The CSIPM invites small-scale family farmers, peasants, pastoralists, fisherfolk, Indigenous Peoples, and other allies from Africa, to a workshop to exchange information and views on an important question: Why is data an issue for farmers and food systems?
Powerful economic and political actors are pushing for digital transformation of agriculture and food systems, while social movements and civil society face the challenge of assessing the potential consequences of this trend for food sovereignty, human rights, and nature. In the meantime, small-scale producers and CSOs have been developing their own experiences of data collection and data-driven policies, as a tool for the food sovereignty movement.
In this context, the Data Workstream of the Committee for World Food Security (CFS) has conducted a process of negotiations to develop Policy Recommendations on Data collection and analysis tools for food security and nutrition. The outcome of this process is expected to culminate with its endorsement by Member states during the CFS 51 Plenary, next 23 – 27 October.
This workstream was first proposed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with support from the United States government. Throughout the negotiations, powerful interests have pushed to limit them to technical questions and water down the relevance of data governance: who controls data and for what interests? The Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism (CSIPM) has denounced how this approach depoliticizes the debate and facilitates corporate-controlled digitalization and control over food systems data.
This workshop aims to create a bridge between producers on the ground and the multilateral discussions about data, to collectively assess why data is such an important issue in achieving the future of food systems we want. We will discuss the question Why is data an issue for farmers and food systems? from the perspectives of the negotiations in the CFS, from a critical approach to digitalization, and from the practical experience of producers controlling their owndata.
The session will last 60 minutes, and interpretation in English and French will be provided.
Please register at the following link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkc-uupjMqEtC7N7fiO3h2g_7P64khAysT
RESOURCES TO LEARN MORE
- A Vision Statement has been drafted by the CSIPM Data Working Group to synthesize civil society, social movements, and Indigenous People’s views on the digitalization of food systems, and strengthen the capacity of global civil society to influence the discussion. Read and comment!
- For further information, listen to ETC Group’s podcast The “Immaculate Conception of Data” – and why it’s a problem and check the recording of the workshop “A critical approach to the digitalization of food systems”. Feel free to share!
