image of woman holding seeds with text 'food sovereignty for a just recovery from covid19'

The COVID 19 pandemic has shown that the need for food sovereignty and agroecology is no longer up for debate. Local agroecological food systems and short supply chains have proved resilient and innovative during worldwide lockdowns. In contrast, industrial food systems built on global supply chains are fragile, relying on the exploitation of workers and food producers, and contributing to the destruction of ecosystems which created the conditions for the coronavirus pandemic. COVID 19 has only highlighted existing injustice and inequality in the industrial food system.

Our new video series “Food Sovereignty for Just Recovery from COVID 19” shines a spotlight on six Friends of the Earth groups who have supported peasants, fisherfolk, womens’ collectives and communities across the world to plug hunger gaps and feed themselves and others during the pandemic. Their initiatives include community supported fisheries, food cooperatives, social programmes, mutual aid, solidarity kitchens and agroecological farming.

Whilst 270 million additional people will face hunger due to COVID 19, the majority of Government action has focused on supporting big business. Friends of the Earth International, with hundreds of civil society organisations, is calling on the UN Committee for World Food Security to urgently take action on COVID 19 and provide guidance for governments on how to prioritise the Right to Food and Food Sovereignty in their policies for a Just Recovery.

Watch the videos here on our Youtube channel.

EL SALVADOR