americas”, Avery Cohn, Jonathan Cook, Margarita Fernández, Rebecca Reider, and Corrina Steward, eds. IIED, CEESP and Yale F&ES. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 1 843 69601 0 Printed by: Russell Press, Nottingham, UK on Greencoat Velvet Recycled Paper Designed by: Piers Aitman, www.piersaitman.co.uk IIED agroecology final aw.qxd 22/3/06 12:07 pm Page v Contents Foreword vii Michel Pimbert and M. Taghi Farvar. Acknowledgements x Executive Summary xiii Avery Cohn and Jonathan Cook Introduction Sustainability and Social Justice in the Global Food System: 1 Contributions of the Yale Workshop Kathleen McAfee Featured Articles Food Security and Trade Reconceived 16 Corrina Steward and Jonathan Cook An Expanding Interface with Agriculture Will Change Global Conservation 26 Karl S. Zimmerer A Whole-System View of Agriculture, People, and the Rest of Nature 34 Richard Levins Academia and Social Movements 50 Avery Cohn Panel Summaries Voices From the North and South: Finding Common Ground 54 Rebecca Reider Case Study: Tales From Guatemala 60 Eric Holt-Giménez Case Study: Food Sovereignty in the Mixteca Alta 64 Phil Dahl-Bredine Food Security and Food Sovereignty: Production, Development, Trade 68 Rebecca Reider Farming, Forests, and Biodiversity 76 Avery Cohn New Farmers,
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