La Via Campesina: Farmers’ Movement That Changed Global Agriculture
When we talk about food, we often think about what’s on our plate. But behind every grain and harvest lies the untold story of millions of small-scale farmers who struggle to defend their land, their rights, and our future food supply. One global movement has stood at the forefront of this struggle: La Via Campesina.
La Via Campesina was founded in Mons, Belgium in May 1993, when 46 representatives of small-scale farmers, Indigenous peoples, and farmworkers from across the world came together. Their vision was clear: defend peasant agriculture and fight for global food sovereignty. Just three years later, at the World Food Summit in 1996, La Via Campesina officially introduced the concept of Food Sovereignty which is the right of people to define their own food systems. This concept would later inspire movements, policies, and organizations worldwide.
One of the most dramatic moments in La Via Campesina’s history took place on September 10, 2003, in Cancún, Mexico, during the WTO Ministerial Conference. Korean farmer Lee Kyung Hae staged a tragic protest, wearing a sign that read: “WTO Kills Farmers” before taking his own life in front of security fences. His act was a painful reminder of La Via Campesina’s message: agricultural liberalization is a threat to small-scale farmers. This event drew global attention and highlighted the dangers of trade policies that prioritize corporations over farmers’ livelihoods.
After 17 years of persistent struggle, La Via Campesina achieved a historic milestone. In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas. This declaration became a powerful tool to protect farmers’ rights, land, seeds, and livelihoods and solidifying La Via Campesina’s role as a global defender of agricultural justice.
Today, La Via Campesina unites 180 local and national organizations across 81 countries, representing about 200 million small-scale food producers worldwide. Through forums like the Nyéléni Global Forum, named after a legendary Malian woman farmer who could feed her community with the fruits of the land, this movement continues to amplify farmers’ voices on the global stage. Their mission remains the same: defend peasants’ rights, strengthen food sovereignty, and resist policies that exploit farmers and threaten food security.
In an era where climate change global inequality threaten our food systems, La Via Campesina’s fight is more relevant than ever. Their message is not just about farming it’s about justice, dignity, and survival. They remind us that food is not just a commodity,it is a human right. (NAN)
Author: Nabila Nurhidayati Rahmaningrum
REFERENCES:
https://viacampesina.org/en/what-is-food-sovereignty/