Via Campesina

Via Campesina

Via Campesina is an international movement that coordinates peasant organizations of small and medium-sized producers, agricultural workers, rural women, and indigenous communities from around the world. It is a movement that advocates for food sovereignty, sustainable agriculture, and social justice to counter the globalization of a corporate-led model of agriculture.

The movement was founded in 1993 in Mons, Belgium, during a meeting of farmers' representatives from four continents. Since then, Via Campesina has grown to include approximately 200 member organizations active in over 70 countries, representing over 200 million farmers worldwide. It operates as a decentralized organization, with regional and national chapters that coordinate local activities and global campaigns.

Via Campesina's core principles include the defense of food sovereignty, which it defines as 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. This contrasts with food security, which focuses primarily on the availability of food regardless of its source and production methods.

The movement also emphasizes the importance of agroecology as a means to achieve sustainable agriculture. Agroecology integrates ecological science with indigenous knowledge and farmer-led innovation to create productive agricultural systems that conserve biodiversity, build soil health, and reduce dependency on external inputs such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Via Campesina advocates for the rights of women and youth in rural areas, recognizing their critical role in agriculture and rural economies. It campaigns against violence towards women and promotes gender equality within its own structures and in the wider society.

The movement has been a vocal critic of free trade agreements and the World Trade Organization (WTO), arguing that these agreements prioritize corporate interests over those of small-scale farmers and undermine national sovereignty over food and agriculture policies. Via Campesina has participated in numerous international forums and protests to voice its opposition to policies that disadvantage smallholder farmers.

In addition to its advocacy work, Via Campesina facilitates the exchange of knowledge and experiences among its members through international conferences, workshops, and training programs. These activities aim to strengthen the capacity of peasant organizations and promote solidarity among farmers across the globe.