On April 17th, the National Federation of the Agricultural Sector commemorated the International Day of Peasant Struggle, highlighting global and national peasant resistance for social justice. It called for advocating for policies ensuring food sovereignty, environmental justice, and peasants’ rights.
LVC Haiti calls for a transitional government to replace the criminal Ariel regime and that political and financial measures be taken to restore security as quickly as possible in the country. And that peasants be provided with the means to rebuild food sovereignty and to lead a peaceful life.
The new transition plan proposed by CARICOM, seemingly endorsed by the Core Group and involving PHTK stakeholders, is unlikely to resolve the crisis. Similar past interventions introduced leadership and policies supposedly to alleviate the crisis but, only made it worse. A solution from its people is already there.
El Salvador has experienced a recession in agriculture, marked by a rise in rural poverty from 22.8% to 26.6% (2019-2022) in total poverty, and from 4.5% to 8.6% in extreme poverty. Additionally, maize cultivation decreased by at least 10,000 hectares between 2019 and 2022.
Little has changed in Brazil’s context of rural violence. According to a report called Conflicts Booklet (Caderno de Conflitos), published by the Pastoral Land Commission (Comissão Pastoral da Terra), 973 rural conflicts occurred in the first half of 2023, most of which (791) were struggles for land. This represents an 8% increase in comparison to the same period in 2022.
European farmer protests persist, drawing global attention. While marking the International Day of Peasant Struggles, Korean farmers held a cross-continental dialogue titled ‘Why are European Farmers Protesting?’ to study the context of this protest that resonates with the lived realities of Korean peasants.
Europe today has around 9 million farms, down from 15 million in 2003, and the average age of farmers is 57 years old. They struggle to access seeds, land, water and the market. Public policies prioritise market interests and corporate profits over human rights and feeding the population.
“We join the struggle of the peasants of El Seibo who were dispossessed by landowners with the support of government officials in that area. We stand with the peasants of Monte Grande, involuntarily evicted from their lands due to the construction of the dam…”
The peasants in Mozambique commemorated the International Day of Peasant Struggles, the 17th of April, by carrying out various activities to highlight their struggles. In this month of peasant struggles, UPC-Z has been training advocacy agents and the community leaders in conflict management as a way to strengthen conflict measurement skills within their communities.
ESAFF Uganda proudly joins the global community in commemorating the International Day of Peasant Struggles, a day that honors the resilience and sacrifices of small-scale farmers worldwide. On this significant day, ESAFF Uganda stands in unwavering solidarity with all those currently facing violent repression and unjust criminalization of their struggles.
