Food Sovereignty
“Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. It puts the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations.”
— Declaration of Nyéléni, the first global forum on food sovereignty, Mali, 2007
The Temple of Understanding sees the urgent need to transform industrial agriculture and support smaller, more local agriculture as a key ingredient to a peaceful future.
As part of our work at the United Nations, we have, in collaboration with colleagues, made statements at the Geneva based Human Rights Council and represented the Women’s Major Group in the 2020 High Level Political Forum. Together, these statements outline our human rights based approach, and offer a set of practical implementations that remain relevant guidelines amidst the ongoing UN debates.
Ending Hunger and Achieving Food Security
Another part of our work at the United Nations is to follow up on concerns such as those raised by colleague Isis Alvarez of the Global Forest Coalition:
“Perverse initiatives endorsed by the Paris Agreement such as Climate Smart Agriculture surrender too much power to already powerful multinational corporations monopolizing the food industry setting the stage for the further demise of small peasant farmers especially women and their related traditional knowledge. Already a report from FAO (2014) demonstrated how agroecology could feed the world without the need for harmful and misleading technologies while empowering small scale farmers.”
Excerpt from the presentation by Isis Alvarez at the Open Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), based on “Proposed Resolution for UNEA on Paris Agreement” and “A Reality Check on the Paris Agreement from the Women and Gender Constituency (WGCY)”
Updates:
“Industrial agriculture responsible for 75% of planetary destruction”
"Food is not a commodity. It is not 'stuff' put together mechanically and artificially in labs and factories. Food is life. Food holds the contributions of all beings that make the food web, and it holds the potential for maintaining and regenerating the web of life....
Dr. Vandana Shiva speaks about “Our duty to the Earth and future generations”
"Choosing the path of diversity and life, as opposed to the violent path of monocultures and destruction is our duty to the Earth and future generations." Dr. Vandana Shiva Join us together with Dr. Vandana Shiva for FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth ONLINE...
Grandmother Mona Polacca, Chair of the International Council of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, to give keynote at FORUM2021
Grandmother Mona Polacca, Chair of the International Council of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers, to give keynote at FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth ONLINE September 9, 2021 10am-2pm ET Free Registration Here! Grandmother Mona Polacca is a Hopi/Havasupai/Tewa...
Chief Oren Lyons presenting keynote at FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth
We are pleased to announce Chief Oren Lyons will present a keynote at our upcoming event, FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth Online September 9th, 2021 10am-2pm ET Chief Oren Lyons is a Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan and serves as a Member Chief of the Onondaga...
Chief Arvol Looking Horse to open FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth
We are pleased to announce Chief Arvol Looking Horse will open FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth Online September 9th, 2021. Arvol Looking Horse was born on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. At the age of 12, he was given the responsibility of...
Rev. Susan Hendershot of Interfaith Power and Light Joins the FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth
We are pleased to announce that Rev. Susan Hendershot of Interfaith Power and Light will be moderating our panel titled “Faith-Based Farming in the United States” at FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth Online September 9th, 2021. Rev. Susan Hendershot has served as...