THEME: PUSHING FOR AN AGRICULTURE SECTOR THAT EMBRACES RURAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, FARMER SEED AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND ADDRESSES HOUSEHOLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY
1. BACKGROUND
There are two paradigms for agriculture, food, and health, based on two paradigms of knowledge: one being systems-based, the other being self-centred. The first, based on a systems approach, recognises the interrelationships between how we produce, process and distribute our food. It embodies the idea that human beings are not separated from nature, but are part of it and of its complex living processes. This system recognises the self-organising capacity, from cells to our bodies, and planet earth. Planetary health and our health are one health. In this perspective, ecological degradation and disease are seen as an impairment in this capacity of self-organisation, self-regulation, self-healing and renewal of living systems. In the ecological paradigm, agriculture, food production and health are internal inputs into systems, which have an internal capacity and potential to produce what they need. The earth, food and our bodies are interconnected living systems. The second paradigm is mechanistic and reductionist, based on seeing human beings as separate and apart from nature. Nature, food and our bodies are viewed as One Planet One Health. The mechanical worldview is static, non-dynamic, non-interactive, divisive and separating. It insulates itself from a living and lived reality, creates artificial and abstract constructions which are disconnected from reality.
Download the entire 2021 FARMERS MANIFESTO: Pushing for an agriculture sector that embraces rural sustainable development, farmer seed and food sovereignty and addresses household food and nutrition security here https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/key_papers/FARMERS-MANIFESTO-2021.pdf
