Focus on Food Systems
Read more and watch recordings of
Global People's Summit on Food Systems,
People's Food Summit
and the
Local Food First webinar
Food is the one thing we produce that every human being needs every day. It is the focus of over 10 billion transactions per day, and the center of our real economy. It is also the most important sector of our economy to transform if we are to address our most pressing global problems – from climate change to hunger and poverty.
The Global People’s Summit on Food Systems (September 21-23, 2021) and the People’s Food Summit (October 16, 2021) highlighted a vision of food sovereignty based on agroecology and localized food systems.
Watch this powerful video message of Helena Norberg-Hodge, director of Local Futures, made in connection with the Global People’s Summit on Food Systems.
The global food system, with its large-scale chemical-dependent monocultures geared for export, has disastrous consequences for soil, climate, biodiversity, social justice, and human health. Still, at the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), corporate actors pushed policymakers further in this destructive direction.
Thoroughly greenwashed in the language of “climate-smart”, “carbon-neutral”, and “regenerative”, the UNFSS – which took place on September 23, 2021 – embraced a high-tech, debt-based path that will accelerate the destruction of small-scale farming, and concentrate ever-more wealth in the hands of giant corporations.
That’s why we opposed the intellectual hijacking of this United Nations Summit and joined hands with small farmers and civil society organizations from every corner of the globe and hosted alternative encounters, developed action plans and policy recommendations with healthy and fair food systems in mind.
Global People's Summit on Food Systems
Between September 21-23, 2021, networks and movements representing peasants, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, women, youth, migrants and NGOs from across the world, came together to voice their opposition to the corporatization of our food systems and their commitment to food sovereignty and agroecology.
Read the Proceedings of the Global People’s Summit on Food Systems HERE.
A Declaration was drawn up for a radical transformation of the current food regimes towards just, equitable, and sustainable food systems. Other outcomes include policy recommendations and action planes to help realize these goals.
People's Food Summit
October 16 - World Food Day
The People’s Food Summit was organized by a powerful coalition of organizations – including Local Futures, IFOAM, Regeneration International, Navdanya and others – calling for a shift in food and agriculture towards local sovereignty and small-scale, diversified systems. Local Futures’ short food-related films was shown, and Helena Norberg-Hodge was one of the speakers during this event.
Watch the recordings of this 24-hour event here: LIVESTREAM ON FACEBOOK
This summit was part of a wider movement opposing the UNFSS that also included the recent Global People’s Summit on Food Systems (see below), as well as the Autonomous People’s Response, led by the world’s largest social movement – La Via Campesina. Read about the latter in our recent blogpost.
Local Food First:
Challenging the Techno-Trade Dogma
As part of the Global People’s Summit on Food Systems, big-picture systems analysts Azra Sayeed, Camila Moreno, and Helena Norberg-Hodge unpacked the entrenched links between “free” trade, technological expansion, and a global food system that is anti-nature and anti-farmers, during an online discussion on September 22.
The conversation highlighted the need to visibilize and challenge the techno-trade dogma, in order to enable diverse, localized, human-scale food systems to flourish.
Why local food systems?
Local food systems increase jobs and productivity, bolster food security and human health, and reduce toxic pollution and emissions, all while regenerating cultural and biological diversity.
They also create the structural, economic basis for deep bonds of community. Watch this 3-minute film that contrasts the global food system with local food systems.
Short videos
Young farmers video series
We have compiled this collection of free-to-view short films that feature local food and farming projects around the world (one featured above)— with a focus on projects started by young people.
LOCAL: A Story Of Hope
This video describes the path that led to today’s socially and environmentally destructive global economy, and a healthier path we can start on right now. (8 minutes)
Going Local: the solution multiplier
A brief animated introduction to the idea of shifting from global to local. Translated into 33 languages.
(2.5 minutes)
Young farmers video series
We have compiled this collection of free-to-view short films that feature local food and farming projects around the world (one featured above)— with focus a on projects started by young people.
LOCAL: A Story Of Hope
This video describes the path that led to today’s socially and environmentally destructive global economy, and a healthier path we can start on right now. (8 minutes)
Going Local: the solution multiplier
A brief animated introduction to the idea of shifting from global to local. Translated into 33 languages.
(2.5 minutes)
