scholarly journals Remembering the commons and reinvigorating them

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Krishnendu Ray
Keyword(s):  
Public Good ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Food Justice ◽  
Global Public Good ◽  
Economic Values ◽  
Right To Food ◽  
The Commons ◽  
The Right ◽  
Private Value ◽  
Good Food

The Routledge Handbook of Food as a Commons proposes a normative view of what food ought to be, in the process highlighting instances where and when that potential has been actualized. Food currently is an object to sell and extract private value rather than social sustenance. This book proposes that food be reconceptualized against its long liberal and recent neoliberal history as property, making a persistent argument about decommodifying food in 24 detailed chapters. It is in re-commoning that the more than two dozen authors of the book--many of them leaders in their field--find better, alternative ideas about the right to food, global public good, food justice, and food sovereignty. They highlight how food as a commodity is currently characterized by its tradable features (appearance, calorie, price, packaging, purchasing power, taste, etc.), thereby denying its non-economic values. It asks two central questions: what would good policies look like if we build on the assumption that food should be the commons, and how do we get there?

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 Food Sovereignty: Power, Gender, and the Right to Food

PLoS Medicine ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e1001223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajeev C. Patel
Keyword(s):  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Right To Food ◽  
The Right

Sovereign Debt and the Right to Food

2018 ◽  
pp. 186-209
Author(s):  
Olivier De Schutter
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Trade Liberalisation ◽  
Traditional Food ◽  
Right To Food ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
The Right ◽  
State Subsidies

Sovereign debt and the measures imposed on indebted nations, in conjunction with trade liberalisation under the WTO or other similar regimes have forced many countries to forego traditional food security schemes, particularly through state subsidies. As a result, price fluctuations in staple commodities as well as currency fluctuations have forced poorer nations to effectively surrender their food sovereignty in favour of their multilateral trade obligations, investment obligations and debt repayment agreements with both private and public lenders, particularly through the facilitation of multilateral development banks. This chapter traces the roots of food insecurity as a result of sovereign debt-related measures, policies and effects. It does so through particular paradigms, especially through the work of pertinent UN mandates. It examines in what manner the right to food, as enshrined in the ICESCR, may be fulfilled as well as how food security can co-exist alongside trade liberalisation.

scholarly journals RIGHT TO FOOD: AN EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS JURISPRUDENCE?

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (57) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Virginia ZAMBRANO
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Access To Justice ◽  
Political Aspect ◽  
Right To Food ◽  
Legal Consideration ◽  
Toma De Decisiones ◽  
The Right

ABSTRACT Objective: To demonstrate that the effectiveness of the right to food is strictly dependent on the adoption of appropriate public policies, capable of guaranteeing conditions of transparency and information, and granting individuals and groups the possibility to participate in the taking of decisions. Next, the focus is on the role played by the courts to address the issue of legal consideration of this right. Methodology: The study methodology included the analysis of jurisprudence on the right to food, as well as the constitutional recognition of the right to food. Likewise, the position of the courts and the political aspect of the right to food were challenged. Results: It has often been discovered that people are not even aware of the possibility of using litigation as a tool to promote the realization of the right to food. As well as the lack of knowledge on the part of politicians to implement public policies to realize this essential right to food. Contributions: The main contribution lies in realizing that it is not at stake or in the recognition of this right by the courts. While it is true that the role of the courts is essential because it facilitates the creation of a cultural climate sensitive to human rights, it is also true that the implementation of rights through jurisprudence means that the problem of access to justice is resolved. KEYWORDS: Fundamental rights; right to food; food sovereignty; legal consideration (justiciability); comparative law. RESUMENObjetivo: El objetivo de este ensayo es demostrar que la efectividad del derecho a la alimentación es estrictamente dependiente de la adopción de políticas públicas apropiadas, capaces de garantizar condiciones de transparencia y información, y otorgar a individuos y grupos la posibilidad de participar en la toma de decisiones. A continuación, la atención se centra en el papel desempeñado por los tribunales para abordar el problema de la justiciabilidad de este derecho. Metodología: La metodología del estudio comprendió el análisis de la jurisprudencia sobre el derecho a la alimentación, así como el reconocimiento constitucional del derecho a la alimentación. Asimismo, se cuestionó la posición de los tribunales y el aspecto político del derecho a la alimentación. Resultados: A menudo se ha descubierto que las personas ni siquiera son conscientes de la posibilidad de utilizar el litigio como herramienta para promover la realización del derecho a la alimentación. Así como a la falta de conocimiento por parte de los políticos para implementar políticas públicas para hacer realidad de este derecho esencial a la alimentación. Contribuciones: La contribución principal radica en darse cuenta de que no está en juego ni en el reconocimiento de este derecho por parte de los tribunales. Si bien es cierto que el papel de los tribunales es fundamental porque facilita la creación de un clima cultural sensible a los derechos humanos, también es cierto que la implementación de los derechos a través de la jurisprudencia supone que se resuelva el problema del acceso a la justicia. PALABRAS-CLAVE: Derechos fundamentales; derecho a la alimentación; soberanía alimentaria; justiciabilidad; derecho comparado.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document