840 million hungry2 billion with nutritional deficiencies 76% live in rural areas, and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Half the hungry are smallholder farmers with limited access to productive resources 66% live in marginal land threatened by natural disasters and desertification 8% are fisher-folk, hunters and herders 22% are landless and work as laborers

5. 314 million people live on less than $1 per day

11. •Further marginalized the hungry and malnourished
•Places the food economy into the hands of multi-nationals
•And significantly reduces the diversity of crops and plant
varieties

12. •Lack of access to productive resources
•Inadequate income
•Inequitable distribution of land and food

14. Only industrialized agriculture has reached
the limits of sustainable expansion.
Farming in risk prone marginal environments
is often improved through agricultural
technology.
Increased yields might be produced through
modern plant varieties that are drought and
pest resistant.

15. Rural poor are neglected in policy making

16. Agreement on Agriculture
was not significantly different to the
Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers
of the World Bank and IMF written
during the 1980’s but the rules
became binding international
agreements.
National policies which in turn effect
•food safety
•agricultural subsidies
•intellectual property rights
Tariffs

18. World prices are
depressed for most
stable food products
Developed countries sell
products below cost
Poor farmers are unable
to compete

21. Large scale agriculture acquires an advantage!

22. - Land
- Credit
- Stock breeds
- Seeds
- Fertilizers
- Pesticides
- Water

23. International food processing
industries require cheap products
Putting more pressure on
primary producers

24. More and more land is given into the hands
of a few
Remaining small farmers are forced
onto less productive land

26. Seeds are in the control of
agro-chemical and oil
companies
Control over genetic material - seeds
and livestock breeds will mean farmers
will be forced to buy licenses to grow
certain crops.
Consumers will be forced to eat
genetically modified foods.

27. Increasing domination
of processing and
retailing of food
Nestlé
CocaCola

28. Controlling distribution

30. Means that all members
must implement plant
variety protection
legislation … at the same
level as in developed
countries

31. 98% of patents on
genes and living
organisms
90% of biotypes of food
and agricultural
products

36. A common definition
The right of individuals,
communities, peoples
and countries to define
their own food and
agriculture policies;
to protect and regulate domestic agricultural production and
trade in order to achieve sustainable development
objectives;

37. to determine the extent to
which they want to be self
reliant;

38. to restrict the dumping
of products in their
markets;
and to provide local fisheries-
based communities the
priority in managing the use
of and rights to aquatic
resources.

42. The Right to Food is seen as an integral
component of human rights
– within the Declaration of Human Rights
(1948)
- within the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976)

43. Focusing not only on access to food but
participation in the economic life, use of
resources and other means of procurement.

44. Food security exists when all people, at all
times, have physical and economic access
to safe and nutritious food which meets
their dietary needs and food preferences
for an active and healthy life.
World Food Summit 1996

45. This was developed within
the context of UN agencies
dealing with food and
nutrition.
It is more a goal that a process which solves
problems of hunger and malnutrition.

50. The right to food
Access to productive resources
Mainstream agro-ecological production
Trade and local markets

51. Many NGO’s and
Social Movements
have called for a new
governance process to
be developed outside
the current trading
system.

52. A CODE OF CONDUCT on the human
right to food
An INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON FOOD
SOVEREIGNITY that would replace the
current Agreement on Agriculture (WTO)

53. A WORLD COMMISSION on Sustainable
Agricultural and Food Sovereignty
An international legally binding treaty
that defines the rights of smallholder
farmers within the UN Human Rights
framework.

54. Reform and strengthen the United Nations
Have an independent dispute settlement
mechanism integrated within the
International Court of Justice

58. 44 Congregations collaborating to
lobby for economic justice.

59. AGRICULTURE
Updates Info flashes Campaigns Dossiers
Half of the world’s active population is employed in the agricultural sector. In the 49
Least Developed Countries (34 of which are African countries), agriculture is the
livelihood of up to 60% of the active population. Current agricultural policies consist too
often in encouraging producing more and more. This policy results in a downward trend
of prices for agricultural produce worldwide. The smallholder farmers are the first
victims of such policies; the food-industry profits most of this situation.
Our main concern goes out to the reform of the European Common Agricultural Policy
(CAP) and its impact on African agricultural sectors like cotton, olive oil, cereals, rice,
sugar, coffee, etc. These products are of vital importance for the livelihood of millions of
farmer-families in Africa and are most important sources of income for many Least
Developed Countries.
AEFJN wants to advocate that African farmers and countries have the right to protect
and regulate their agricultural sectors, so as to assure farmers’ rights to a fair price for
their produce and a dignified living for their families.
AEFJN statement on the use of
GMO food and seeds in Africa.