News

At the FAO Regional Conference for Europe (ERC44), held on 2-3 October in Budapest, Pierre Maison delivered statements during the sessions on Harnessing digital solutions for agrifood systems transformation and Unlocking sustainable and inclusive finance and strengthening public–private partnerships for agrifood systems transformations in Europe and Central Asia.

At the 44th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Europe (ERC44), held on 2-3 October in Budapest, Mariam Jorjadze spoke on behalf of the Nyéléni Europe and Central Asia Food Sovereignty Network, delivering two interventions that reflect the collective positions of peasants, pastoralists, fisherpeople, Indigenous Peoples and food sovereignty movements across the region.

Seeds of Sovereignty: Community Conservation in the ECA Region

“Seeds are not just the source of food – they are the source of our rights, our resilience, and our future.”

On May 15–16, 2024, Nyéléni Europe and Central Asia (ECA) took part in the Informal Consultations organized by the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (FAO REU) in Budapest, Hungary. The movement was represented by Ana Benoliel Coutinho (Gradina Moldovei, Moldova).

The consultations opened with a celebration of FAO’s 80th anniversary and an exhibition highlighting FAO’s efforts to ensure food and nutrition security for all. Delegates joined  in group discussions where key challenges and priorities for the region were explored.

Throughout the sessions, Nyéléni ECA raised several important points:

Facing the common trends of the disappearance of farms, land concentration in the hands of a few, and the industrialisation of farming practices, the food sovereignty movement is confronted with a burning and urgent question: how do we ensure land (re)distribution, the realization of the right to land, and access to land to transform our food systems?

On 26 February 2025, the National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA) in Portugal marked its 47th anniversary by co-hosting an international webinar together with the Nyéléni Europe and Central Asia (ECA) network. The online event brought together experts, farmers, and activists from across the region to discuss Food Sovereignty, Peasant Rights, and Family Farming.