1.Food Sovereignty, a European answer to the crisis!
2.Interview: 'Food sovereignty means self reliance and self respect'
3.Main declaration: FOOD SOVEREIGNTY IN EUROPE NOW!

NOTE: From the 16th to 22nd August over 400 delegates from all over Europe representing various parts of the European Food system farmers, young farmers, urban gardeners, agricultural workers, consumers and many more met in Austria to chart out a way forward for European food and agriculture. 

Below is the press release (item 1), an inspiring interview (item 2) on the topic of food soverreignty that Dan Iles of the World Development Movement conducted with the Indian activist S. Kannaiyan, and the main declaration (item 3) to come out of the European Forum for Food Sovereignty. 

The agenda for action to emerge from the forum includes campaigns against GMOs and the EU's biofuels target, transforming the Common Agricultural Policy, and land reform in Europe. 

EXTRACT from the WDM interview with S. Kannaiyan:
Food sovereignty means to me the self respect which comes from self reliance in food production and distribution... Local universities are facilitating multinational companies to access the universities and to penetrate into trade in [the Indian state of] Tamil Nadu. The university is supporting their research projects and transferring the farmers' seed varieties to the corporations like Monsanto by material transfer agreements in the name of collaborative national research. I can simply say it is the westernisation of Indian agriculture... The US model of industrialised agriculture is no longer viable, even in the global north. Yet they are still trying to introduce it. (item 2)
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1.Food Sovereignty, a European answer to the crisis!
Krems Austria 22nd August 2011

After 5 days of intense, inspired and constructive exchange, the Nyeleni Europe 2011, European Forum for Food Sovereignty closed yesterday. The Forum adopted the first European Declaration on Food Sovereignty. 

Over 400 delegates from European countries committed to strengthening their collective capacity to reclaiming community control over food system, to resisting the agro-industrial system and to expanding and consolidating a strong European movement for Food Sovereignty.  

Over 120 organisations and individuals, representing civil society and social movements discussed the impact of current European and global policies. Together they developed a comprehensive platform and a set of principles to achieve food sovereignty in Europe. The Forum emphasized the contribution of voices of young people, woman and food producers, whose concerns are often overlooked.  This diversity and richness of experience enabled the Nyeleni Europe 2011 Forum to identify a common framework, and to define a joint action plan based on a democratic and participatory process. 

The Declaration proclaims, "we are convinced that a change to our food system is a first step towards a broader change in our societies". The Forum delegates strongly committed to taking the food system into their own hands by:

*Working towards an ecologically sustainable and socially just model of food production and consumption based on non-industrial smallholder farming, processing and alternative distribution

*Decentralizing the food distribution system and shortening the chain between producers and consumers

*Improving working and social conditions, particularly in field of food and agriculture

*Democratizing decision-making on the use of the Commons and heritage (land, water, air, traditional knowledge, seeds and livestock)

*Ensuring that public policies at all levels guarantee the vitality of rural areas, fair prices for food producers and safe, GMO-free food for all.

At this time of political volatility, social and economic crisis, the delegates of the NYELENI Forum for Food Sovereignty reaffirmed their vision of unity that emphasized the right of all peoples to define their own food and agriculture policies and systems, without harming either people or precious natural resources, as Food Sovereignty implies.

That's why we demand food sovereignty in Europe now.

The full text of the declaration is available on the Nyeleni Forum 2011 website: www.nyelenieurope.net 
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2.'Food sovereignty means self reliance and self respect'
World Development Movement, 18 August 2011
http://www.wdm.org.uk/blog/food-sovereignty-means-self-reliance-and-self-respect-indian-activist-interviewed

Dan Iles, food activist and WDM's south-west mobiliser interviews Indian activist S. Kannaiyan at the Nyeleni forum to build a food sovereignty movement in Europe.

At Nyeleni 2011 there is such a diversity of delegates from across Europe and indeed the world. In the first of a series of interviews, I am trying to give the international perspective on food sovereignty.

I spoke to one of a few non-European delegates that were able to make it over to the conference, S. Kannaiyan from Tamil Nadu, south India. There are also delegates from Mali, Canada, Nigeria, the US, Mozambique and Azerbaijan. I wanted to give you an idea of why this delegate is so passionate about food sovereignty, what the challenges are in his country and what is being done locally to combat these challenges.

*What does food sovereignty mean to you?

Food sovereignty means to me the self respect which comes from self reliance in food production and distribution. Local food production and distribution rather than food produced in one continent and transported all across another continent and distributed. I am not against international trade in food per se; when it is absolutely needed you can import and export to help other countries but it should not be led by corporations. This is leading to the imbalance of food production and distribution which completely changes local food production. For example, India is importing palm oil from Malaysia, a small country compared to India. So, palm oil enjoys tax free imports in India and also government subsidy in the name of food security, to feed the hungry. This justification has killed the local diverse oil seed production and made India dependent on imports.

The other example is pulses. The farmers in Karnataka, are producing pulses, but those farmers are not getting fair prices. This is driving some farmers to suicide. But the government, instead of encouraging local production, is importing pulses from other countries like Burma and some African countries, and this trade is mainly done by the corporations. So it is dangerous. The tendency now is: India is growing and we can buy food anywhere if it is cheaper. So these cheaper imports mean importing disaster to the Indian farming system. Meanwhile countries like Malaysia are expanding palm oil cultivation and destroying their own diversity. Trade is not going to solve the food crisis in the future.

*What examples of projects enacting food sovereignty are there in India?

I can't say that the trend is yet towards ensuring food sovereignty but there is one example of good policy in Kerala. The Kerala government passed an act that means wetlands cannot be converted for other purposes other than agriculture. There are also good mechanisms like price support price for certain crops, where crops can be purchased by the government, protecting farmers.

Of course they have their own historic struggle for rights in southern India. They have squatted some lands and claimed their rights over it. I was so impressed to see that about 4000 acres of land from the government corporations was reclaimed by the tribal communities in Kerala. 4000 families each gained one acre. But otherwise, farmers are losing their land. The government is still using the colonial British land acquisition act from 1894. By using this act the government is taking over land used by farmers and giving it to corporations. There is not much opportunity for land acquisition for the landless.

*What is the future of food sovereignty in Tamil Nadu?

Tamil Nadu is one of the leading states in terms of being industrialised. Now in Tamil Nadu, smallholders are not able to get workers for their lands because workers are being drawn to opportunities in the neighbouring cities. So farmers are selling their lands and getting out of agriculture. Young people who are educated are not interested in farming because it has no apparent future.

Local universities are facilitating multinational companies to access the universities and to penetrate into trade in Tamil Nadu. The university is supporting their research projects and transferring the farmers' seed varieties to the corporations like Monsanto by material transfer agreements in the name of collaborative national research. I can simply say it is the westernisation of Indian agriculture. So what ever the practice in India is, it is considered useless and whatever the practice in Europe is it considered very efficient. For example, tractors are being introduced when smallholder farmers only need small machines to help them. It is clear from this forum that this technology has failed, it can suit big companies but not peasant farmers. The US model of industrialised agriculture is no longer viable, even in the global north. Yet they are still trying to introduce it.

*How did the 2008 food crisis affect farmers and consumers in Tamil Nadu?

I can say that the crisis felt across the world was luckily not felt in Tamil Nadu or in south India. I did a small survey of shop keepers and consumers. However, in Tamil Nadu we have a very good food distribution system. At present, food is distributed for free. These systems are needed for the poor people of India to survive.

S. Kannaiyan is an international delegate from Tamil Nadu, who represents an organisation called South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers' Movements.
It is a coalition of different farmers' movements in south India, from the states Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
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3.FOOD SOVEREIGNTY IN EUROPE NOW!
Nyeleni Europe 2011: European Forum for Food Sovereignty
Krems, August 21 2011

Europe’s people are now experiencing the first structural adjustment policies which governments are imposing on their populations that until now have been imposed on peoples in other regions in particular the Global South; this with the sole interest of saving capitalism and those who benefit from it (private banks, investment groups and transnational corporations). All signs are that in the near future these antisocial policies will become more severe and extensive. The first general mobilizations to denounce the economic and governance systems which have brought us to this point have begun and we offer – creatively and energetically the response of European social movements to confront the model of global agriculture which is the exact reflection of the capitalist system that created it.

Food systems have been reduced to a model of industrialized agriculture controlled by a few transnational food corporations together with a small group of huge retailers. It is a model designed to generate profits, and therefore completely fails to meet its obligations. Instead of being dedicated to the production of food which is healthy, affordable and benefits people, it focuses increasingly on the production of raw materials such as agrofuels, animal feeds or commodity plantations. On the one hand, it has caused the enormous loss of agricultural holdings and the people who make their living from those holdings, while on the other hand it promotes a diet which is harmful to health and which contains insufficient fruit, vegetables and cereals.

This industrial model of production is dependent on finite fossil fuels and chemical inputs; does not recognize the limitations of resources such as land or water; is responsible for drastic losses of biodiversity and soil fertility; contributes to climate change; forces thousands of people into jobs without recognition of their most fundamental rights; and leads to the worsening of working conditions for farmers and workers, in particular migrants. It moves us further away from a respectful and sustainable relationship with nature. Exploiting and treating the earth in this way is the fundamental cause of rural poverty and hunger for more than a billion people in the world (such as now in the Horn of Africa). In addition, it causes forced migration, while creating a surplus of industrial foods, which end up being wasted or dumped in markets both within and outside Europe, destroying local production.

This situation is the result of food, financial, trade and energy policies, which our governments, the EU (especially through its Common Agricultural Policy), multilateral and financial institutions as well as transnational corporations have been imposing. Examples include the policies of deregulation and liberalization of agricultural markets and speculation on food.

Changing the direction of this dysfunctional food system will only be possible through a complete reorientation of food and agricultural policies and practices. It is vital to redesign the food system based on the principles of Food Sovereignty, particularly in Europe, and to do it now.

As a consequence more than 400 people from 34 European countries from the Atlantic to the Urals and Caucasus, from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, as well as international representatives from diverse social movements and civil society organisations, met from the 16th to 21st of August in Krems, Austria to take a step forward in the development of a European movement for Food Sovereignty. We are building on the foundations of the Declaration of the Nyéléni 2007: Forum for Food Sovereignty, which reaffirmed the international framework for Food Sovereignty – the right of peoples to democratically define their own food and agricultural systems without harming other people or the environment.

Numerous experiences and practices already exist here and now, at local, regional and European levels, which are based on Food Sovereignty and which demonstrate how it can be applied.

We are people who share values based on human rights. We want free movement of people, and not free circulation of capital and merchandise which contributes to the destruction of livelihoods and therefore forces many to migrate. Our aim is cooperation and solidarity as opposed to competition. We commit to reclaiming our democracy: all people should be involved in all issues of public interest and public policy making, deciding collectively how we organize our food systems. This requires the construction of democratic systems and processes, free of violence, corporate influence, and based on equal rights and gender equality, which will also lead to the abolition of patriarchy.

Many of us are young people who represent the future of our society and of our struggles. We will ensure that our energy and creativity make our movement stronger. In order to do so we must be able to participate in providing food and to be integrated in all structures and decisions. 

We are convinced that Food Sovereignty is not only a step forward towards a change in our food and agricultural systems, but it is also a first step towards a broader change in our societies. For this we commit to struggle for:

Changing how food is produced and consumed

We are working towards resilient food production systems, which provide healthy and safe food for all people in Europe, while also preserving biodiversity and natural resources and ensuring animal welfare. This requires ecological models of production and fishing as well as a multitude of smallholder farmers, gardeners and small-scale fishers who produce local food as the backbone of the food system. We struggle against the use of GMOs and grow and recuperate a wide diversity of non-GM varieties of seeds and livestock breeds in these systems. We promote sustainable and diverse forms of food culture, in particular the consumption of high quality local and seasonal foods and no highly processed food. This includes a lower consumption of meat and animal products, which should only be locally produced using local non-GM feed. We engage in re-embracing and promoting knowledge of cooking and food processing through education and sharing of skills.

Changing how food is distributed

We work towards the decentralization of food chains, promoting diversified markets based on solidarity and fair prices, and short supply chains and intensified relations between producers and consumers in local food webs to counter the expansion and power of supermarkets. We want to provide the building blocks for people to develop their own food distribution systems and allow farmers to produce and process food for their communities. This requires supportive food safety rules and local food infrastructure for smallholder farmers. We also work to ensure that the food we produce reaches all people in society, including people with little or no income. 

Valuing and improving work and social conditions in food and agriculture systems 

We struggle against the exploitation and the degradation of working and social conditions and for the rights of all women and men who provide food as well as those of seasonal and migrant workers, workers in the processing, distribution and retail sector and others. We work towards public policies that respect social rights, set high standards and make public funding conditional upon their implementation. Society must give greater value to the role of food producers and workers in our society. For us, this includes decent living wages. We aim to build broad alliances among all people who work in the food system.

Reclaiming the right to our Commons

We oppose and struggle against the commodification, financialisation and patenting of our commons, such as: land; farmers’, traditional and reproducible seeds; livestock breeds and fish stocks; trees and forests; water; the atmosphere; and knowledge. Access to these should not be determined by markets and money. In using common resources, we must ensure the realisation of human rights and gender equality, and that society as a whole benefits. We also acknowledge our responsibility to use our Commons sustainably, while respecting the rights of mother earth. Our Commons should be managed through collective, democratic and community control. 

Changing public policies governing our food and agricultural systems

Our struggle includes changing public policies and governance structures that rule our food systems from the local to the national, European and global levels and to delegitimise corporate power. Public policies must be coherent, complementary and promote and protect food systems and food cultures. They must: be based on the right to food; eradicate hunger and poverty; ensure the fulfilment of basic human needs; and contribute to Climate Justice in Europe and globally. We need legal frameworks that: guarantee stable and fair prices for food producers; promote environmentally-friendly agriculture; internalise external costs into food prices; and implement land reform. These policies would result in more farmers in Europe. Public policies must be designed with the help of publicly accountable research to achieve the objectives outlined above. They must ensure that speculation on food is banned and no harm is done to existing local or regional food systems and food c
ultures
either by dumping or by landgrabbing in Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, or the Global South. We work towards new agriculture, food, seed, energy and trade policies for Food Sovereignty in Europe which are internationally sound. In particular these must include: a different Common Agriculture and Food Policy; the removal of the EU Biofuels Directive; and global governance of international agricultural trade located in the FAO and not the WTO. 

We call upon the people and social movements in Europe to engage, together with us, in all our struggles to take control of our food systems and

Build the Movement for Food Sovereignty in Europe NOW!