From security to food sovereignty: Colombia's challenge to feed its people

By Lizeth Susana Carmona Álvarez and Ever Bedoya

In Colombia, there is a lot of talk about food security, but it is rarely understood that this concept is not the same as food sovereignty. Although the two ideas seek to allow people to eat well, each one does so from a different vision. One focuses on having access to food, and the other on being able to decide how it is produced and who controls it. This issue is important because it directly affects the lives of families, the economy and the Colombian countryside. This essay argues that, although food security is fundamental, food sovereignty is more complete and fair to guarantee that Colombia has a healthy, own and sustainable diet in the long term. (Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO), 2023)

Food security only focuses on people having access to food, but it doesn't ask where that food comes from. According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), food security means that all people have access to sufficient and nutritious food to live healthily. This is undoubtedly important, because without food there is no well-being. In fact, Colombia has national programs to combat malnutrition and improve access to food. But the problem is that this concept allows a country to buy most of its food abroad. That is, a nation can be "food secure" and still depend on other countries to eat, which makes it vulnerable. If one day international prices rise or there is a global crisis, that access can be lost. Therefore, this approach, although useful, is not enough. You also have to think about how and who produces the food, because it is not enough to have it, but to know that it comes from a fair and proper process. A country like Colombia, with so much fertile land and peasants with knowledge, should not depend so much on others to feed itself. Strengthening domestic production would help not only to have more autonomy, but also to generate employment, protect traditional crops and ensure that food is truly healthy and sustainable. (Food and Agriculture (FAO), 2006)

On the other hand, food sovereignty proposes something deeper: that each country has the right to decide how it wants to produce its food, who grows it and with what methods. This concept was presented by La Via Campesina in 1996, and seeks to support farmers, protect local agriculture and avoid dependence on imports. For Colombia, this is key, because a large part of its identity and economy is in the countryside. However, many farmers have been displaced, abandoned or replaced by large agricultural companies. If Colombia is truly committed to food sovereignty, it would be supporting rural families, recovering traditional crops and strengthening the internal economy. Thus, the country would not only have food, but would produce it with dignity and autonomy. In addition, promoting food sovereignty is also a way of restoring value to the work of the peasant and recognizing him as the true guardian of the land and food culture. This would help reduce rural inequality, guarantee fair prices and improve the quality of life of thousands of families who live from the countryside. In a country as rich in fertile soils and agricultural diversity as Colombia, betting on food sovereignty is not only an economic necessity, but also a political and social decision that defends the country's independence, identity and food justice. (La Vía Campesina, 1996)

In addition, food sovereignty helps protect culture and the environment, something that food security does not guarantee. Colombia is a megadiverse country, with fertile soils and enormous agricultural wealth. However, industrial agriculture models often damage this biodiversity, use chemicals excessively and seek monocultures that impoverish the land. Agroecological systems—which are part of food sovereignty—help care for nature, preserve native seeds, and keep agricultural traditions alive. This means that not only the food of today is secured, but also that of the future, taking care of the natural resources and cultural identity of the country. In addition, agroecology promotes fairer and more sustainable practices, where respect for the land and those who work it is at the center of the production process. This approach not only improves food quality, but also reduces environmental impact and strengthens the connection between communities and their territory. In Colombia, where traditional agriculture is part of the cultural heritage, promoting this type of practice can make the difference between an extractivist model that depletes soils and another that regenerates them, ensuring food, biodiversity and rural life. (Altieri, 2017)

In conclusion, although food security seeks to ensure that everyone has access to food and that is fundamental, food sovereignty offers a more complete vision for Colombia. It is not just about there being food, but about it being ours, produced by our communities, respecting nature and not depending on other countries. Therefore, to guarantee a secure and fair food future, Colombia needs to strengthen its local agriculture, support peasants and promote food sovereignty as a path to true national autonomy and well-being. Promoting this approach also means recovering the connection between people and the land, valuing peasant work and recognizing the importance of producing food sustainably. This implies betting on policies that protect native seeds, reduce the use of agrochemicals and promote local markets where producers can make a decent living from their work. Thus, the country will not only ensure physical food, but also the cultural identity, rural economy and ecological balance it needs for its development. Ultimately, guaranteeing food sovereignty is betting on a fairer and more autonomous country model, where food ceases to be a business and becomes a right, strengthening national independence, taking care of natural resources and building a sustainable society that thinks about the well-being of the next generations. (Organizaciones de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO), 2024)

References

Altieri, M. A. (2017, October 10). Agroecology: Scientific Basis for Sustainable Agriculture. Retrieved from SOCLA: https://agroeco.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Libro-Agroecologia.pdf

Food and Agriculture (FAO). (June 1, 2006). Policy Brief: Food Security. Retrieved from ReliefWeb: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/policy-brief-food-security-issue-2-june-2006

La Via Campesina. (November 11, 1996). Food Sovereignty: A Future Without Hunger. Retrieved from Via Campesina: https://viacampesina.org/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/1996-Rom-en.pdf?

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (July 12, 2023). Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023. Retrieved from FAO: https://www.fao.org/documents/card/es/c/cc3017es

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (March 18, 2024). Local and sustainable food systems. Retrieved from FAO: https://www.fao.org/family-farming/detail/es/c/1637757/