On the 11th of June Toekomstboeren will receive various peasant leaders from La Via Campesina for a public event in Amsterdam. La Via Campesina is the international movement of peasants and rural workers. With 200 million members it is also the worlds’ largest social movement.
Peasant agriculture is responsible for feeding most of the worlds population. Using indigenous and agroecological knowledge, peasants produce food while nourishing the soil, biodiversity and local communities. However the commoditization and industrialisation of food and farming pose significant threat to peasants ways of farming and life.
La Via Campesina brings 182 organisation is 81 different countries together to advance food sovereigty: the right of people to define their own food systems and to produce, process and distribute food in ways that nourish rather than exploit people and nature.
During this event peasant leaders will reflect on the struggles for food sovereignty in Netherlands, Europe, Latin America and worldwide. They will also discuss the solutions peasants offer to the multiple crises. And reflect on contemporary threats posed by agri-business, neo-colonialism and the extreme right for peasants and society at large.
With:
Morgan Ody, General Coordinator of La Via Campesina
Nury Martinez, LVC and CLOC (Via Campesina Latin America)
Klarien Klingen, Toekomstboeren (Via Campesina Netherlands)
Jan Douwe van der Ploeg, Emeritus professor Wageningen University
Facilitation by Eduard Nualart
Date & Time: Tuesday June 11 at 19:30
Location: IIRE , Lombokstraat 40, Amsterdam
Register here