FS - SYNTHESIS - The hefty challenges of food sovereignty’s adulthood

Abstract

The three articles in this section reflect a broader shift that is taking place in the debate on food sovereignty. After almost two decades since its inception, the term—which is also a “counter-narrative”, a “mobilizing tactic”, and a “political agenda” (Desmarais, this issue)—has gained significant leverage as an alternative paradigm to industrial agriculture. A sign of the term’s maturity may be the growing consensus shared by critical food studies scholars and activists about its potential as an alternative paradigm. At the same time, food sovereignty’s adulthood is rife with complex challenges. At stake is no less than turning a dream born in the margins into a concrete, viable reality for the global agrifood system. This article focuses on three challenges faced by the food sovereignty movement today: (1) operating across multiple scales; (2) maintaining internal democratic practices as the movement continues to grow and become more complex; and (3) building cross-sectoral alliances to foster broader social change.