Food sovereignty is a food system in which the people who produce, distribute, and consume food also control the mechanisms and policies of food production and distribution. It's going beyond ensuring that people have enough food to meet their physical needs, and prioritizes rebuilding the relationships between people and the land, and between food providers and those who eat.  It also focuses on culturally appropriate foods and respect for cultural food practices. 

The term comes from the peasants' rights movement, La Via Campesina, as farm workers fought to protect their rights and livelihoods.  Today, communities around the world continue that fight.

Food sovereignty projects can range from small local initiatives to large regional production. Below are two stories of small-scale food sovereignty projects funded by World Centric.

Decades of resource extraction and colonization threaten the wellbeing of Waorani Indigenous communities and their ancestral role as guardians of biodiverse rainforest territory in the Pastaza Province of Ecuador.  OWAP (Organización Waorani de Pastaza) is an Indigenous-led organization establishing native food gardens, revitalizing the use of local products, and teaching youth about the importance of rescuing local plants for community resiliency and cultural identity.

Watch:

• The (R)Evolution of Indigenous Foods | Sean Sherman, The Sioux Chef
• Indigenous-led Permaculture Brings Resilience And Food Sovereignty to Pine Ridge Reservation
• Decolonizing the Diet | Tending the Wild

• Amazon Frontlines - follow | support
• El Departamento de la Comida de Puerto Rico - follow | support
• Soul Fire Farm - follow | support

• Reimagining Food Justice + Food Sovereignty Toolkit

Each year world centric donates 25% of profits to grassroots organizations.  With profits from 2021 we were able to fund Indigenous rights and land protection projects benefitting 1,370 people through our partners Amazon Frontlines and Rainforest Action Network.