Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN)
From Meena Bilgi -
SDG-2-
Thank you very much for giving me the floor. Both the panellists have categorically stated that
development is not just about economic growth, but also about progress on varied number of issues
addressing inter-linkages in a larger sense. Root causes of hunger and poverty must be addressed,
such as wars, conflict, inadequate access to land, water, agricultural inputs, finance and markets,
climate change and lack of participation in decision-making. Wars or militarism is one of the major
obstacles to development in the contemporary world. The military expenditure is rising globally. As
per the report of the International Peace Bureau, extra annual cost to reach the Millennium
Development Goal in 2015 was a fraction of military spending at 329 billion. In situations of armed
conflict, there is a tendency to suppress human rights, political opposition and democratic freedom.
Innocent civilians continue to die. Poverty and inequality caused by neo-liberalism lead the
marginalized communities specially women and children most affected by militaristic approach.
Despite being recognized as one of the most effective way to alleviate poverty and improve food
security, public investments in agriculture is declining. Eradicating poverty, hunger and malnutrition
go hand in hand. Transformative change in food and agriculture is necessary. This means moving
beyond increasing production and sustainably for the health and well-being of people, without
negative social and environmental externalities in land and water tenure, crop, livestock, fisheries,
aquaculture and forestry systems including the loss of biological diversity. Governance of food
systems will be essential for shaping food systems that support healthy diets, as well as other social
and economic outcomes. Predominant unsustainable industrial agriculture and fisheries models are
pushing out small farmers and artisan al fisher-people, majority of who are poor and women. Key to
transformation is empowerment of small-scale producers including women, youth, Indigenous
peoples, pastoralists and fishers, who will continue to make up the vast majority of food producers
and natural resource managers globally. Emphasis must be placed in promoting equitable sharing of
opportunities and equal rights for both women and men farmers and agricultural producers. Urgent
action is also needed to accelerate transformational changes to move beyond emergencies towards
the development of inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems for well-nourished and healthy
people. Increased policy coherence amongst international legal and policy interests to achieve the
SDG2 and all the SDGs is the call of the day.
While the programmes in India under the National Food Security Act cover more than 800 million
people in the country. The Public Distribution System is one of the largest food security initiatives in
the world. Other initiatives that contribute to this goal are the ICDS and the Mid-Day Meal
Programme. The National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture in collaboration with other
stakeholders is implementing climate change adaptation strategies for sustaining agricultural
productivity. Since 2014, the land under organic farming has increased and a comprehensive plan is
being implemented for doubling the farmers' income by 2022. A revamped crop insurance
programme has also been launched. Despite all this, the Global Hunger Index Report predicts that
India will fail to achieve its sustainable development goal target of ending hunger by 2030. There
must be something wrong the way we have looked at hunger and under-nutrition. Our policies have
approached hunger mainly as rural phenomena and as one of food scarcity. We need to identify
emerging challenges of rapid urbanization of hunger and malnutrition, and increasing disconnect
between food and nutrition. Women farmers play a critical role in food systems, including
production, sustaining dietary diversity and providing for the health and nutrition of their families,
yet they struggle for their rights to land and decision-making. India and many other developing
countries will require a sea change in the policies and programmes to tackle hunger and under
nutrition besides a determined political will and robust action. Other important determinants like
livelihoods, decent wage, housing, drinking water, sanitation, education, open spaces will have to be
factored in tackling hunger and under-nutrition. Food production aspects require strong action with
view to minimize risks in the long run, rather than emphasizing maximizing production in the short
term as mentioned before.
SDG-2-
Thank you very much for giving me the floor. Both the panellists have categorically stated that
development is not just about economic growth, but also about progress on varied number of issues
addressing inter-linkages in a larger sense. Root causes of hunger and poverty must be addressed,
such as wars, conflict, inadequate access to land, water, agricultural inputs, finance and markets,
climate change and lack of participation in decision-making. Wars or militarism is one of the major
obstacles to development in the contemporary world. The military expenditure is rising globally. As
per the report of the International Peace Bureau, extra annual cost to reach the Millennium
Development Goal in 2015 was a fraction of military spending at 329 billion. In situations of armed
conflict, there is a tendency to suppress human rights, political opposition and democratic freedom.
Innocent civilians continue to die. Poverty and inequality caused by neo-liberalism lead the
marginalized communities specially women and children most affected by militaristic approach.
Despite being recognized as one of the most effective way to alleviate poverty and improve food
security, public investments in agriculture is declining. Eradicating poverty, hunger and malnutrition
go hand in hand. Transformative change in food and agriculture is necessary. This means moving
beyond increasing production and sustainably for the health and well-being of people, without
negative social and environmental externalities in land and water tenure, crop, livestock, fisheries,
aquaculture and forestry systems including the loss of biological diversity. Governance of food
systems will be essential for shaping food systems that support healthy diets, as well as other social
and economic outcomes. Predominant unsustainable industrial agriculture and fisheries models are
pushing out small farmers and artisan al fisher-people, majority of who are poor and women. Key to
transformation is empowerment of small-scale producers including women, youth, Indigenous
peoples, pastoralists and fishers, who will continue to make up the vast majority of food producers
and natural resource managers globally. Emphasis must be placed in promoting equitable sharing of
opportunities and equal rights for both women and men farmers and agricultural producers. Urgent
action is also needed to accelerate transformational changes to move beyond emergencies towards
the development of inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems for well-nourished and healthy
people. Increased policy coherence amongst international legal and policy interests to achieve the
SDG2 and all the SDGs is the call of the day.
While the programmes in India under the National Food Security Act cover more than 800 million
people in the country. The Public Distribution System is one of the largest food security initiatives in
the world. Other initiatives that contribute to this goal are the ICDS and the Mid-Day Meal
Programme. The National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture in collaboration with other
stakeholders is implementing climate change adaptation strategies for sustaining agricultural
productivity. Since 2014, the land under organic farming has increased and a comprehensive plan is
being implemented for doubling the farmers' income by 2022. A revamped crop insurance
programme has also been launched. Despite all this, the Global Hunger Index Report predicts that
India will fail to achieve its sustainable development goal target of ending hunger by 2030. There
must be something wrong the way we have looked at hunger and under-nutrition. Our policies have
approached hunger mainly as rural phenomena and as one of food scarcity. We need to identify
emerging challenges of rapid urbanization of hunger and malnutrition, and increasing disconnect
between food and nutrition. Women farmers play a critical role in food systems, including
production, sustaining dietary diversity and providing for the health and nutrition of their families,
yet they struggle for their rights to land and decision-making. India and many other developing
countries will require a sea change in the policies and programmes to tackle hunger and under
nutrition besides a determined political will and robust action. Other important determinants like
livelihoods, decent wage, housing, drinking water, sanitation, education, open spaces will have to be
factored in tackling hunger and under-nutrition. Food production aspects require strong action with
view to minimize risks in the long run, rather than emphasizing maximizing production in the short
term as mentioned before.