Food Sovereignty as an Environmental Frame for Economic Justice

• In Event: 298 - Section on Environment and Technology Paper Session. Environment and Development (co-sponsored with Section on Sociology of Development)

Abstract

This paper argues that the food sovereignty movement’s use of an environmental frame resonates externally but not internally to the peasant farmers who make up the base of the movement. Food sovereignty activists call for greater support to small farmers on the grounds that it will improve the sustainability of food production and distribution. The movement holds up agroecology and localized trade as the objective, and redistribution of resources to small farmers as the means to achieve it. The indigenous peasants in this study are concerned with securing their livelihood – regardless of the ecological effects in doing so – and participate in the food sovereignty movement because of its efforts toward the redistribution of material resources. These findings are based on ethnographic research in indigenous peasant farming communities in Ecuador. Some of these farmers are themselves caught in the cycle of a pesticide treadmill, yet they do not intend to transition to agroecology because their livelihood depends on growing crops faster and bigger. All of these farmers want to export their crops to other countries to get a better price. With or without improving the ecological sustainability of the food system, they are in favor of the food sovereignty movement’s goal to increase government support for the small farm sector.

Author

• Rachel Soper, University of California-San Diego