by Karla Peña
The 2008 Constitution was the political opening for food sovereignty in Ecuador. By framing food sovereignty as a right to sumak kawsay (living well), the indigenous and peasant movements garnered support from diverse social groups and sectors forming coalitions like the Red Agraria. Through these coalitions, the social movements have shaped and negotiated policy in new ways. The Red Agraria works with the state’s Conferencia Plurinacional e Intercultural de Soberanía Alimentaria (COPISA) to formulate policies at local and regional levels and then negotiates these policies in the National Assembly. In this process, COPISA has helped create a synergistic relationship between civil society and the state. While it remains unclear whether social movements and the state will move toward implementation and practice, current gains in terms of synergies and opportunities for negotiation have been instrumental in institutionalizing food sovereignty.
