Implementing the right to food! – with agro-ecology, climate-proof agriculture and One Health
Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung, INKOTA Netzwerk, Agrarkoordination e.V, Welttierschutzstiftung, Brot für die Welt
Time: Wednesday, 20. January 2021, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (CET), subsequent deep dive 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Languages: German, English
Summary:
The speakers approached the topic of the right to food with a focus on the people currently hardest hit by COVID 19 from different perspectives: of a South African small fisherwoman, a UN representative, a One Health expert, and of two NGO representatives, one from the climate protection and another from the human rights field.
It was emphasized that smallscale farmers, including fishing, contribute to the basic and food security of around 70% of the world’s population. The unanimous opinion of the panel was that agroecological models, especially because of their diversity, represent an important basis for a functioning local food system. At the same time, smallscale food producers are particularly disadvantaged in terms of their marketing opportunities in the pandemic compared to large agricultural companies. All speakers also agreed that the smallscale farmers and agro-ecological supply systems must be permanently strengthened and made crisis-proof. This would also offer an important resilience to the effects of the climate crisis and protect health, nature and the environment in the sense of One Health. Thanks to the clear and focused short contributions of this diverse panel, the understanding of the complex interrelationships of the right to food was strengthened and the view of holistic ecosystem functions in agriculture was sharpened.