Monday, May 12, 2008

Agroecology as the Basis of Food Sovereignty in Venezuela:

Farming WITH Nature, Not AGAINST

There are lessons to be learned from Venezuela’s small-scale farmers, who are advancing innovative practices in agroecology as the basis for a broader national agenda of food sovereignty.

By: Christina Schiavoni, Co-Director of the Global Movements Program at WHY

Miguel Angel Nuñez of the Institute for the Production and Research of Tropical Agriculture (IPIAT), a civil society representative of Venezuela currently participating in CSD, describes an agroecological approach to food production as critical to achieving true food sovereignty. Agroecology means farming with nature rather than against it—building up soil as the basis for productivity, working in sync with natural cycles, using natural inputs, etc.

Viable alternative model

Nuñez thinks this approach is important for Venezuela because it provides a viable alternative to the industrial model of agriculture imposed by the Green Revolution, which was designed as a one-size-fits-all formula that never considered conditions unique to the tropics. When applied in tropical conditions, the industrial model degrades soil; creates extra waste while requiring extra cost; and fails to reach the same levels of productivity as appropriate, locally adapted systems. Additionally, the industrial model requires expensive inputs, such as specially bred seeds, often genetically modified (GM), and synthetic fertilizer and pesticides. Such dependence, Nuñez argues, is in direct conflict with food sovereignty.

From within

An agroecological approach to food sovereignty requires looking not outside, but within communities, for traditional crop varieties and growing techniques adapted to local microclimates and cultures. This approach corresponds with the concept of desarrollo endógeno, or “development from within,” promoted as a core component of Venezuela's political process. Adopting this approach means seeking out the wisdom of often-marginalized populations, such as women, indigenous people and afro-descendents.

Political will

While there are differing ideas on what path Venezuela's agriculture should take, the government has shown a willingness to learn from social movements. This type of dialogue led Venezuela to declare a moratorium on GM crops, followed by efforts to preserve and multiply traditional seed varieties. Additional forms of institutional support for agroecology include new biocontrol and biofertilizer laboratories, and a system of credit for farmers to implement agroecology projects—the first of its kind in Latin America, according to Nuñez.

For additional articles on agroecology in Venezuela, visit In Motion Magazine.