Agriculture

If we are concerned about stopping the enduring crime of starvation amidst plenty, we cannot restrict our actions to the level of our own country or community. We should rather think about sharing food in global terms and, above all, in relation to the politics of ending hunger.

The idea of sharing food has taken root in recent years as a response to our broken food systems, but does it make sense to talk about food sharing on a global basis? Perhaps it does, as long as we advocate a true form of economic sharing that addresses the power structures and politics underlying our unjust globalised food economy.

The social, environmental and economic crises that continue to reap havoc across the globe provide a critical opportunity for ordinary people to demand economic reform and political transformation, say STWR in an interview with John Habets & Henk Gloudemans.

The seed freedom movement is an inspiring example of how the principle of sharing is central to resolving the crisis in agriculture, and highlights the urgency of resisting the powerful agribusinesses that seek to eliminate biodiversity and criminalise the saving and sharing of seed.

There are many policies that governments could implement to raise the finances needed to reverse austerity measures, tackle climate change and prevent needless poverty-related deaths. But we cannot rely on governments to change the current world direction - the only hope is a huge groundswell of popular support in favour of global sharing.