INSTITUTE FOR FOOD AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY SPRING 2015 VOLUME 21 • NUMBER 1

Grade school class after a lesson from the Food First social studies curriculum, 1988 Food First: Exploding Myths and Inspiring Change for 40 Years

or four decades, Food First has been generating progressive analyses of development issues at home and abroad, and amplifying the voices of local and global movements for peace, social justice, human F rights, and the right to food. When we look back, we are amazed at the breadth of topics Food First has taken on over the years, speaking to the timeliest challenges facing humanity while always highlighting the struggles of ordinary people.

We are humbled by this remarkable history because it reminds us that we stand on the shoulders of visionary analysts and activists like Frances (“Frankie”) Moore Lappé, Joseph Collins, Walden Bello, Peter Rosset, Medea Benjamin, Anuradha Mittal, Christine Ahn, Raj Patel, and countless others—who pushed the envelope and gave us new ways of seeing the world. As part of Food First and beyond, they exploded the myths that, as Raj says, “do a lot of thinking for us.” Food First’s goal, then as now, is to give people the tools to take back the power—to think for themselves; to understand how our food (and economic) system works; and to engage in deeply informed activism.

Published in 1977, Food First: Beyond the myth of scarcity is Food First’s hallmark (and namesake) publication. Frankie and Joe’s pioneering book argued that the root causes of hunger were not to be found in underproductive agriculture, the whims of nature, or insufficient food aid, but rather in an unjust distribution of wealth, resources, and political power. The implications of this analysis are far-reaching: only through a radical reorganization of society will we achieve genuine solutions to poverty and hunger.

The 1970s and 80s saw a number of struggles around the world fighting for precisely this kind of radical change including revolutionary movements in Central America. Through its solidarity activism and publications, Food First provided a window onto these globalization, including Chile’s Free teaching courses, leading delegations, movements and the US-supported Market Miracle by Joe Collins, A Siamese and facilitating workshops. In recent campaigns to crush them. Foreign aid, Tragedy by Walden Bello, and Shafted: years, we have witnessed and celebrated Food First pointed out, often worsened Free trade and America’s working poor by the unprecedented advance of people hunger and dependency, fanning Christine Ahn. From the wreckage of power around the world. In the US, the flames of conflict rather than neoliberal globalization, which pushed Occupy Wall Street, the climate justice promoting peace and development. people—especially communities of movement, food and farm worker And in the 1980s and 90s, when the aid color, women, peasants, and indigenous organizing, and anti-racism protests agenda turned into a “free trade” agenda people—to the edge of survival, new have contributed to a richer definition with the creation of the World Trade movements emerged such as the of “food justice” and broader alliances Organization (WTO) and the North Zapatistas in southern Mexico; the for transformation. Informed by global American Free Trade Agreement international peasant movement La peasant movements, the UN now touts (NAFTA), Food First continued to Vía Campesina with its cry for “food agroecology and peasants’ rights as the inform the public about the devastating sovereignty”; Brazil’s Landless Workers way forward. consequences for countries of the Movement (MST); and the US Global South as well as for workers and community food security movement. As we look around us in 2015, we are farmers in the United States. energized, inspired, and eager to face Food First participated in many of these the future arm-in-arm with the vast In numerous publications, Food First movements—organizing, protesting, family of supporters, allies, and friends outlined the disaster of neoliberal debating, giving congressional testimony, who have shaped 40 years of Food First. FOOD FIRST TIMELINE: BOOKS, ACHIEVEMENTS & WORLD EVENTS 1971 1984 Food First co-founder Frances (“Frankie”) Food First publishes an integrated social Moore Lappé publishes Diet for a Small studies curriculum designed to help sixth Planet, which has now sold over three grade students understand their food’s million copies. journey from the farm to the dinner table, and the causes of hunger at home and 2 1975 abroad. Food First founds the Television Joseph Collins and Frances Moore Lappé Organizing Project, which splits off in 1986 meet at the first World Food Conference as Neighbor-to-Neighbor, to put political in Rome and found the Institute for Food pressure on Congress to stop US military and Development Policy, aka Food First. aid to right-wing forces in Central America.

1977 1986 Medea Benjamin accepts the Bay Area Book Award for Food First publishes Food First: Beyond the Food First co-founders publish World Don’t Be Afraid Gringo, 1987. Photo by Elliott Smith myth of scarcity by Frances Moore Lappé Hunger: 12 Myths, which examines the 1988 and Joseph Collins and Needless Hunger: policies that have kept hungry people from Food First publishes A Fate Worse than Voices from a Bangladeshi village by James feeding themselves around the world. World Debt by Susan George, which analyzes Boyce and Betsy Hartmann. Hunger is now in its third and revised edition the World Bank and IMF’s structural (forthcoming 2015). Food First publishes adjustment programs in the Third World. 1979 Alternatives to the Peace Corps. Now in its Food First staffers Kevin Danaher and The Sandinistas overthrow the Somoza 12th edition, it was the first guide to offer Medea Benjamin start the human rights dictatorship in Nicaragua and establish options for volunteer service focused on organization Global Exchange. a revolutionary government, which lasts social change. until 1990 in spite of a US-funded and 1989 trained militia known as the Contras. 1987 The Soviet Union falls. Cuba loses Frances Moore Lappé accepts the Right access to petroleum inputs, leading to 1981 Livelihood Award (Alternative Nobel Prize) its widespread adoption of sustainable Food First publishes the book Circle of on behalf of Food First “for revealing the agriculture. Food First publishes Kerala: Poison by David Weir and Mark Schapiro, political and economic causes of world Radical reform as development in an Indian which leads to the formation of Pesticide hunger and how citizens can help to remedy state by Richard Franke and Barbara Action Network, an international coalition them.” Chasin. concerned with pesticide poisoning. Food First publishes Don’t Be Afraid Gringo 1990 1982 by Elvia Alvarado, translated and edited by Frances Moore Lappé founds the Food First publishes Nicaragua: What Medea Benjamin which tells the story of Center for Living Democracy. Among its difference could a revolution make? by peasant struggles and US intervention in publications is the 1997 report Bridging Joseph Collins with Frances Moore Lappé Honduras. The book wins the Bay Area Book the Racial Divide describing how citizens and Nick Allen. Publishers best biography of the year award. Collins and John Lear, which examines the Institute and Small Planet Fund, channeling gap between free market rhetoric and resources to social movements worldwide. socioeconomic realities in Pinochet’s Chile. Former Food First staffer Medea Benjamin founds Code Pink: Women for Peace, a 1996 grassroots organization working to end La Vía Campesina launches the concept US-funded wars and occupations. of “food sovereignty” at the World Food Summit: “the right of all peoples to healthy 2003 and culturally appropriate food produced Activists shut down the WTO in Cancún. through sustainable methods and their right Food First works with indigenous and to define their own food and agriculture peasant activist groups protesting the systems.” inclusion of agriculture within WTO trade rules and, as a UN NGO on the inside, Walden Bello, TV interview with Edward Klamm, 1990 1997 influences India to withdraw. Talks collapse. Food First publishes Benedita da Silva: An across the country are sponsoring Afro-Brazilian woman’s story of politics and 2004 interracial dialogues. love, which tells the story of the first Black Food First publishes Genetic Engineering in woman from a favela to become a congress- Agriculture: The myths, environmental risks, 1992 woman and senator in Brazil. Starting in and alternatives by Miguel Altieri. Food First publishes Dragons in Distress Thailand, a devastating financial crisis strikes by Food First Executive Director Walden East Asia. 2006 Bello and Stephanie Rosenfeld, which Food First publishes Campesino a challenges prevailing wisdom on Asia’s 1999 Campesino: Voices from Latin America’s “miracle economies.” Global Exchange Executive Director Peter Rosset and board farmer to farmer movement for sustainable and Food First co-organize the first US vice-president Miguel Altieri are invited agriculture by Eric Holt-Giménez and delegation to Cuba focused on sustainable to the Vatican to provide a consultation Promised Land: Competing visions of agriculture. on hunger in the 21st century. Food First agrarian reform edited by Peter Rosset, Raj publishes three books: America Needs Patel, and Michael Courville, produced in 1993 Human Rights, which argues that human partnership with organizations in Thailand, The international peasant movement rights are routinely violated in the US; Brazil, and South Africa. The Bill and La Vía Campesina is founded in Mons, A Siamese Tragedy: Development and Melinda Gates Foundation and Rockefeller Belgium, which now includes over 150 degradation in modern Thailand, which looks Foundation come together to form the member organizations in 70 countries at the role of foreign investment in causing Alliance for a New Green Revolution in 3 representing 300 million farmers. that country’s economic collapse; and Basta! Africa (AGRA). Land and the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, 1994 now in its third and revised edition. 2007 The North American Free Trade Food First participates in the Forum Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. On In November, Food First participates in for Food Sovereignty in Nyéléni, Mali, the morning of January 1, the Zapatista massive protests at the WTO Ministerial in which includes more than 500 people movement is born in the southern Mexican Seattle, WA, which catalyzes the US anti- representing organizations from over 80 state of Chiapas, inspiring anti-globalization globalization movement. The Congressional countries. Food First warns delegates activists around the world. The Community Progressive Caucus launches its “Economic of the colonial intent behind the new Food Security Coalition—which reaches Human Rights” bus tour of economic Green Revolution for Africa. At Nyéléni, a membership of 500 organizations—is injustices in the US, co-sponsored by Food Food First co-organizes an international founded to provide leadership to the First and the Institute for Policy Studies. The conference with 150 participants from rapidly expanding food movement in tour kicks off in Georgia joined by Danny 35 African and northern countries to North America. Glover and Harry Belafonte. discuss African Alternatives to the Green Revolution. Planning for the African-led 1995 2001 “We Are the Solution” campaign begins. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Food First publishes The Future in the The Nyéléni Declaration asserts that: Food comes into existence with the goal of Balance: Essays on globalization and resistance sovereignty implies new social relations free extending free trade and investment by Walden Bello. of oppression and inequality between men across the globe. Former Food First and women, peoples, racial groups, social Executive Director Walden Bello founds 2002 and economic classes, and generations.” the Bangkok-based think tank Focus on Food First publishes Sustainable Agriculture the Global South aimed at counteracting and Resistance: Transforming food production In 2007 and 2008, world food prices neoliberalism and militarization. in Cuba by Fernando Funes, Peter Rosset, increase dramatically, creating a global Luis García, Nilda Pérez, and Martin Bourque, crisis and causing political and economic Food First publishes Breakfast of which tells the story of Cuba’s remarkable instability in both poor and developed Biodiversity by John Vandermeer and recovery from a food crisis brought on by nations. The number of hungry people in Yvette Perfecto, which describes the the collapse of the Soviet Union and turn the world tops one billion. global economic forces responsible for toward organic farming. Food First founder rainforest destruction, and Chile’s Free- Frances Moore Lappé and her daughter 2008 Market Miracle: A second look by Joseph Anna Lappé establish the Small Planet Food First agrees to incubate the newly- created Oakland Food Policy Council, 2011 now a thriving a 21-seat council that The campaign “We Are the Solution: makes recommendations to the City of Celebrating African family farming” is Oakland on ways to make the system launched at the World Social Forum in more equitable and sustainable. Dakar, Senegal, led by rural women from six West African countries. Food First supports 2009 the campaign with resources, analysis, and Food First publishes three books: Agrofuels agroecological training materials. Food in the Americas, edited by Rick Jonasse; First publishes the book Food Movements Beyond the Fence: A journey to the roots of Unite! Strategies to transform our food the migration crisis by Dori Stone; and Food Executive Director Eric Holt-Giménez leads a systems edited by Eric Holt-Giménez, which workshop of the EBUFFS project in San Leandro, CA, Rebellions: Crisis and the hunger for justice highlights the voices of farmers, workers, and 2013. Photo by Leonor Hurtado by Eric Holt-Giménez, Raj Patel, and Annie activists from rural and urban communities its first delegation to South Korea co- Shattuck, which analyzes the events that around the globe. led to the global food crisis of 2007-2008 organized by the Korean Women’s Peasant Association. and documents the grassroots initiatives On November 2, Occupy Oakland calls for working to create food sovereignty. Food a General Strike. Food First co-organizes a 2014 First also publishes the report “Food Policy Food Justice Teach In & Eat In with other Bay Food First publishes a landmark action- Councils: Lessons Learned,” an in-depth Area organizations in a joint call to “Occupy research study on the “Food Insecurity of study of 48 North American Food Policy the Food System.” Food First co-hosts the Restaurant Workers” in partnership with Councils. On June 28, 2009, democratically 13th Annual Community Food Security Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) elected Honduran president Manuel Coalition conference in Oakland, CA, with and Food Chains Workers Alliance. Food Zelaya is overthrown in a military coup. a record 1,100 attendees. Food Sovereignty First also publishes three important briefs Tours organizes ten Food Justice Tours in its Land & Sovereignty series on the 2010 allowing 305 conference participants to visit financialization of farmland; land grabbing Food First launches its formal educational Bay Area food justice organizations. travel program Food Sovereignty Tours and peasant resistance in Paraguay; and land grabbing in the United States. geared toward helping farmers, scholars, 2012 activists, and consumers connect with the Food First convenes a group of researchers The police killing of Black teenager Michael global movement for food sovereignty. and activists in Oakland, CA, to discuss land Brown in Ferguson, MO, and public Food First co-publishes the book Food grabbing and resistance in the Americas— outcry put racial injustice in the spotlight. Sovereignty: Reconnecting food, nature and North and South, urban and rural—in 4 Food First identifies “dismantling racism community, edited by Annette Desmarais, an initiative that becomes the Land & in the food system” as an institutional Nettie Wiebe, and Hannah Wittman, which Sovereignty in the Americas Collective. priority. The Obama administration lifts has since become a definitive text on food Food First publishes Unfinished Puzzle: restrictions on travel and trade with Cuba. sovereignty. Food First is a founding member Cuban agriculture, the challenges, lessons and of the US Food Sovereignty Alliance, opportunities by Eduardo Francisco Freyre 2015 launched on World Food Day (Oct. 16), Roach and May Ling Chan. which evolved out of the US Working Food First celebrates its 40th anniversary Group on the Food Crisis convened in 2008 2013 with a national speaking tour featuring with the goal of promoting the principles of Food First publishes Grabbing Power: The Eric Holt-Giménez; special events in the food sovereignty in the US. new struggles for land, food and democracy in Bay Area including a Food Day gala; a VIP northern Honduras by Tanya Kerssen about the Food Sovereignty Tour to Cuba; and a history of agribusiness and peasant struggles 40th anniversary book featuring selected in Honduras, and the repression of rural Food First writings. Join us in celebrating movements following the 2009 coup. Food four decades of Food First! First co-organizes the first major academic conference focused on food sovereignty at Bring Our 40th Anniversary Book to Life! Yale University: “Food Sovereignty: A Critical Dialogue.” La Vía Campesina celebrates its Help us fund the production of our 40th 20th anniversary and moves its secretariat anniversary anthology, which will bring from Indonesia to Zimbabwe. together selected writings from four decades of Food First analysis and movement building. Food First launches the East Bay Urban Donors of $100 or more will be mentioned Farmer Field Schools (EBUFFS) project in the acknowledgements and receive a using farmer-to-farmer education to complimentary copy! Write “40th Anniversary build sustainable urban agriculture. Food Book” in the memo line of your check or call Launch of the We Are the Solution campaign for Sovereignty Tours hosts 13 farmers from 510-654-4400, ext. 221. You can also contribute African family farming at the World Social Forum in the Basque Farmers’ Union for a Food online at: www.foodfirst.org/40th-book/ Dakar, Senegal, 2011. Photo by Tanya Kerssen Justice Tour of the Bay Area and takes

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