Food Sovereignty and Community Land Rights

In this presentation, I will explore the concept of food sovereignty, which prioritizes the rights and needs of those who produce food, particularly small-scale farmers. Food sovereignty emphasizes sustainable agricultural practices, ensuring that producers have control over the land and resources they rely on. This approach advocates for an inclusive food system that respects the rights of local farmers, allowing them to maintain autonomy over their agricultural lands. Such control is essential for promoting food security, especially in the face of multiple stressors, such as climate change, economic instability, and social inequality, that contribute to both food insecurity and human insecurity.

The presentation will highlight the importance of community-based approaches to land management, drawing on case studies from Thailand and the Philippines. In these examples, people's organizations have successfully managed agricultural land through community land rights, enabling more equitable access to resources and fostering local resilience. By securing land tenure and promoting sustainable agricultural practices, these communities have mitigated some of the challenges associated with food insecurity. The case studies will demonstrate how local knowledge, when combined with land rights, can lead to more sustainable and secure food systems, providing a model for other regions facing similar challenges.