Two dozen non-governmental organisations from the U.S. and Canada met in Wilder Forest, Minnesota, over the March 29-31 weekend, and announced their plans to help ensure global food security.  They are documenting evidence of hunger in  North America and preparing a plan for reorganising the global system of food production and distribution to ensure long-term stability in food supplies and prices.

Some experts report that a poor harvest in the coming season could result in widespread famine in many parts of the world.  Many North American communities suffer from hunger and chronic malnutrition.  Yet North American farmers produce enough food to easily feed the continent and grain companies export massive quantities worldwide,  driving small producers, off the land.

The participating organisations, drafter the following “Charter on Food Secutiy,” by which they intent to evaluate the results of the Rome Summit in November:

Charter on Food Security

“Food should be seen as beyond a basic commodity. It is a basic human need as well as a right.  It is the responsibility of governments to ensure sustainable food security for all their citizens through equitable economic opportunities, access to land, and other productive resources, and social safety nets where necessary.  These rights should be recognized as a supreme obligation which form the basis of government policy and strategy and take priority over the demand of trade, markets, debt, structural adjustments, militarism or territorial sovereignty.

1.	Everyone has the right to safe nutritious and wholesome food in sufficient quantity and quality to sustain a healthy life with full human dignity.  This right shall be established through enforceable national and international law.
2.	Women play a central role in household and community food security.  Women have the right to resources for food production, credit, capital, education and services and equal opportunity to develop and employ their skills.
3.	Everyone has the right to honest and accurate information and open, fair, democratic decision making.  These rights form the basis of good governance, accountability and equal participation in economic, political and social life, free from all forms of discrimination.
4.	Everyone has the right and responsibility to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources and preserve biological diversity.  Producers have the right to produce food in a sustainable manner, from a sound economic basis with security of tenure, healthy soils, and reduced use of agrochemical and pesticides.
5.	Cultural heritage and genetic resources belong to all humanity.  All life forms should be protected from the patenting and the heritage of indigenous peoples should be preserved.
6.	Peace is a precondition to food security.  Everyone has a right to be free from violent conflict.  Food should not be used as a weapon.”

World Food Summit is scheduled from 13-17^th November 1996 in Rome.  Heads of the States from around the world are expected to attend the summit.  Draft of a policy statement and plan of action towards “Universal Food Security” has been prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

It is hoped that this summit will not be a festival of rhetorics, but the world leaders will accept solemn commitment to eradicate the scourge of hunger and poverty and adopt an action plan that is likely to work.  As on April 01, President Clinton has not yet decided to attend the summit!

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