Ang Pagtanom ug Binhi (“The Planting of Seed”): Health implications of food sovereignty movements in the Philippines
Keywords:
food sovereignty, health, Indigenous, food movements, PhilippinesAbstract
Global food sovereignty movements have been defined by their resistance to capitalist and colonial control of food production and land access, with an emphasis on reconnection to traditional and Indigenous ways of knowing, and holistic understandings of the connections between food and health. In the Philippines, these practices have largely been led by smallholder farmers who have fought to gain access to locally produced and regionally appropriate organic seeds through seed saving processes and technical education. In collaboration with a U.S.- and Philippines-based non-government organizations (NGO) actively involved in food sovereignty movements in the Philippines, the Ang Pagtanom ug Binhi [Binhi] project identifies the health implications of participating in these movements. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups, the Binhi project seeks to understand the perspectives of community providers and stakeholders on approaches to food sovereignty movements in the Philippines, the connections to health participants perceived in food sovereignty movements in the Philippines, and to explore potential strategies for sustainable implementation of practices that support health and well-being. Initial results from this pilot project illuminate opportunities for supporting culture, health, and traditional practices through food sovereignty movements.
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