scholarly journals Hungry for Progress? Enacting Food Sovereignty

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Natasha Kula-Kaczmarski
Keyword(s):  
Food System ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Ethical Consumption ◽  
Development Theory ◽  
Potential Market ◽  
Global Movement ◽  
Constructing Knowledge ◽  
La Via Campesina

<p>This research builds upon and utilises an emerging field of food and development theory – food sovereignty – as it discusses possibilities for an alternative food system, where the production, distribution and consumption of food may be guided by principles that foster a holistic, ethical and sustainable approach.  The theory of food sovereignty has grown from the writings of La Via Campesina (a global movement of food producers in the Global South) and offers critiques of the current food system, food security and corporate globalisation. As I grapple with the key principles of food sovereignty and explore the ways in which they are visible within Wellington, Aotearoa, I interact with five key organisations and present ways their actions foster a food sovereignty paradigm. By blending the theoretical with the practical, this thesis presents the lived experiences of people working in; Koanga Institute, Biofarm, Commonsense Organics, Workerbe and Kaibosh.  Bringing together the perspectives of these five organisations with relevant literature, this thesis first discusses some potential market-based solutions for achieving ethical consumption. It then examines ideas around the move to ‘grow something’ as a tool for resistance, reclaiming spaces and healing; to finally explore the ways in which a more holistic approach to food can nurture spiritual connections in profound and unique ways.  Hungry for Progress? Enacting Food Sovereignty is a qualitative research project that embraces notions of positionality and reflexivity and shares my journey of living this research. Through exploring the food sovereignty narratives and worldviews, I seek to promote empowerment among individuals and organisations through constructing knowledge that supports postcolonial, feminist and activist interactions so that good change in the food system (and beyond) may become a reality.</p>

scholarly journals Hungry for Progress? Enacting Food Sovereignty

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Natasha Kula-Kaczmarski
Keyword(s):  
Food System ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Ethical Consumption ◽  
Development Theory ◽  
Potential Market ◽  
Global Movement ◽  
Constructing Knowledge ◽  
La Via Campesina

<p>This research builds upon and utilises an emerging field of food and development theory – food sovereignty – as it discusses possibilities for an alternative food system, where the production, distribution and consumption of food may be guided by principles that foster a holistic, ethical and sustainable approach.  The theory of food sovereignty has grown from the writings of La Via Campesina (a global movement of food producers in the Global South) and offers critiques of the current food system, food security and corporate globalisation. As I grapple with the key principles of food sovereignty and explore the ways in which they are visible within Wellington, Aotearoa, I interact with five key organisations and present ways their actions foster a food sovereignty paradigm. By blending the theoretical with the practical, this thesis presents the lived experiences of people working in; Koanga Institute, Biofarm, Commonsense Organics, Workerbe and Kaibosh.  Bringing together the perspectives of these five organisations with relevant literature, this thesis first discusses some potential market-based solutions for achieving ethical consumption. It then examines ideas around the move to ‘grow something’ as a tool for resistance, reclaiming spaces and healing; to finally explore the ways in which a more holistic approach to food can nurture spiritual connections in profound and unique ways.  Hungry for Progress? Enacting Food Sovereignty is a qualitative research project that embraces notions of positionality and reflexivity and shares my journey of living this research. Through exploring the food sovereignty narratives and worldviews, I seek to promote empowerment among individuals and organisations through constructing knowledge that supports postcolonial, feminist and activist interactions so that good change in the food system (and beyond) may become a reality.</p>

scholarly journals Exploring homelessness and Indigenous food Systems in northern British Columbia

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-179
Author(s):  
Julia Russell ◽  
Margot W. Parkes
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
European Ancestry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Case Study Methodology

People experiencing homelessness are known to be highly food insecure, but outside of emergency aid little is known about their overall experiences with food, particularly in Canada’s northern communities. This study examined experiences that influenced access to food for people experiencing homelessness in a small city in northern British Columbia. Early findings underscored the importance of the impacts of colonization when seeking to understand food access in this context, and the value of lived experiences (including people with experiences of homelessness) when seeking to understand Indigenous food systems and food sovereignty as part of a re-emerging food system. The research drew on ethnography and case study methodology with modified community mapping to explore the food systems of the participants, who identified as First Nations, Métis or had mixed Indigenous and European ancestry. A focus group and subsequent interviews revealed a dynamic and complex food system. The flexible research design enabled participants to creatively express the food-related issues, challenges and successes most pertinent to their lives. Key food-related themes were social connections, as well as connections to the land and to culture. Participants’ experiences, actions and desires regarding food, health and well-being highlighted Indigenous food sovereignty as an overarching concept which offers an adaptable, holistic approach that can accommodate complexity. It is a valuable direction for future research and practice seeking to improve food security and health.

Grounding the U.S. Food Movement

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya M. Kerssen ◽  
Zoe W. Brent
Keyword(s):  
Food System ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
The United States ◽  
Neoliberal Globalization ◽  
The Us ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
La Via Campesina ◽  
Food Movement ◽  
The U.S

The international peasant confederation La Vía Campesina has long understood land as a key battleground in the struggle against neoliberal globalization and in the construction of food sovereignty. Food movements in the United States, however, have been slow to embrace land as a key platform of struggle—this despite dramatic and rising levels of land concentration, magnified by recent trends such as financialization and climate change. This chapter argues that the injustices of the capitalist food system are directly related to dispossession and lack of control over land. As such, it suggests that a sharper focus on land among the seemingly disparate groups that comprise the US food movement could form the basis for political convergence and deeper, more long lasting transformation.

scholarly journals What Do Values Have to Do With It?: Resilience of Two Types of Farmers in Hawai‘i to the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Hutchins ◽  
Mackenzie Feldman
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Local Food System ◽  
Production And Distribution ◽  
History Of

A history of agriculture and socio-cultural formation has led to a complex local food system in Hawai‘i. Customary agricultural systems built by Kānaka ‘Ōiwi (Indigenous Hawaiian) are now rested within a landscape filled with many different crops tended by farmers from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Value systems dictating farming practices and crop selling decisions differ. In Hawai'i, values of food security or food sovereignty are of particular importance, especially as growing movements seek to increase local production and decrease the state's reliance on imported food in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we systematically compare two different groups of farmers in Hawai'i and their values related to production and distribution. We then analyze the experiences of these two groups of farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic and their responses to them. The study is based on interviews with 22 Indigenous Kānaka ‘Ōiwi (IF) and Non-Indigenous local farmers (LF) from the island of O‘ahu. Ninety percent of IF say values associated with both food security and sovereignty drive their production and distribution decisions, while 75% of LF describe food security as the sole driver. Sixty percent of IF follow a non-profit economic model and emphasize cultural and educational values in their production decisions. LF follow profit-driven models and emphasize the influence the market has in their decisions. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, IF sold or donated the bulk of their crops to the local community through farm pickups, while restaurants were the primary buyers of LF crops. During the pandemic, the local community continues to be the primary recipient for IF, and due to the closure of many restaurants, LF have pivoted their sales to the community as well. Farmer interviews are augmented by three interviews with Hawai'i food system experts and relevant literature to suggest multiple pathways state agencies and local organizations could implement to support farmers from different backgrounds through COVID-19 and into the future.

Fulfilling the Right to Food for South Africa: Justice, Security, Sovereignty and the Politics of Malnutrition

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 112-152
Author(s):  
Busiso Helard Moyo ◽  
Anne Marie Thompson Thow
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Food Justice ◽  
System Transformation ◽  
Right To Food ◽  
Economic Rights ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Right

Despite South Africa’s celebrated constitutional commitments that have expanded and deepened South Africa’s commitment to realise socio-economic rights, limited progress in implementing right to food policies stands to compromise the country’s developmental path. If not a deliberate policy choice, the persistence of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms is a deep policy failure.  Food system transformation in South Africa requires addressing wider issues of who controls the food supply, thus influencing the food chain and the food choices of the individual and communities. This paper examines three global rights-based paradigms – ‘food justice’, ‘food security’ and ‘food sovereignty’ – that inform activism on the right to food globally and their relevance to food system change in South Africa; for both fulfilling the right to food and addressing all forms of malnutrition. We conclude that the emerging concept of food sovereignty has important yet largely unexplored possibilities for democratically managing food systems for better health outcomes.

scholarly journals Forging Political Cadres for Re-Peasantization: Escuela de Acción Campesina (Spain)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 4061
Author(s):  
David Gallar-Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Training Process ◽  
Ethnographic Interviews ◽  
Participatory Workshop ◽  
Global North ◽  
Training Schools ◽  
Ethnographic Methodology ◽  
La Via Campesina

Bolstering the political formation of agrarian organizations has become a priority for La Vía Campesina and the Food Sovereignty Movement. This paper addresses the Spanish case study of the Escuela de Acción Campesina (EAC)—(Peasant Action School), which is a tool for political formation in the Global North in which the philosophical and pedagogical principles of the “peasant pedagogies” of the Training Schools proposed by La Vía Campesina are put into practice within an agrarian organization in Spain and in alliance with the rest of the Spanish Food Sovereignty Movement. The study was carried out over the course of the 10 years of activist research, spanning the entire process for the construction and development of the EAC. Employing an ethnographic methodology, information was collected through participant observation, ethnographic interviews, a participatory workshop, and reviews of internal documents. The paper presents the context in which the EAC arose, its pedagogical dynamics, the structure and the ideological contents implemented for the training of new cadres, and how there are three key areas in the training process: (1) the strengthening of collective union and peasant identity, (2) training in the “peasant” ideological proposal, and (3) the integration of students as new cadres into the organizations’ structures. It is concluded that the EAC is a useful tool in the ideological re-peasantization process of these organizations.

scholarly journals Emerging cross-disciplinary profiles: The Geomatic Epidemiologist

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Recchioni ◽  
V Castello ◽  
S Del Vecchio ◽  
V Ciaccio ◽  
A M Donia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Information System ◽  
Geographic Information System ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Gis And Remote Sensing ◽  
Public Health Epidemiology ◽  
And Training

Abstract Issue Geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies are increasingly used in Public Health epidemiology, showing a great potential in anticipating and responding to actual and future challenges for the public health system and in improving health services' excellence. According to the evidences collected within a wide meta-research carried on of relevant literature (”GIS geographic information system” and “GIS geographic information system and training” on Pubmed; “epidemiologist use of GIS and training” and “epidemiologist use of gis” on Google Scholar),GIS and new sensing technologies are mostly used to: map air and water pollution, map diseases prevalence, predict infection diseases and vector-spread diseases in big areas, study health service coverage and preparedness in emergencies, map cities and study urban health, study climate changes for decision making. Description of the Problem Specific skills and training are required to address the use of GIS and new sensing technologies.The specific aim of our study is to identify the professional profile of a new figure, called 'Geomatic Epidemiologist' and to define its professional and educational standards, as well as the relevant training programs. Results Data collection and analysis of INAPP and ESCO databases about existing professional profiles (starting from 2016) has allowed drafting a first qualification schema and profile. The profile has been defined according to the 4C model (elaborated by Univaq) distinguishing between Hard Skills (technical knowledge and skills),Soft Skills (cognitive, individual and social) and interpersonal behaviors. Conclusions Profile will be validated with relevant stakeholders and Public Health professionals in order to deepen the understanding of the main competences required to study health issues with GIS and related technologies; to this extent, a questionnaire has been elaborated to evaluate relevance, frequency and complexity of each component of the profile Key messages Developing cross-disciplinary profiles, (i.e. the Geomatic Epidemiologist) integrating clusters of competences (holistic approach). Public health research challenges and excellence.

The transition movement and food sovereignty: From local resilience to global engagement in food system transformation

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Sage
Keyword(s):  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
System Transformation ◽  
External Threats ◽  
Global Engagement ◽  
International Solidarity ◽  
Local Resilience ◽  
The Face ◽  
Vital Element

The emergence of grassroots social movements variously preoccupied with a range of external threats, such as diminishing supplies of fossil energy or climate change, has led to increased interest in the production of local food. Drawing upon the notion of cognitive praxis, this article utilises transition as a trajectory guided by an overarching cosmology that brings together a broad social movement seeking a more resilient future. This ‘grand narrative’ is reinforced by ‘transition movement intellectuals’ who serve to shape an agenda of local preparedness in the face of uncertainty, rather than structural analysis of the global system. In this context, growing and producing food offers important multi-functional synergies by reconnecting people to place and its ecological endowments and serves to provide a vital element in civic mobilisation. Yet, local food could also become a means to build international solidarity in defence of food sovereignty and establish a global coalition opposed to the corporate agri-food agenda of biotechnologies, land grabbing and nutritional impoverishment.

Sustainable Food Consumption in the Neoliberal Order

2021 ◽  
pp. 1036-1061
Author(s):  
Henry E. Alapiki ◽  
Luke A. Amadi
Keyword(s):  
Political Ecology ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food System ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
World Systems Theory ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Sustainability Challenges ◽  
Global Food

In recent decades, we have seen the rise of the sustainable food consumption field and its push for disciplinary space in development studies. This chapter turns to the original impetus of sustainable food consumption and the question of how neoliberal order can be reconciled with the need to save the ecology. Beyond the fundamental objectives, there is a need to assess the links between the global food system, as influenced by neoliberal order, and the signs that it leads to adversity for low-income countries. A review of relevant literature in the sustainable consumption field is explored using content analysis to examine links between neoliberal food consumption dynamics, the logic of global food politics, and the emerging terminological shifts from food consumption to food system. The world systems theory and the Marxian political ecology framework are used to show that sustainability is notable for emphasizing resource efficiency and equitability, which can be useful when sustainability challenges are matched with ecological policies. This chapter makes some policy recommendations.

scholarly journals Systems of Food and Systems of Violence: An Intervention for the Special Issue on “Community Self Organisation, Sustainability and Resilience in Food Systems”

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 7092
Author(s):  
Mama D. Ujuaje ◽  
Marina Chang
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Continuous Process ◽  
Present System ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Agricultural Produce ◽  
Field Practice ◽  
Self Organisation ◽  
Embodied Practice

This intervention critiques the rationale which underpins the authority of the food system as a context for sustainability, resilience and self-organisation. We apply learning from embodied practice, in particular The Food Journey©, to demonstrate the existence of harm and trauma arising from the overrepresentation of the liberal model of Man as constituting the only reality of humanity. This model has, in reality been a colonial, capitalising force of violent dispossession. It is this context that has produced global circulations of agricultural produce, systematised by a colonialism which violates the integrity of all that it encounters as different. Colonialities of being, power and knowledge extract and exploit globally both people and places as legacies of colonialism and perpetuate an abyssal divide between worlds. We unsettle and reconfigure both geopolitical contemporary and historic accounts of food-related narratives. We do this to help reveal how the ‘food system’ is actually a mainly Euro-American-centred narrative of dispossession, presented as universal. We propose the use of decolonial tools that are pluriversal, ecological and embodied as a means of interrogating the present system design, including its academic and field practice. The embrace of decolonial tools have the potential to take us beyond mere emancipation, cutting through old definitions and understandings of how food sovereignty, farm production, land justice and food itself are understood and applied as concepts. The outcome—as a continuous process of engagement, learning and redefinition—can then lead us towards a relational pluriverse as an expression of freedom and full nourishment for all humans and for the Earth, which is, in itself, a necessary healing.

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