Today, PAN Asia Pacific and its partners and networks from Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Africa kicks off the 2019 16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology with the theme “Youth March On for Agroecology and Food Sovereignty!”. The 16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology is an annual global campaign aimed at advancing agroecology as an alternative to chemical-based corporate agriculture and as a way towards achieving food sovereignty.
The 2019 16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology consists of a series of collective actions led by the youth in various farmers’, women’s and advocacy groups and movements from different countries from October 1 until its culmination on October 15, Rural Women’s Day, and October 16, ‘World Hunger Day,’ an annual commemoration to highlight continuing world hunger and the need for food sovereignty. This year’s aims to reach out up to 600,000 people through actions that include collective land cultivation, educational discussions, workshops, flash mob, seed exchanges, fora, pamphlet distribution, gardening, book launching, agroecology trainings, community integrations, and mobilisations.
Now on its 5th year, the 16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology aims to raise awareness on the benefits of agroecology for food security, health and the environment, land and natural resources, and the economy of food producers and rural communities. It aims to generate solidarity among the youth across the globe, in pushing for policy changes in the local, national and international level to promote agroecology. and in advancing the struggle to defend collective rights to land and resources through resistance to corporate agriculture . The 16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology will promote the youth’s leadership and initiatives to advance our call for agroecology as an alternative to corporate agriculture and a solution to the climate crisis.
The recent global climate strikes show that the world’s youth are a wellspring of energy and talent, and represent the future of their communities, countries, and the entire planet. However, they face many challenges that prevent them from achieving their full potential: landlessness; lack of services such as education, health and shelter; impacts of climate change; and lack of jobs among others. On the other hand, such conditions motivate many young people to organise among themselves and lead initiatives such as learning and experiences exchange; on-the-job trainings on agriculture practices, organising the rural and urban youth; and advocating farmers, small food producers and farm workers’ rights through education, community immersions and artistic productions. These initiatives are connected with agroecology as a viable alternative to corporate farming and as way to address growing hunger and the climate crisis.
The 16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology celebrates the role of the youth in leading the way towards advancing agroecology and fighting for food sovereignty of the peoples the world. Their contribution needs to be supported by movements and advocates everywhere. As the youth marches on, they carry the torch and lead the way to building the global agroecology movement and achieving food sovereignty all over the world.
As it kickstarts today- this year’s campaign is joined by 30 groups from 20 countries and is enjoining other groups all over the world to be part of the campaign and the movement for agroecology and food sovereignty.
Reference: Terence Krishna Lopez, PAN Asia Pacific Campaign Officer, terence.lopez@panap.net
More on the “16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology“:
Download the Toolkit on how to join (PDF file).
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