The UN calls for food policies based on human rights

 

A group of United Nations experts has called on governments, businesses and investors to adopt human rights-based approaches to food policies. The statement, released on 23 June, highlights the need to transform global agri-food systems to ensure not only the availability of food, but also the right of people and communities to decide how it is produced, distributed and consumed.

According to the experts, the fight against hunger and food insecurity cannot be limited to increasing agricultural production. It is necessary to ensure that small-scale farmers, artisanal fishers, indigenous peoples and rural communities have access to productive resources and participate in decision-making that affects their livelihoods.

The statement warns of the risks arising from the concentration of power in the hands of large agri-food corporations, a phenomenon that can reduce the autonomy of local producers and limit the diversity of food systems. In this sense, experts advocate more sustainable and democratic models that strengthen local economies and protect natural resources.

This position connects directly with the principles of food sovereignty, a concept promoted by peasant movements around the world that claims the right of peoples to define their own agricultural and food policies. Food sovereignty promotes local production, agroecology, the conservation of traditional seeds and a fairer distribution of the benefits generated by the agri-food sector.

The UN intervention comes in a context marked by the effects of climate change, the increase in production costs and geopolitical tensions that affect global food supply chains. Faced with these challenges, more and more international organizations and social entities are calling for a transition towards more resilient and locally rooted food systems.

The experts believe that guaranteeing the right to food also implies protecting the rights to land, water and seeds, as well as ensuring decent living conditions for people working in the primary sector. For this reason, they urge states to incorporate these principles into their public policies and regulatory frameworks affecting agricultural investments.

The declaration reinforces a debate increasingly present on the international agenda: the need to combine food security with social and environmental justice. For advocates of food sovereignty, this approach is essential to building more equitable, sustainable and resilient food systems capable of responding to the challenges of the 21st century.