The globalisation of trade, the flooding
of local markets with food imports, the non-implementation of land reform, and
the encroachment of export oriented/cash crop agriculture, industrialisation and
urbanisation projects on land, added to the lack of support of poor farming
communities have resulted in the displacement and destruction of their
economies. Further, the marginalization of womens' contribution in agriculture;
the strengthening of corporate control of production, distribution and supply of
food; and the ecological degradation resulting from the promotion of high input
Green Revolution technologies are all factors that have contributed to the
onslaught on local food systems especially in the South-threatening the
integrity, security and safety of local foods.
The idea of carrying out a yearly campaign, involving the
various groups across Asia and the Pacific that are concerned about these
issues, had been part of Pesticide Action Network-Asia Pacific's (PAN AP) work
plan for sometime. The idea germinated into the Safe Food Campaign-a
yearly campaign which will have a sub-theme chosen each year. For 1996 the
sub-theme based on the idea of Eating Locally Towards Ensuring Food Security
was chosen as the campaign focus. The focus on supporting seasonal and
sustainably produced local foods is a crucial part of ensuring food security,
and safe foods, and is a timely intervention in light of the World Food Summit
taking place in November. Other dimensions within the theme of eating locally
include the emphasis on eating organic or sustainably grown produce; support for
breast feeding as a crucial localised, safe and sustainable food source; the
challenging of corporations, agribusiness and free trade in addressing the
problems of food insecurity; women's perspective of food security that
emphasises sustainability, food safety and security within the family and
community; and sustainable agriculture as the way towards safe and secure food
for all.
The campaign, co-ordinated by PAN AP, will be launched Asia
Pacific wide on 1 November, with proposed activities in Malaysia, Indonesia,
Thailand, India, Pakistan, Korea and Japan, conducted with and by network
partners in the region. This will also be an opportunity for the groups to raise
their concerns in terms of the Summit. A campaign kit, including a booklet which
features articles on the various issues of concern, and posters will be
produced. The booklet will include case studies on initiatives being undertaken
in the region on safe food and food security.
Under the broader theme of Safe Food the campaign will take
action with partner groups; raise public awareness and galvanise public action;
and strengthen links with groups. Safe Food is a basic human right issue, a
health issue, a consumer right issue etc. through which we will involve a
broad coalition of people and groups. Ultimately it is a way of developing
public support for sustainable agriculture based on the 'Farm to Table' or 'Full
Life Cycle' concept that incorporates Sustainable Production and Consumption;
and to make sustainable agriculture 'conventional agriculture'.
Jennifer Mourin works for Pesticides
Action Network Asia Pacific, PO Box 1170, 10850 Penang, Malaysia, Tel. +60 4 657
0271, fax +60 4 657 7445.
[This
article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 33 as part of the
Focus on Food supplement, September 1996,
page 21]