Food Security vs. Food Sovereignty – NYU Gallatin Global Fellowship in Human Rights Blog

The more I learned about food security this summer, the more I realized that the global prioritization of food security is not the only existing movement that addresses issues of malnutrition and hunger. In fact, there exists a movement that includes many more crucial yet overlooked layers: the demand for food sovereignty. What is the difference between food security and food sovereignty? According to the United Nations, “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” La Via Campesina, or the International Peasant’s Movement that first brought food sovereignty into public debate, defines food sovereignty as “the peoples,’ Countries,’ or State Unions’ RIGHT to define their agricultural and food policy, without any dumping vis-à-vis third countries.” They define it as a right because they believe that the United Nations should adapt the right to food

The more I learned about food security this summer, the more I realized that the global prioritization of food security is not the only existing movement that addresses issues of malnutrition and hunger. In fact, there exists a movement that includes many more crucial yet overlooked layers: the demand for food sovereignty. What is the difference between food security and food sovereignty? According to the United Nations, “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and hea