[WSF-Discuss] [ESF] New Alliances for Healthy and Affordable Food for All

[CACIM]

September 21, 2008

*New Alliances for Healthy and Affordable Food for All*

*IATP <http://www.iatp.org/>'s Alexandra Strickner is blogging from the fifth
European Social Forum <http://www.fse-esf.org/> taking place in Malmö,
Sweden, from September 17-21.*



@ http://iatp.typepad.com/thinkforward/2008/09/reports-from--1.html



For the first time at a European Social Forum, a joint discussion on the
food crisis among representatives from farmer, worker, consumer and
anti-poverty networks in Europe took place. The discussion centered around
the root causes of the current food crisis and possible new alliances, with
a specific focus on the situation in Europe.



Participants included representatives from Via
Campesina<http://viacampesina.org/main_en/index.php>,
the European Anti-Poverty Network <http://www.eapn.org/>, Comité pour
l'annulation de la dette du Tiers Monde <http://www.cadtm.org/> (CADTM), the
Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations <http://somo.nl/> (SOMO),
and the Italian trade union CGIL <http://www.cgil.it/>.



Among the discussants, a consensus emerged that speculation on commodities
and the current structure of the food system are core problems, leading to
low incomes for farmers, low wages for farmworkers and high prices for
consumers. There was also consensus on the need to have public policies and
regulations secure the production of healthy and accessible food as well as
appropriate levels of income for consumers to afford food. Besides a reform
of agriculture policies, new regulations to increase competition and curb
speculation were emphasized.



Participants emphasized that competition policies need to be developed at
the international level, and in general reformed, taking into account not
only consumer interests, but also workers and producers. Given the role of
speculation in the current food crisis, a prohibition for speculation on
commodities was suggested.



To develop consensus on new policies, participants concluded that first a
debate over a joint vision of what kind of food system is needed has to take
place. This vision needs to take into account the different interests and
needs of farmers, farmworkers and consumers. A trade union representative
discussed the challenge of farmers as employers and the potential conflict
of interest between farmers and farm workers. He referred to farm worker
experiences as among the most exploited ones on the side of production. He
also emphasized the need of workers organizations to develop a better
analysis and understanding on the current structures and problems of the
food system.



Today, in a Food Assembly, the results and proposals of the different
discussions will be shared and the building of a European Movement for Food
Sovereignty will be discussed.
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