Agroecology Conference advocates for land free from large landholdings, GMOs, and pesticides.

For a land free of large landholdings, without GMOs and without pesticides, and for the construction of a popular and sovereign project for agriculture! The motto that permeated the 14th Agroecology Conference, held in Irati last week, reiterates the strength of rural social movements against the hegemony of agribusiness.

Organized by Via Campesina, which brings together social movements from Brazil and various Latin American countries, the 14th Conference refers not only to the debate on agriculture, but also to a manifesto in favor of agrarian reform, sustainability, quality in food production and the lives of peasants.

An event that brings together social and political leaders, researchers, and scientists in support of the struggles of the countryside for a more just and inclusive society, starting with combating the excesses of agribusiness and developing agroecology.

Defending agroecology is nothing more than valuing small and medium-sized rural producers – who, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), represent about 85% of the total. These are the workers responsible for the food in farmers' markets, supermarkets, and school lunches that we consume every day.

Agroecology Conference advocates for land free from large landholdings, GMOs, and pesticides.

This involves establishing efficient public policies and incentivizing agroecology. It's about strengthening programs like the Food Acquisition Program (PAA), generating income for farmers and ensuring adequate nutrition for our children.

Promoting agroecology represents respect for the environment, avoiding damage through the excessive use of pesticides and other substances harmful to the soil, as well as improving the health conditions of our population by reducing the ingestion of chemical products used to combat pests.

It is nothing more than boosting family farming and increasing the number of jobs in the countryside, improving the income of farmers and granting a more dignified and higher quality of life to small and medium-sized rural producers, as well as settlers and other farmers who depend on the land for their livelihood.

The 14th Agroecology Conference is not just an event for the development and debate of the topic by scientists, researchers, producers, and movements. It goes beyond that! It represents a strong and historic left-wing movement that aims for a more just and egalitarian society for the entire population.

This aligns with the dialogue aimed at finding alternatives, public policies, and advancements for rural workers, envisioned as a more just and inclusive society, and with increasingly healthy food for our consumption.