MVIWATA brought together students and farmers for activities to discuss the importance of agroecology and food sovereignty across Tanzania and Africa.
On October 21, over 600 students from environmental and agroecology school clubs affiliated with MVIWATA (Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania or National Network of Farmers Groups in Tanzania) gathered in Tanzania's Njombe region to commemorate World Food Sovereignty Day. The event, organized by the MVIWATA-Njombe network and hosted at Ninga Secondary School, was part of a series of initiatives by MVIWATA to emphasize the importance of agroecology and food sovereignty across Africa.
Theodora Pius, Head of Programs at MVIWATA, explains that the environmental and agroecological school clubs, run by students, are crucial platforms for learning and exchanging knowledge on peasantry, the environment, and agricultural practices. "These clubs act as platforms for revitalizing students' learning on the politics of agriculture," she said. "They practice different agroecological approaches to agriculture."
This year's gathering aimed to facilitate a broader dialogue on the state of agroecology and food sovereignty in Africa. Students from various school clubs shared their experiences, through projects like tree nurseries, agroecological vegetable gardens, agroforestry initiatives, and school meal programs. This year's commemoration plans also provided an opportunity for MVIWATA members in local networks to engage in discussions about the future of agroecology and the struggle for food sovereignty in their communities.
"The day was also meant to bring together MVIWATA members across different networks to dialogue on agroecology and food sovereignty from their perspective," added Theodora. The gathering included local seed and food fairs, reaffirming the peasant struggle for just and sustainable food systems.
This year's World Food Day, celebrated globally on October 16 under the theme "Right to Food for a Better Life and Future". Peasant movements, like MVIWATA, used the occasion not only to commemorate the day but also to highlight the growing threat of multinational corporations expanding their influence over agriculture. Movements across the globe also reiterated their demands for peasant rights to land and condemned the ongoing repression and marginalization of smallholder farmers worldwide.
Theodora emphasized further that this year's focus was on responding to the global call for mobilization for food sovereignty and resistance against corporate agriculture, following La Via Campesina's lead. "About 30 local networks across Tanzania organized events prepared and led by peasants themselves," she noted.
La Via Campesina, the international peasant movement, released a statement calling for urgent action: "We DEMAND an agroecological transition that safeguards local food systems and promotes a new trade framework based on the principles of Food Sovereignty. We URGENTLY NEED public policies that support and implement such a transition that prioritizes models of peasant production, social, and solidarity economies. We also DEMAND the protection of peasants and human rights defenders of our territories against the violence that undermines human rights, stigmatization, and criminalization."
The statement further highlighted the detrimental impact of corporate-driven agricultural policies, which contribute to the climate crisis and increase despair among smallholder farmers. The demand for measures to curb corporate influence in political spaces and multilateral forums was clear.
Despite industrial agriculture's dominance in recent years, small farmers remain the backbone of global food production, feeding nearly 80% of the world's population. Yet, they continue to face displacement and exploitation due to policies that favor agribusiness interests. Peasant movements, including MVIWATA, are advocating for agroecological practices that respect both the environment and local communities.
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MVIWATA's school clubs are vital hubs for students to engage with peasant agroecology, exchange knowledge, and practice collective production methods. These efforts build on MVIWATA's long-standing commitment to the struggle for small-scale farmers in Tanzania.
Through years of resource-sharing, knowledge exchange, and grassroots organizing, MVIWATA has grown into one of the largest peasants movements in Africa, championing agroecology and food sovereignty as solutions to the challenges faced by smallholder farmers under neoliberalism. The student clubs are nurturing the next generation of farmers and leaders dedicated to sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.
By fostering local networks, promoting agroecology, and advocating for policy changes, MVIWATA and its school clubs are playing a crucial role in the global fight for food sovereignty, building an alternative vision of agriculture that prioritizes people over profit.
Nicholas Mwangi is a member of the Ukombozi Library in Kenya.
