BIO-DATA Dr. Khadka is a Professor of Economics. He is a ...

DRAFT SUMMARY REPORTCA-Civil Society ForumDate: 17 th June 2009Topic: “Food Sovereignty: Issues and Concerns”Speaker: Keshab KhadkaBIO-DATA Dr. Khadka is a Professor of Economics. He is a renownedacademician and researcher. He was former Advisor of NationalPlanning Commission, Government of Nepal. Prof Dr. Khadka hasaffiliation with Patan Multiple Campus, Central Department ofEconomics, TU, HSEB, Sanothimi, Bhaktapur, Save The Children-US,SAESM, Colombo, and other many national and internationalorganizations. He has published four books, completed number ofresearch studies and his more than fifty research articles are publishedin different professional journals. He visits overseas countriesfrequently for participating in topical issues.I. MAJOR ISSUES COVERED IN THE PRESENTATION‣ Right to food is the right of everyone to have access to safe and nutritious food.‣ The fundamental right of everyone is to be free from hunger.‣ Food sovereignty is the right of people to define their own food and agriculture; to protect andregulate domestic agriculture production and trade in order to achieve sustainabledevelopment.‣ Food sovereignty promotes the trade policies that serve the right of people to safe, healthy andecologically sustainable products.‣ La Via Campesina (An international movement of peasants started from Brazil) championed thecause and coined the terminology in 1996.‣ More than a dozen countries recognized Food Sovereignty constitutionally and Nepal leads toimplement it as fundamental right of people.‣ For safe and nutritious food and hunger free world nations, communities should be selfsufficient in food production. They should not depend on the foreign dumping of food.‣ Issue of land reform is focused on only 3 hundred thousand acre of land out of the total 62hundred thousand acres land which is viable for agriculture in Nepal.‣ Actual food producers and consumers must have close relation.‣ We have not promoted community based indigenous technology for agriculture.‣ Food sovereignty liberates agriculture from corporatized globalization and exploitation forprofit.1

‣ Food Sovereignty protects agriculture from the hazard of market fundamentalism.‣ Food Sovereignty gives the best explanation of why underdeveloped countries remainedunderdeveloped.‣ Separate institutional arrangement is required in government line agency down to affectedlocality to implement food sovereignty programme.II.QUESTIONS RAISEDQ) Food crisis is the effect of commoditization of everything. This is the effect of capitalization. Howdoes food sovereignty work in this context?Q) We have been influenced by foreign technology, so we are depending on others. How can westand ourselves?Q) There is no mechanism to supervise and monitor the misuse of pesticides and chemical. What doyou say about this?Q) We added 14 fundamental rights along with Food Sovereignty in the constitution, which hasequalized fundamental rights to directive principles of the state. So, people do not get legaltreatment on the basis of fundamental right from Supreme Court. What do you say?Q) Food crisis has been brought by globalization. Intellectuals should pressurize the government forpatent right. What is your opinion in this regard?Q) Our country agreed Asian Development Bank’s conditions like small national industries beprivatized. Here we are talking contradictory agenda for food sovereignty. Isn’t it going back andforth?Q) Now, legislature is not running smoothly. How does this common issue get addressed?Q) What do you say about the transformation of the ancient knowledge to young generation?III. Answers:Food Sovereignty is the issue which is related from our kitchen to world level organizationFAO.This is not western or eastern influence. It is ism free/doctrine free. Why do we need politicsto get safe, healthy, fresh and nutritious food according to his/her culture? So, above anypolitical doctrine we relate food sovereignty with day to day problem.There is law but no implementation. How can we make it more practical? We have foodsovereignty, but no entertainment. Make law more practical.2

FAO expert unit claimed about 33 core dollar as fine to Indian Government for misbehavingand violating the rule of food sovereignty of Nepalese people. This could happen since wehave food sovereignty as fundamental right.We are not against trade. We should make our strategy. We need all party consensus.We could not raise our points properly. Let’s not blame others. But let’s think how we cantake benefit from other.People are dying of hunger, who is responsible? How is state responsible? It doesn’t meanstate should cook for everyone. But state should facilitate the right of food to its people.State should respect, protect and provide the right to food.Awareness program, equality in wage of females and other many issues left due to shorttime. I only thought for policy/ principle level because it has very vast field. We can’t includeall these subjects here.If you are interested to read the entire paper or power point presentation, please go to the CCDweb at: WWW.ccd.org.np or contact CCD (Ph: 01-4785998, email: info@ccd.org.np)ANNEX-1: Participants ListAnnex-1 Participants ListS. No. Name Organization1 Niruta Shrestha Patan Campus2 Gita Bajracharya Patan Campus3 Shova Dhungana Patan Campus4 Yogesh Ranjit Patan Campus5 Ram Kumar Sapkota6 Mukti N Poudel MSF7 Navaraj Dhami UCPN (Maoist)8 S. R Rijal Don Bosco9 Anim Dahal Don Bosco10 Bharat Pariyar11 Badri Bikram Thapa Nepal Law Campus3

12 Mani Ram Upadhaya Nepal Law Campus13 Milan shrestha Patan Campus14 Gam Bahadur Shreesh Magar UCPN (Maoist)15 Saraswati Chaudhary NC16 Santa Bahadur Sunar CCTC17 Praveen Karkee NBA18 Tej Shrestha Law Campus19 Tek Bahadur Dhungana CA sec20 Tula Bahadur UCPN (Maoist)21 Bhim Narayan Dhungana White House22 Saroj Dhungana RR College23 Suraj Adhikari White House24 Alina Shrestha PK College25 Swarnima Shrestha RR College26 Surath Giri College27 Hari Limbu Student28 Ram Kumar Phuyal Student29 Sabita Bogati30 Tulasi Karki Student31 Binod Karki Legal Post Party32 Amrit Rai33 Kamal Kandel RR College34 Rupesh Rai GG college35 Gopal Tamang Chabahil4