Agroecology and the struggle for food sovereignty in the Americas

The authors of this book believe that the search for a more ‘liveable world’ must find alternatives to the corporate capture of food, land, biodiversity and the environment. This needs to build on the potential offered by more autonomous local food systems and organisations. It is argued that the the right to land, food and environmental sustainability will largely depend on an alternative ‘food sovereignty policy framework’ that empowers local organisations to manage their ecological and institutional contexts.Building on the outcomes of a workshop as well as panel discussions and interviews in Central and Southern America, papers in the book intend to:examine the political, economic, cultural, and ecological dimensions of food sovereigntygenerate and exchange technically informed and practically applicable knowledgeprovide an interactive space for the formation of cross-cultural alliances between the U.S. and Latin America among academics and practitioners.Two key recommendations are that:policy-makers should reconsider the critical importance of just access to food production and consumption when developing relevant trade policyagricultural products should be seen as more than ‘just food’.Other book chapters describe emerging conservation challenges related to the increasing recognition of the importance of the environmental services provided by biodiverse farms and the role of academia in furthering many of the causes fought for by diverse social movements. It is hoped that by engaging a broader audience, academy can break down boundaries between theory and practice. Papers by workshop participants explore specific connections in greater depth. By way of localised case studies in several countries, authors take a closer look at food and agriculture challenges in different local and national contexts, and present innovative projects promoting food sovereignty and agroecology.