LATIN AMERICA WEEK 2009

“ The bittersweet taste of globalised food”

Local Struggles and Food Sovereignty in Latin America and Ireland

Flyer of Latin America Week 2009

Poster of Latin America Week 2009

Calendar for Latin America Week 2009

Photos of Latin America Week 2009

Report of Latin America Week 2009

Who will be the main speakers in LAW 2009?

ALBERTA CARIÑO TRUJILLO

She is Mixtec woman from Oaxaca who works in CACTUS (Centre of Community Support Working Together), a Mixtec peasant organisation which is part of MAIZ (Agrarian Zapatista Indigenous Movement) and of the broader coalition “No Maize, No Country”. This organisation has extensive work in the area of food sovereignty, promoting sowing for local consumption and local barter, community water management, soil conservation, women's productive collectives, etc. They run an Agrarian School, Ricardo Flores Magón, which has as its mission to recover traditional and autonomous alimentary systems. CACTUS also advocates gender equality issues. Mexico no es solo para vacionar. Text from Bety Cariño

JUAN CAMBINDO CUENU
Juan Cambindo Cuenu is Director of the Sugar Cane Workers Union in Colombia. He is a worker of the sugarcane industry since 30 years ago. Since 1997 until now he works in the Manuelita Sugar Plantation, one of the biggest in the department of Valle del Cauca. Nowadays he is member of Sintrainal, which groups the workers of the food industry in Colombia. Juan Cambindo has been a outstanding leader of the Sugar cane sector and has participated of the different fights in defence of the rights of the sugar cane cutters. During the last strike from 15th September to 12th November 2008, he was spokesman of the workers and member of the negociation team between the workers and the government.

What is Food Sovereignty?

“Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. It puts those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations. It defends the interests and inclusion of the next generation. It offers a strategy to resist and dismantle the current corporate trade and food regime, and directions for food, farming, pastoral and fisheries systems determined by local producers.
Food sovereignty prioritises local and national economies and markets and empowers peasant and family farmer-driven agriculture, artisan fishing, pastoralist-led grazing, and food production, distribution and consumption based on environmental, social and economic sustainability. Food sovereignty promotes transparent trade that guarantees just income to all peoples and the rights of consumers to control their food and nutrition. It ensures that the rights to use and manage our lands, territories, waters, seeds, livestock and biodiversity are in the hands of those of us who produce food. Food sovereignty implies new social relations free of oppression and inequality between men and women, peoples, racial groups, social classes and generations.” (Nyeleni Declaration signed up by 800 international peasant organisations, March 2007)

Why is Food Sovereignty relevant to Latin America and Ireland?

Since 2006 there has been a sharp increase in the price of staple food making it unaffordable for millions. It is estimated that because of this 15 million people will join the 70 million already living in extreme poverty. As a result, there has been widespread unrest erupting in riots over hunger, such as Mexico (January 2007) and Haiti (April 2008).

Ireland is increasingly dependant on imported food, to the point that in the case of an oil shock, the country would “probably not even have food supply for a week”. (Irish Independent 26-07-08). This dependency makes Ireland vulnerable, while at the same time reinforces an unfair and unsustainable trade system.

What are the causes behind the food crisis?

There are many issues behind it, such as: raise in the oil prices, food speculation, economies focusing on cash crops in detriment of edibles, stagnation in food production, biofuels, emerging markets' higher demand, unfair trade practices, etc. Many of these causes are linked to market liberalisation and Neoliberalism which has lead to crises in other aspects of society too.

Calendar for Latin America Week 2009

Events in Galway, Contact: Martha Fabregat, Irish Mexico Group. lumarna0@hotmail.com
Events in Limerick, Contact: Nancy Serrano, nancy.serrano@ul.ie
Events in Dublin, contact Latin America Solidarity Centre on 016760435, info@lasc.ie
Events in Cork, Contact: José Antonio Gutiérrez, LASC Research Officer, research@lasc.ie

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Date	Details	Venue	Time	Contact
Tuesday 14th April	DUBLIN Photo Exhibition LAUNCH	Irish Aid Volunteer and Information Centre, 27-31 Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1	18:00 - 20:00	LASC e-mail:info@lasc.ie Ph. : 016760435
Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th April	DUBLIN Photo Exhibition about Food Sovereignty	Irish Aid Volunteer and Information Centre, 27-31 Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1	9:00 - 17:00	LASC e-mail:info@lasc.ie Ph. : 016760435
Tuesday 15th to Friday 17th April	DUBLIN Latin American Film Festival 2009	Irish Aid Volunteer and Information Centre, 27-31 Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1	Two screenings everyday: 5:00 pm and 6:30 pm	LASC e-mail:info@lasc.ie Ph. : 016760435
Sat 18th April	DUBLIN LAW conference: Speakers from Colombia and Mexico Download here the agenda	Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2	From 10:00 to 17:00	LASC e-mail:info@lasc.ie Ph. : 016760435
Sat 18th April	DUBLIN Club Sandino. Including Tango performance	Club Sandino Seomra Spraoi, Dublin 1	9:00 pm and 1:00 am	LASC e-mail:info@lasc.ie Ph. : 016760435
Wed 22nd April	DUBLIN “Food Fight Cafe”: struggles and food sovereignty in Latin America by Alberta Cariño Trujillo.	Club Sandino Seomra Spraoi, Dublin 1	7:00 pm	LASC e-mail:info@lasc.ie Ph. : 016760435
Wed 15th April	GALWAY Public Talk and LAW launch Cuban Agriculutre and Food Sovereignty	Galway Social Space, Middle St	7:00pm	Martha Fabregat e-mail:lumarna0@hotmail.com Ph. :0872031764
Thu 16th April	GALWAY Film Festival El tren de carton	Huston School of Film, NUIG	8:00pm	Martha Fabregat e-mail:lumarna0@hotmail.com Ph. : 0872031764
Thu 16th April	GALWAY Film Festival Linha de passe	VEC old Building, Gort	8:00pm	Martha Fabregat e-mail:lumarna0@hotmail.com Ph. : 0872031764
Fr 17th April	GALWAY Film Festival Tambogrande	Huston School of Film, NUIG	8:00pm	Martha Fabregat e-mail:lumarna0@hotmail.com Ph. : 0872031764
Sun 19th April	GALWAY Food Awareness Day Exploring ways to reclaim the right to acess healthy food	Family Resource Centre, Church St, Gort,	1-6pm	Martha Fabregat e-mail:lumarna0@hotmail.com Ph. : 0872031764
Mon 20th April	GALWAY Public Talk with Alberta Cariño and Juan Cambindo	Galway Public Library, Augustine Street	7:00pm	Martha Fabregat e-mail:lumarna0@hotmail.com Ph. : 0872031764
Mon 20th April	GALWAY Fiesta Latina Arus na nGael	Dominick Street	9:00pm	Martha Fabregat e-mail:lumarna0@hotmail.com Ph. : 0872031764
Tue 21st April	LIMERICK 2 Talks with Juan Cambindo		Talk 1: 1:00pm / University of Limerick, Campus Talk 2: 7:00pm / Limerick City Library (The Granary)	Nancy Serrano e-mail:nancy.serrano@ul.ie Ph. : 0610202192
Wed 22nd April	LIMERICK Spanish Play: “El Sí de las niñas” Followed by a Latin American Music and Dance Workshop	Jonathan Swiff Lecture Theatre	7:30pm	Nancy Serrano e-mail:nancy.serrano@ul.ie Ph. : 0610202192
Thu 23rd April	LIMERICK Documentary “Tambogrande”	University of Limerick Campus	5:00pm	Nancy Serrano e-mail:nancy.serrano@ul.ie Ph. : 0610202192
Thu 23rd April	LIMERICK Salsa Party	Arena Sports Club-UL Campus Tickets: 5€ Prize to be won!	21:30pm	Nancy Serrano e-mail:nancy.serrano@ul.ie Ph. : 0610202192
Tue 21st April	CORK Discussion with Alberta Cariño	Utopia Nation Barrack Street	7:00pm	John Baker e-mail:earth_repair@yahoo.co.uk Ph. : 016760435
Tue 21st April	CORK Planting a new community garden in Utopia Nation	Utopia Nation Barrack Street	7:00pm	John Baker e-mail:earth_repair@yahoo.co.uk Ph. : 016760435

For further details contact:
LASC , 5 Merrion Row, Dublin 2
Ph. 01 6760435
info@lasc.ie

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For further details contact:
LASC , 5 Merrion Row, Dublin 2
Ph. 01 6760435
info@lasc.ie

Back to Latin America Week
Back to Home page

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