[BCFSN] Special Rapporteur on the right to food and implications for pesticide use

[Abra Brynne]

Hello all,
the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food has just released
a report
<http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/1701059.pdf>on
the effects of pesticide use on the right to food. It is an interesting
read.

Paragraph 105 sums up the key points:
"In the words of the Director-General of FAO, we have reached a turning
point in agriculture. Today’s dominant agricultural model is highly
problematic, not only because of damage inflicted by pesticides, but also
their effects on climate change, loss of biodiversity and inability to
ensure food sovereignty. These issues are intimately interlinked and must
be addressed together to ensure that the right to food is achieved to its
full potential. Efforts to tackle hazardous pesticides will only be
successful if they address the ecological, economic and social factors that
are embedded in agricultural policies, as articulated in the Sustainable
Development Goals. Political will is needed to re-evaluate and challenge
the vested interests, incentives and power relations that keep industrial
agrochemical-dependent farming in place.84 Agricultural policies, trade
systems and corporate influence over public policy must all be challenged
if we are to move away from pesticide-reliant industrial food systems."

The report then goes on to list more than 20 specific actions that
governments around the world can take to address those issues.

Definitely food for thought!
in good food,
Abra

Abra Brynne
Director, Engagement & Policy
BC Food Systems Network
abra at bcfsn.org
Ph: 250.352.5342 // mobile: 250.777.2480
Skype: abra.brynne
www.bcfsn.org

Please support our work <http://bcfsn.org/donate/>.

"Rather than concentrating on what sort of food is healthy for the
individual person, we must think about what kind of production system is
healthy for the globe. Acting in the context of this vision of a different
kind of food system, we will gain the freedom - and the power - to force
change for some measure of justice in this one." Cathleen Kneen, 1987
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://bcfsn.org/pipermail/food_bcfsn.org/attachments/20170308/f764df5b/attachment.html>