[E-rundbrief] Info 2170 - La Via Campesina Political Declaration

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief Info 2170 - La Via Campesina Political Declaration: 30 years 
of collective struggle, hope and solidarity.

Bad Ischl, 15.4.2022

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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La Via Campesina Political Declaration: 30 years of collective struggle, 
hope and solidarity

  15 APRIL 2022  FOOD SOVEREIGNTY, KEY DOCUMENTS (FOOD SOVEREIGNTY), 
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?

This 17th April, the International Day of Action for Peasant Struggles, 
we commemorate the 26 years of the Eldorado dos Carajás massacre of 
peasants in Brazil and resist the criminalization, oppression and 
repression of our struggles for life. On this day, we also commence a 
moment to celebrate 30 years of building collective struggles, hope and 
solidarity in service of humanity.

We, La Via Campesina, the international peasant voice of the millions of 
peasants, women and men, youth, small and medium-size farmers, family 
farmers, landless, indigenous people, migrants and agricultural workers 
from 182 local and national organisations in 81 countries from Africa, 
Asia, Europe and the Americas refuse to disappear but continue grow in 
strength. Through persistence, perseverance and hope, we have harvested 
major victories: food sovereignty recognised and adopted by some 
countries, agroecology recognised and supported by Food and Agriculture 
Organisation (FAO) and United Nations Declaration of the Rights of 
Peasants and Other People working in the Rural Areas (UNDROP) adopted by 
UN General Assembly. We continue to occupy important multilateral spaces 
of global food governance to influence debate and contribute in support 
of food sovereignty, agroecology and popular agrarian reform.

We are alert to the current global context and the need to strengthen 
our struggle. The worsening geopolitical conflict as the liberal 
international order led by US collapses, the imperialist offensive 
against the masses and criminalisation of social movements. The 
corporate media are increasingly involved in the violation of democratic 
systems and human rights through censorship and surveillance.

Big corporations recently joined forces to capture of global 
multilateral food governance and climate change spaces in the United 
Nations. The ongoing conflicts and wars in Africa, Americas, Asia and 
Europe. The worsening climate crisis and health crisis due to COVID-19. 
All these have aggravated the suffering. Thus, we witness record high 
levels of poverty, hunger and inequalities globally and increased 
criminalisation for demanding social justice and dignity. Thus, millions 
of people are forced to abandon their territories and migrate to other 
countries, where some face more injustices.

We reject this neoliberal model that runs counter to our collective 
vision of harmony with nature, unity and peace. We affirm our commitment 
to continue to build democratic societies against imperialism. Over the 
last 30 years, together with our allies, we have been collectively 
building hope and solidarity through food sovereignty putting humanity, 
Mother Earth and social justice at the centre. We stand firm in 
internationalist solidarity with all who struggle for life, rights and 
dignity.

Last year, in 2021, we celebrated a quarter century of building of and 
pushing for food sovereignty and also initiated debate to critically 
reflect on our achievements, victories and propose actions for the 
future including participating in the Global Nyeleni Forum planned in 2023.

What do we need from governments and institutions to continue feeding 
the world?

     Implement a democratic and extensive agrarian reform which allows 
the peoples to have sovereignty over their natural resources and over 
their food on both the production and the distribution processes.
     Recognize the work we are already doing and promote successful 
examples of our ability to feed people. While we produce and exchange 
the majority of the world's food, our markets are largely ignored in 
policy of governments and institutions. Trade is needed but a different 
kind, which does not exploit people, nature and benefits communities and 
not corporations.
     Scale out and up Peasant Agroecology as a solution to climate 
crisis, loss of biodiversity and soil fertility. Due to unsustainable 
industrial agricultural practices, we see a unique opportunity for 
agroecology as many countries want to transition to "sustainable farming 
methods" and reduce use of toxic agro-inputs.
     Implement UNDROP through creating a UN special procedure and 
mainstreaming the declaration in FAO, other Rome-based agencies in 
relation to food and agricultural policies, and also the UN Decade of 
Family Farming. This would allow referencing of UNDROP in policies to 
reshape and transform our societies.

How do we advance our struggles from La Via Campesina?

     Roll out massive training and awareness, among members, on UNDROP 
so that they lead the wide promotion of essential components of public 
policies in their countries in favour food sovereignty, agroecology and 
the recognition and respect of rights of peasants.
     Build and strengthen diversity and inclusiveness against violence 
and oppression. Embracing diversity is key to "Building the Movement to 
change the world". Today our movement the youth, women, cultural and 
gender diversities (LGBTQI) are the majority and in leadership.
     Build Peasant and Popular Feminism to define and shape gender 
relations in our movement, and as a political tool against all forms of 
violence.
     Strengthen the Migrant and Waged Agricultural Workers' Collective 
as a space to increase visibility to their issues.
     Advance work against the impunity of transnational corporations 
(TNCs) and contribute to the binding treaty process to regulate TNCs
     To understand the complex and fluid world and adapt our strategies, 
we are:

- Building new alliances and strengthening the existing ones to learn 
and share experiences through collective analysis and formation, and 
defend a future based on food sovereignty.

-Increasing and strengthening political and technical formation. We will 
promote popular peasant methods and technologies that engage women and 
youth in the defense of rural livelihoods. Again, we should master new 
ways of communication in service of humanity to reach many people 
defending their rights and in support of food sovereignty.

#LVC30Years #17April2022 #NoFutureWithoutFoodSovereignty #FoodSovereigntyNOW
EN-Final-April-17th-Declaration-14-04-2022-1

-- 

     Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
     Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
     Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
     Wolfgangerstr. 26, 4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
     fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
     Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at