After three days of debate, 26 representatives of regional and Global=20
networks from five continents, gathered in Brasilia, decided to create the=
=20
Global Forum on Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security - with a strong=
=20
Southern perspective.
The Forum is a platform with a strong southern perspective for all civil=20
society networks and organizations who share the concern for food security=
=20
and who agree to work collaboratively.=20
The main purpose of this Forum is to guarantee that the right to food, for=
=20
all men and women of all ages, will be placed above the interests of the=20
market, through the creation of an international collaborative effort that=
=20
will secure a say in National, regional and International policy negotiatio=
n=20
processes that affect in a way or the other the Sustainable Food and=20
Nutritional Security of our peoples, with a special emphasis on the follow=
=20
up of the World Food Summit and on the preparation for the WTO revision of=
=20
the GATT agreements in 1999.
To reach its main purpose, a collaborative open structure based on voluntar=
y=20
participation and created by the will to work collectively was established.=
=20
It will allow to articulate efforts and multiple initiatives of individuals=
,=20
networks and all forms of private and public organizations, governments,=20
urban and rural small producers, workers, peasant, consumers, civil society=
,=20
NGOs, etc of all continents. It is a multilingual network with=20
communications in Portuguese, Spanish, French , English and other=20
languages as well. The Forum was built to promote growth and the possibilit=
y=20
of learning collectively and from each others experience.
This Global Forum is composed of: a Sovereign Global Assembly; an elected=
=20
steering Committee composed of five regional representatives, with the role=
=20
of taking agile political decisions in between meetings of the Global Forum=
=20
Assembly; a Global Secretariat, always located in the South, which is=20
responsible to facilitate the work of the task forces, make all operational=
=20
contacts for the Global Forum, implement the decisions taken by the assembl=
y=20
and by the steering committee; and finally of voluntary and self regulated=
=20
task forces, each with a focal point. The focal point has the task of=20
coordinating the work and to provide general information, which will be=20
widely available on the Internet. All founding participants are expected to=
=20
broaden the Forum by inviting interested individuals, organizations and=20
networks to become part of the Forum by working with a specific task force=
=20
described below at national, regional or international level.=20
=C1gora - Associa=E7=E3o para Projetos de Combate =E0 Fome (Bras=EDlia/Braz=
il) was=20
chosen to host the Secretariat of the Global Forum from now until the WTO=
=20
Meeting in 1999.
The specific objectives that will guide our actions are the following:
=B7 To formulate and develop ideas, proposals, policies, etc. about=20
Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security
=B7 To sensitize governments, civil society organizations and public opinio=
n=20
on Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security by the establishment of=20
national, regional, and international relations and the diffusion of inform=
ation
=B7 To mobilize the social base and organizations regarding the theme of=20
Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security
=B7 To coordinate efforts with other networks and similar initiatives at th=
e=20
national, sub-regional, regional and international levels.
To operationalize these sub-objectives a work plan was devised with 11=20
themes. For each one were identified initiators and Focus point for the=20
baseline work:
1. Compilation and elaboration of case studies demonstrating the effects o=
f=20
the WTO norms or other international organizations with regards to food=20
production and security and the quality of life of women and men of all=20
ages, small producers, peasant communities, marginal rural and urban=20
populations and consumers in different countries. Focal point:=20
ACTIONAID/India; Initiators: IATP/RIAD, ACTIONAID/SOUTH ASIAN NETWORK,=20
FOVIDA/REDCIN, APRODEV, CNIRD, FONGS/COASAD, Rede Mulher Educa=E7=E3o/WEDO;=
=20
baseline work: ANGOC, Agora/RGSA, APM, Consumers' International, IIRM.
2. Elaboration of an alternative global proposal about Sustainable Food and=
=20
Nutritional Security based on regional proposals and/or otherwise. Focal=20
point: IATP/RIAD; Initiators: IATP/RIAD, ACTIONAID/partners, Consumers'=20
International, ANGOC=09
3. Compilation and follow up of the calendar of international activities=20
related to the subject in order to obtain our active participation in the=
=20
next WTO meting in 1999. Focal point: =C1gora/GFSFNS-Secretariat; Initiato=
rs:=20
=C1gora/GFSFNS-Secretariat, IATP
4. Mapping of international initiatives (regional and sub-regional),=20
governmental and from civil society, in process or to be implemented,=20
related to Food and Nutritional Security to facilitate exchange of knowledg=
e=20
and help identify partners in order to establish links. Initiators: All=20
networks and organizations inside the Forum will provide information about=
=20
the main activities they are developing. Focal point:=20
=C1gora/GFSFNS-Secretariat; Initiators: =C1gora/GFSFNS-Secretariat, UNAC/GN=
FS
5. Increased participation of the Network with the incorporation of urban=
=20
and rural small producers, workers and consumer organizations and other=20
institutions representative of different countries of the region, by means=
=20
of the diffusion of our proposal to the public and expand the social base. =
=20
Initiators: AIPE, WEDO
6. Auditing of implementation of commitments made and the agreements=20
accorded by the governments in different Conferences and Summits in=20
relation to food and nutrition security, with emphasis on the World Food=20
Summit. This would include the auditing of the implementation of agreed=20
commitments on Food and Nutrition Security in the Uruguay Round=20
Negotiations. Focal point: ACTIONAID/India; Initiators: ACTIONAID/India;=20
South Asian Coalition; CNIRD.
7. Publication of newsletters by the civil society for the monitoring of th=
e=20
food and Nutrition security policy of each country, to be issued on an=20
annual basis on World Food Day. Initiators: All
8. Setting up a Steering Group of NGOs/CBOs for seeking participation of=20
civil society in the WTO process. Focal Point: IATP/RIAD; Initiators:=20
IATP/RIAD, IIRM/LACSA, ORAM, Latin American and Caribbean Forum on=20
Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security, ANGOC, Rede Mulher Educa=E7=E3o,=
WEDO
9. Capabilities development in the NGOs in negotiating and lobbying. Focal=
=20
point: =C1gora
10. Development of communication strategy. Focal point and initiator:=20
AIPE/Bolivia
11. Fund raising. Focal point and initiator: APRODEV
=20
Each region has also its focal points: In Asia they are ACTIONAID/India and=
=20
ANGOC; in Africa it is FONGS/COASAD; in North America they are UNAC/GNFS an=
d=20
IATP/RIAD; in Latin America and Caribbean they are: FOVIDA/REDCIN and CNIRD=
;=20
and in Europe, CHRISTIAN AID is responsible to find a representative.
For any further information or for any individual or organism that would=20
like to participate in any ways, on one or more of these task groups,=20
contact one of the initiators or the global secretariat.
List of founding organizations and networks.
Amitava Mukherjee Actionaid/South Asian Network India
Aquil=E9s D. Saravia AIPE=09 Bolivia
Ana Maria Acevedo=09FOVIDA/ RED CIN =09Peru
Christiane Costa, Polis/ Alian=E7a por um Mundo Respons=E1vel e Solid=E1rio=
=09Brasil
Clive Robinson CAID/UKFG/ European NGO Liaison Comittee =20
Erick Zaballos =09AIPE=09 Bolivia
Flavio Luiz Schieck Valente=09Agora/Global Network on Food Security=09Brasi=
l
Gary Sealey UNAC/GNFS Canada
Herbert Wasen=09 MST/CLOC/Via Campesina=09 Brasil
Ibrahima Seck COASAD=09 Senegal
Juan Carlos Wandemberg=09LACSA/IIRM=09 EEUU
Julie Cavanagh=09 UNAC/Agora=09 Canada/Brasil
Luis Meneses=09 UNORCA/VIA CAMPESINA=09 M=E9xi=
co
Francisco Rohn=09 ALOP=09 Equador
Karen Lehman IATP/RIAD USA
Kholisile Mazaza=09 IRED=09 South Africa
Luciano Wolff=09 CPT/FIAN=09 Brasil
Marino Bohn=09 CARITAS Latino Americana=09 Brasil
Mario Ahumada=09 MAELA=09 Chile
Mirta Crovetto =09 Consumers International/LA=09 Chile
Moema Viezzer=09 Rede Mulher - Educa=E7=E3o=09 Bra=
sil
Nerle Robertson=09 CNIRD=09 Trinidad-Tobagg=
o
Paulo Cuinica ORAM/Rede DMA/PLP Mocambique=
=20
Peter Muchambo APM Zimbabwe=
=20
Roel Ravanera ANGOC=09 Philippines
This Press Released was produced by Julie Cavanagh
For more information contact:
Flavio Luiz Schieck Valente=20
Secretariat of the Global Forum on Sustainable Food and Nutritional Securit=
y
c/o =C1gora - Associa=E7=E3o para Projetos de combate =E0 Fome
SCLN 210 Bloco "C" Salas 215 a 218
70.862-530 Bras=EDlia. DF=20
Brasil
fax + 55 61 3479002 tel +55 61 3474914 =20
e-mail agora@brnet.com.br
http://www.brnet.com.br/rededma/plp