Mexico City, August 28, 2024. Universidad Panamericana held, on August 28 and 29, the congress on the Adequate and Sustainable Food Lawcontent, scope and challenges for implementation..
At the inauguration, the Dean of ESDAI, Amelia García Casas, and the Vice Rector of Universidad Panamericana, Mtra. Cecilia Canal, welcomed the attendees, highlighting the relevance of the diversity of approaches, the participation of experts and an interdisciplinary approach to address complex problems.
Protection of the right to food
Dr. Irene Spigno, Director of the Inter-American Academy of Human Rights, stressed the importance of collaboration between institutions such as FAO and the Parliamentary Front Against Hunger, and thanked Dr. María Victoria Fernández Molina for her organization .
Dr. Fernández Molina highlighted the visibility of the work of civil organizations in protecting the right to food. Mauricio Hernández Fernández Fernández, from the Universidad Iberoamericana, highlighted Mexico's leadership on this issue and the academic role in this process.
Obed Méndez Jerónimo, from FAO, emphasized the need for discussion forums to transform the law into effective policies to improve food security, highlighting the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders.
Right to food
Jesús Guzmán Flores, of the Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo Rural Sustentable y la Soberanía Alimentaria (CEDRESSA), explained that, although the law does not explicitly guarantee a vital minimum in food, it ensures the right to a minimum amount of food for people at risk of hunger.
He stressed the importance of the participation of human rights organizations in the reflection to develop public policies, and highlighted community kitchens and healthy school meals as key mechanisms. He also underscored the importance of access to water and infrastructure for its efficient management.
For her part, Nashieli Ramirez, president of the Mexico City Human Rights Commission, emphasized that the law must comply with international human rights standards, advocating for effective implementation with social participation. However, she warned about the lack of coordination in the execution of these laws and the challenges to overcome the influence of economic groups.
Gerardo Ballesteros, from the Confederación Patronal de la República Mexicana (Coparmex), then stressed the need to modernize the regulatory framework, integrate companies in the respect for human rights and prevent public structures from losing effectiveness. He called for social participation to ensure that the law generates tangible results.
Finally, Héctor Parra Fernández, of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), underscored the geopolitical and cultural challenges of the law, addressing global food insecurity and the influence of corporations on people's diets. He highlighted the importance of ensuring nutritious, sustainable and culturally appropriate food, emphasizing the role of non-jurisdictional protection systems in ensuring access to the right to food.
Challenges of the Adequate and Sustainable Food Law
The second day of the day began with the round table The Right to Food in Relation to Other Rightsmoderated by José Rafael Grijalva Eternod, PhD in Human Rights from the Carlos III University of Madrid.
In this session, Julieta Ponce, from COA nutrition, addressed the scope and challenges for the implementation of the law in this area. Next, Paulina Magaña, coordinator of Food Health at Poder del Consumidor, presented her paper on labeling as a tool for guaranteeing the right to information and health.
Mauricio Hernandez, representative of the Technical Secretariat ODA-LAC, discussed the role of ultra-processed food and beverages as a barrier to the transformation towards sustainable food systems in Mexico. Finally, Octavio Navarrete, from the Mora Institute, spoke about the protection of the environment as a necessary condition for guaranteeing the right to adequate food.
Then, at the table Sustainable production systemsÁlvaro Urreta, academic and agroecological producer, spoke about the scope and challenges of the law for the protection of producers.
Dulce María Espinosa de la Mora, from the Zacahuitzco Initiative, presented her work on initiatives for food autonomy in cities, such as urban gardens and markets. David Rivero Fragoso, representative of the national campaign Without corn there is no countryoffered an analysis of transgenic foods from the perspective of the guidelines of the law.
Blanca Ireri Camacho, representative of San Jerónimo Purenchécuaro in Michoacán, discussed how drought affects adequate and sustainable food, particularly in indigenous peoples, presenting challenges and initiatives to mitigate these effects.
UP Perspective on the Adequate and Sustainable Food Law
The day ended with a closing round table in which Víctor-Isolino Doval, research professor at Universidad Panamericana, offered a reflection on the poetics of food; while Alejandra Lizárraga, independent consultant and researcher at ESDAI, spoke about the synergy between the different actors in the food system for adequate and sustainable food.
Sandra AnchondoD. in Philosophy from Pan American University, stressed the importance of intergenerational solidarity and the rights of future generations to guarantee the right to food in a sustainable manner.
To close the event, Victoria Fernández Molina, research professor at the IAHR, Autonomous University of Coahuila, addressed transdisciplinarity and the participatory processes necessary for the development and guarantee of this right.
The event concluded with an invitation to continue strengthening ties between the different social and academic actors to ensure the effective implementation of the General Law on Adequate and Sustainable Food in Mexico.
Learn more about Universidad Panamericana at: https://www.up.edu.mx/sobre-la-universidad-fundamentos-y-valores/
