Exploring the concepts of food sovereignty and social capital in relation to The organic principles, practices and policies

TY - CONF

T1 - Exploring the concepts of food sovereignty and social capital in relation to The organic principles, practices and policies

AU - Vaarst, Mette

PY - 2012/5

Y1 - 2012/5

N2 - Food sovereignty is a concept based on an idea of food security (a varied diet with diversified, nutritious and culturally appropriate food) for everybody including the right of people, communities and nations to define their own food and agriculture, to protect and regulate domestic agricultural production and trade in order to achieve sustainable development objectives. Food sovereignty is increasingly discussed and debated, e.g. in relation to power over seed, water, land and food, which become privatized and do not belong the people, communities and countries, where farming and food processing take place. Social capital refers to social networking and mobilisation of resources, forming communities and societies taking collective action and exchanging of e.g. knowledge and experience. Strengthening social capital in local societies empower peasants, processors and societies, which are in risk of losing power over land, food, other agricultural products and trade. The food sovereignty concept can be argued to be strongly related to the organic principles. This paper explores the concept of food sovereignty and the potential role of active social capital building to develop organic farming built on agro-ecological methods. Social and learning networks for farmers, processors and small businesses for collective action and common learning can be important pathways to organic farming and food systems with food sovereignty.

AB - Food sovereignty is a concept based on an idea of food security (a varied diet with diversified, nutritious and culturally appropriate food) for everybody including the right of people, communities and nations to define their own food and agriculture, to protect and regulate domestic agricultural production and trade in order to achieve sustainable development objectives. Food sovereignty is increasingly discussed and debated, e.g. in relation to power over seed, water, land and food, which become privatized and do not belong the people, communities and countries, where farming and food processing take place. Social capital refers to social networking and mobilisation of resources, forming communities and societies taking collective action and exchanging of e.g. knowledge and experience. Strengthening social capital in local societies empower peasants, processors and societies, which are in risk of losing power over land, food, other agricultural products and trade. The food sovereignty concept can be argued to be strongly related to the organic principles. This paper explores the concept of food sovereignty and the potential role of active social capital building to develop organic farming built on agro-ecological methods. Social and learning networks for farmers, processors and small businesses for collective action and common learning can be important pathways to organic farming and food systems with food sovereignty.

KW - Food sovereignty

KW - agro-ecology

KW - organic principles

KW - social capital

M3 - Paper

T2 - 2nd African Organic Conference

Y2 - 2 May 2012 through 4 May 2012

ER -