Statement by La Via Campesina and Friends of the Earth International

A joint statement by La Via Campesina and Friends of the Earth International supporting the proposals of UN Special Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter to the 17th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. The document advocates for a transition from industrial agricultural models to food sovereignty, emphasizing the rights of small-scale farmers to land, seeds, and water while opposing the influence of transnational corporations and international financial institutions.

• The document supports UN Special Rapporteur Olivier De Schutter's proposal for an agricultural development model based on human rights, which prioritizes the needs of the most vulnerable and shifts the focus from 'how to feed the world' to 'how to help the world feed itself'. This model emphasizes that increasing production must be coupled with increasing incomes for the poorest, specifically small-scale farmers, and adopting production methods that do not contribute to climate change.
• The document identifies several 'interfering actors' and 'false solutions' that obstruct food sovereignty. These include the export-oriented production model of transnational corporations and the policies of the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Trade Organization (WTO), the United States, and the European Union. 'False solutions' cited include carbon trading, REDD, the Kyoto Protocol's clean development mechanisms, and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2009). Statement by La Via Campesina and Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CSD-17-LVC_FoEI-Statement-PRINTED.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Statement by La Via Campesina and Friends of the Earth International. 2009. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CSD-17-LVC_FoEI-Statement-PRINTED.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Statement by La Via Campesina and Friends of the Earth International |date=12 May 2009 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CSD-17-LVC_FoEI-Statement-PRINTED.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2009statement, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Statement by La Via Campesina and Friends of the Earth International}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2009}, month = may, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CSD-17-LVC_FoEI-Statement-PRINTED.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }