The Network of Independent Educators for Food Sovereignty, REISA, was born in 2016, from the need to create safe spaces for agricultural and ecological training, for young people and community leaders, inhabitants of rural and urban communities in the Mesoamerican region. (Central America).
Mesoamerica is considered one of the megadiverse regions worldwide, due to the diversity of natural resources the region’s economy depends mainly on these resources. Currently in Guatemala, the main cause of deforestation has its origin in activities such as extensive cattle ranching, agriculture linked to extensive monocultures and forest fires.The problems generated from monocultures have contributed to the breakdown and damage to structures, not only ecosystems, but also socio-environmental and nutritional in rural territories. The exploitation and degradation of the country’s natural resources is historical and persists. Globally, Guatemala is the fourth most vulnerable country to natural disasters and the ninth in risks from climate change.
At REISA we firmly believe that knowing and understanding the territory we inhabit teaches us to love, preserve and protect it. Through our programs we seek to contribute to reducing the loss of biodiversity, strengthening local processes for food sovereignty, creating actions to mitigate climate change, invigorate local economies and reduce migration and abandonment of the field by the younger populations.
«Food Sovereignty gives priority to the economies of local and national markets, strengthening the peasantry as well as consumers, since the production of food, distribution and consumption are based on environmental, social and economic sustainability. It also promotes transparent commerce, which guarantees decent income for all peoples, as well as the rights of consumers to control their food and nutrition.
It ensures that the rights to use and the management of lands, territories, waters, seeds, livestock and biodiversity, are in the hands of those who produce food. Food Sovereignty gives rise to new social relations free of oppression and inequality between men and women, peoples, racial groups, social classes and generations «. –La Via Campesina.
