Vandana Shiva, celebrated food sovereignty activist made February 29th a day of inspiration, dialogue and calls for action on food security and resilient communities.
Dr. Shiva spent the day with local leaders working to improve food security in British Columbia’s Capital Region District. The events were sponsored by Harmony Foundation and co-hosted with LifeCycles Project Society and the University of Victoria’s Institute for Studies Innovation in Community University Engagement (ISICUE).
Her evening presentation inspired listeners with global examples of the community-led initiatives that can inform local efforts here in Victoria. Dr. Shiva highlighted the connections between climate change, inequality, loss of bio-diversity and food insecurity, as well as shared stories of communities responding creatively to these challenges.
Dr. Shiva’s depth of knowledge and insight around the industrial food system was incredibly informative, and her stories about the resilience of organic agro-ecosystems and the power of local initiatives brought people to their feet.
Moreover, her visit gave momentum to a host of local initiatives including:
- an education campaign led by local growers at community markets
- local municipalities and the CRD working with community members and the province to secure land for eco-agriculture
- developing a coast-to-mountaintop sustainable local food strategy
- a summit on eco-agriculture in 2017 coinciding with Canada’s 150th anniversary
“Harmony sponsored this exciting visit,” said Michael Bloomfield, Founder and Executive Director, “because, along with our partners at LifeCycles and ISICUE, we recognize the critical importance of public participation in ensuring community stewardship over our food supply, and the imperative to respect the land, water and people that produce it.”
Participants responded enthusiastically to Dr. Shiva’s visit and invited her to return. She replied, “I look forward to returning to see your progress and to participating in Victoria’s efforts to become a leader in creating resilient communities.”