ROME
DECLARATION ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY
Adopted
by the World Food Summit
Rome, Italy 13 November 1996
We, the Heads of State and Government or our
representatives, gathered at the World Food Summit at the
invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of
the United Nations, reaffirm the right of everyone to
have access to safe and nutritious food, consistent with
the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of
everyone to be free from hunger.
We pledge our political will and our common and
national commitment to achieving food security for all
and to an ongoing effort to eradicate hunger in all
countries, with an immediate view to reducing the number
of undernourished people to half their present level no
late than 2015.
We consider it intolerable that more than 800 million
people throughout the world, and particularly in
developing countries, do not have enough food to meet
their basic nutritional needs. This situation is
unacceptable. Food supplies have increased substantially,
but constraints on access to food and continuing
inadequacy of household and national incomes to purchase
food, instability of supply and demand, as well as
natural and man-made disasters, prevent basic food needs
from being fulfilled. The problems of hunger and food
insecurity have global dimensions and are likely to
persist, and even increase dramatically in some regions,
unless urgent, determined and concerted action is taken,
given the anticipated increase in the world's population
and the stress on natural resources.
We reaffirm that a peaceful, stable and enabling
political, social and economic environment is the
essential foundation which will enable States to give
adequate priority to food security and poverty
eradication. Democracy, promotion and protection of all
human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the
right to development, and the full and equal
participation of men and women are essential for
achieving sustainable food security for all.
Poverty is a major cause of food insecurity and
sustainable progress in poverty eradication is critical
to improve access to food. Conflict, terrorism,
corruption and environmental degradation also contribute
significantly to food insecurity. Increased food
production, including staple food, must be undertaken.
This should happen within the framework of sustainable
management of natural resources, elimination of
unsustainable patterns of consumption and production,
particularly in industrialised countries, and early
stabilisation of the world population. We acknowledge the
fundamental contribution to food security by women,
particularly in rural areas of developing countries, and
the need to ensure equality between men and women.
Revitalisation of rural areas must also be a priority to
enhance social stability and help redress the excessive
rate rural-urban migration confronting many countries.
We emphasise the urgency of taking action now to
fulfil our responsibility to achieve food security for
present and future generations. Attaining food security
is a complex task for which the primary responsibility
rests with individual governments. They have to develop
an enabling environment and have policies that ensure
peace, as well as social, political and economic
stability and equity and gender equality. We express our
deep concern over the persistence of hunger which, on
such a scale, constitutes a threat both to national
societies and, through a variety of ways, to the
stability of the international community itself. Within
the global framework, governments should also cooperate
actively with one another and with United Nations
organisations, financial institutions, intergovernmental
and non-governmental organisations, and public and
private sectors, on programmes directed toward the
achievement of food security for all.
Food should not be used as an instrument for political
and economic pressure. We reaffirm the importance of
international cooperation and solidarity as well as the
necessity of refraining from unilateral measures not in
accordance with the international law and the Charter of
the United Nations and that endanger food security.
We recognise the need to adopt policies conducive to
investment in human resource development, research and
infrastructure for achieving food security. We must
encourage generation of employment and incomes, and
promote equitable access to productive and financial
resources. We agree that trade is a key element in
achieving food security. We agree to pursue food trade
and overall trade policies that will encourage our
producers and consumers to utilise available resources in
an economically sound and sustainable manner. We
recognise the importance for food security of sustainable
agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural development in
low as well as high potential areas. We acknowledge the
fundamental role of farmers, fishers, foresters,
indigenous people and their communities, and all other
people involved in the food sector, and of their
organisations, supported by effective research and
extension, in attaining food security. Our sustainable
development policies will promote full participation and
empowerment of people, especially women, an equitable
distribution of income, access to health care and
education, and opportunities for youth. Particular
attention should be given to those who cannot produce or
procure enough food for an adequate diet, including those
affected by war, civil strife, natural disaster or
climate related ecological changes. We are conscious of
the need for urgent action to combat pests, drought, and
natural resource degradation including desertification,
overfishing and erosion of biological diversity.
We are determined to make efforts to mobilise, and
optimise the allocation and utilisation of, technical and
financial resources from all sources, including external
debt relief for developing countries, to reinforce
national actions to implement sustainable food security
policies.
Convinced that the multifaceted character of food
security necessitates concerted national action, and
effective international efforts to supplement and
reinforce national action, we make the following
commitments:
- we will ensure an enabling political, social, and
economic environment designed to create the best
conditions for the eradication of poverty and for
durable peace, based on full and equal
participation of women and men, which is most
conducive to achieving sustainable food security
for all;
- we will implement policies aimed at eradicating
poverty and inequality and improving physical and
economic access by all, at all times, to
sufficient, nutritionally adequate and safe food
and its effective utilisation;
- we will pursue participatory and sustainable
food, agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural
development policies and practices in high and
low potential areas, which are essential to
adequate and reliable food supplies at the
household, national regional and global levels,
and combat pests, drought and desertification,
considering the multifunctional character of
agriculture;
- we will strive to ensure that food, agricultural
trade and overall trade policies are conducive to
fostering food security for all through a fair
and market-oriented world trade system;
- we will endeavour to prevent and be prepared for
natural disasters and man-made emergencies and to
meet transitory and emergency food requirements
in ways that encourage recovery, rehabilitation,
development and a capacity to satisfy future
needs;
- we will promote optimal allocation and use of
public and private investments to foster human
resources, sustainable food, agriculture,
fisheries and forestry systems, and rural
development, in high and low potential areas;
- we will implement, monitor, and follow-up this
Plan of Action at all levels in cooperation with
the international community.
We pledge our actions and support to implement the
World Food Summit Plan of Action.
NGO FORUM STATEMENT TO THE
WORLD FOOD SUMMIT
PROFIT FOR FEW OR FOOD FOR ALL?
Food Sovereignty and Security to Eliminate the
Globalisation of Hunger
Preamble
In the next few minutes the diverse voices of civil
society will speak as one. We are representatives of more
than 1,200 organisations from some 80 countries, from all
regions of the world. We seek to bring the message of the
more than one billion hungry and malnourished people of
the world, most of them children and women. Through
regional and global consultations we have discovered and
affirmed our mutual solidarity. Our collective vision
derives from our knowledge that food security is
possible. We regret that we will have but four minutes to
share this vision with you.
We affirm first and foremost the basic human Right to
Food. Everyone has the right to secure access at all
times to safe and nutritious food and water adequate to
sustain an active and healthy life with dignity.
Neither food nor famine can be used as a national or
international political weapon. Access to food cannot be
denied to any nation, ethnic or social group for
political, economic, religious or other reasons. Economic
embargoes or international sanctions affecting
populations are incompatible with food security. Those
currently in place must be terminated.
The shame of global hunger and malnutrition compels
action by all. At the same time, we insist that
governments have the primary and ultimate responsibility
to ensure national and global food security.
The representatives of civil society gathered at the
NGO Forum are in full agreement on some of the
fundamental causes of food insecurity.
The globalisation of the world economy, along with the
lack of accountability of transnational corporations and
spreading patterns of overconsumption have increased
world poverty. Today's global economy is characterised by
unemployment, low wages, destruction of rural economies,
and bankruptcy of family farmers.
Industrialised agriculture, intensive animal husbandry
methods, and overfishing are destroying traditional
farming, poisoning the planet and all living beings.
Subsidised exports, artificially low prices, constant
dumping, and even some food aid programmes are increasing
food insecurity and making people dependent on food they
are unable to produce. The depletion of global grain
stocks has increased market instability, to the detriment
of small producers.
Family farmers and vulnerable people are forced under
International Monetary Fund and World Bank policies to
pay the price of structural adjustment and debt
repayment. National policies too often neglect these same
groups. Official corruption erodes all efforts to achieve
food security.
The proliferation of war, civil conflict, and
environmental degradation is a growing source of hunger
and food insecurity. Hunger and malnutrition are most
severe in cases where these combine with natural
disasters.
Civil Society Proposals to Achieve Food Security
We propose a new model for achieving food security
that calls into question many of the existing
assumptions, policies and practices. This model, based on
decentralisation, challenges the current model, based on
a concentration of wealth and power, which now threatens
global food security, cultural diversity, and the very
ecosystems that sustain life on the planet.
We highlight six key elements of this alternative
model, along with steps toward its development and
implementation. An integrated approach is required, thus
simultaneous action is needed in each of these areas.
1. The capacity of family farmers, including
indigenous peoples, women, and youth, along with local
and regional food systems must be strengthened.
1.1. All aspects of food and agriculture must be
reoriented in favour of family farmers. This should
include technical, managerial and financial support,
credit, and direct access to markets for farmers'
associations. It also should include a greater emphasis
on safe and sustainable urban agriculture.
1.2. Women play a central role in food security and
must be guaranteed the right to productive resources and
equal opportunities to use and develop their skills.
1.3. Resources must be shifted in favour of local and
regional food producers and food systems. Investment
resources should be made available through debt exemption
and debt relief, through a reallocation of existing
international cooperation and allocation of additional
resources by rich countries who should fulfil their
commitment to appropriate 0.7 percent of Gross National
Product to official development assistance.
1.4. Family farmers must be assured access to
information and communication systems.
2. The concentration of wealth and power must be
reversed and action taken to prevent further
concentration. In particular:
2.1. Agrarian reform in favour of rural poor people
who will work the land must be implemented immediately
and priority placed on integrated rural development.
2.2. Genetic resources are essential to food security
and must never be subject to intellectual property
rights. Farmers' and community rights and the rights of
indigenous peoples must be self-defined and implemented
nationally and globally.
3. Agriculture and food production systems that rely
on non-renewable resources, which negatively affect the
environment, must be changed toward a model based on
agro-ecological principles.
3.1. National and international research, education
and extension services must be reoriented to integrate
the agro-ecological paradigm, which incorporates the
knowledge and experience of men and women farmers.
Agro-ecological mapping should be carried out to detail
areas of partial and total environmental deregulation.
3.2. To prevent and reduce the impact of drought and
desertification, access and sustainable management of
water resources, rehabilitation, conservation and
sustainable use of natural vegetation must be ensured.
3.3. Policies and practices that favour organic
agricultural production should be adopted, with the goal
of reducing or eliminating the use of pesticides and
other agro-chemicals.
3.4. Environmental and social costs of industrial
agriculture should be included in the prices of products
in order to avoid unfair competition with sustainable
agriculture.
3.5. A diversified, culturally acceptable,
well-balanced diet and safe, high quality food for all
must be ensured.
4. National and local governments and States have the
prime responsibility to ensure food security. Their
capacity to fulfil this role must be strengthened and
mechanisms for ensuring accountability must be enhanced.
4.1. National policies to overcome poverty by
guaranteeing means for sustainable livelihoods,
employment opportunities for all, and an equitable income
distribution must be implemented to improve the access of
poor and vulnerable people to food products and to
resources for agriculture.
4.2. States must guarantee the political and economic
rights of those within their borders, including
consumers' rights. States also must ensure a climate
favourable to development and democratic processes, with
efforts to protect the environment and prevent violence,
terrorism, and discrimination of all kinds. States should
respect international law.
4.3. Current structural adjustment programmes imposed
by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank should
be suspended. Future economic reforms and plans for debt
repayment must be formulated with the participation of
civil society.
4.4. States must make greater efforts to prevent and
resolve conflicts peacefully; together with donor
agencies, they must guarantee food for vulnerable
populations, including displaced persons and refugees.
5. The participation of peoples' organisations and
NGOs at all levels must be strengthened and deepened.
5.1. The right to free association must be guaranteed,
including the right of family farmers, consumers, women,
indigenous peoples, youth, and others to organise
themselves.
5.2. Civil society should monitor the impact on food
security of policies, programmes, and actions of
international financial and trade organisations and
should participate in the formulation and monitoring of
national policies and programmes.
5.3. Civil society organisations also should
participate in the efficient implementation of projects
for food and agricultural development.
6. International law must guarantee the right to food,
ensuring that food sovereignty takes precedence over
macro-economic policies and trade liberalisation. Food
can not be considered as a commodity, because of its
social and cultural dimension.
6.1. Each nation must have the right to food
sovereignty to achieve the level of food sufficiency and
nutritional quality it considers appropriate without
suffering retaliation of any kind. Market forces at
national and international levels will not, by
themselves, resolve the problem of food insecurity. In
many cases, they may undermine or exacerbate food
insecurity. The Uruguay Round agreements must be reviewed
accordingly.
6.2. All countries and peoples have the right to
develop their own agriculture. Agriculture fulfills
multiple functions, all essential to achieving food
security.
6.3 Negotiations should be carried out to develop more
effective instruments to implement the right to food.
These instruments should include:
- A Code of Conduct to govern the activities of
those involved in achieving the Right to Food,
including national and international institutions
as well as private actors, such as transnational
corporations;
- A Global Convention on Food Security to support
governments in developing and implementing
national food security plans and to create an
international network of local, national, and
regional food reserves. Such a convention must be
signed to ensure that the Right to Food will have
precedence over any other international
agreements such as the World Trade Organisation.
6.4. Structural food aid must be replaced
progressively by support to local agriculture. When aid
is the only alternative, priority should be given to
local purchase and triangular aid, in which food is
purchased in one country for distribution in the country
of need in the same region.
Follow-Up
Civil society organisations are committed to ensuring
follow-up to this World Food Summit, particularly in
monitoring the Food Summit commitments and active
participation in the Food for All Campaign. In addition
to the Global Convention on Food Security and the Code of
Conduct, the Food for All initiative should become the
basis for broad-based, participatory implementation at
the local, national, and international levels of effort
to ensure the legal right to food. We also call for an
expansion of the Committee for World Food Security to
include all actors of civil society in the follow-up
tasks assigned to the Committee.
Finally, hunger and malnutrition are fundamentally a
question of justice. Unless we agree that the right of
every human being to the sustenance of life comes before
the quest for profit, the scourge of hunger and
malnutrition will continue. Our message is simple: Queremos
una tierra para vivir.
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