LAC LAND FORUM 2020. DAY 1

LAND, INEQUALITY, AND IMPACTS ON RURAL POPULATION

OCTOBER 13 – 09:00 A.M. LIMA

The Latin America and the Caribbean region is not only the region with the greatest income inequality, but it is also the region with the highest inequality levels in terms of land distribution: 1% of large agricultural units occupy more land than the remaining 99%. It is one of the biggest unsolved problems related to several economic, social, and political inequalities faced by rural populations, causing also different conflicts.

Today, this inequality is not only present in the access to land, but also in different aspects related to its control: the ability to decide on its use, on what is produced –with a direct impact on food security– and on its benefits. There is also control in the use of natural resources that are part of territories and ecosystems, affecting global issues such as climate change. Currently, land control does not necessarily involve land ownership, as there are more disguised ways to exercise such control, such as renting, control of value chains, among others.

The increasing extraction activities and agribusinesses in the region with the support of many governments – to the detriment of other more inclusive models – are largely based on land concentration, worsening historical inequalities suffered by indigenous peoples, smallholders, rural young people and women, Afro-descendants, among other groups.

In this context, which will be aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, a land governance focused on people’s well-being becomes even more critical to address inequalities and achieve fairer and more democratic societies.

This session of the Land Forum will address land-related inequalities and their impact on specific rural population groups. It will also focus on the impact of the control applied by the extraction sector on family and peasant agriculture, and their food production.”

DATE AND TIME

October 13

• 09:00 a.m. Lima, Quito, Bogota, and Panama City
• 10:00 a.m. La Paz
• 11:00 a.m. Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Asunción and Brasilia
• 8:00 a.m. Central America

LANGUAGES

Spanish and simultaneous interpretation to English and Portuguese.

INAUGURATION AND WELCOME TO THE LAND FORUM

-09:00 - 09:30

- Welcoming remarks:

• Michael Taylor - International Land Coalition Director
• Rossana Polastri - Director of Latin America and the Caribbean Division IFAD
• Patricia Chaves – Regional Committee representative ILC LAC

Moderator:  Zulema Burneo –Regional Coordinator, International Land Coalition LAC

INEQUALITY AND IMPACTS ON RURAL POPULATION

-09:30 Presentation of panel and moderation: Judith Flores – Research System on Agrarian Problems in Ecuador (in Spanish)

-Introductory presentation: Inequality and alternatives for rurality in Latin America. Michel Merlet – Expert in land governance of natural resources, AGTER

-Panel discussion

• Alberto Broch – President of Mercosur Confederation of family farmer Organizations (COPROFAM)
• Neydi Juracán – Altiplano peasant development Committee (CCDA in Spanish) of Guatemala and Rural youth working group ILC LAC
• Melania Canales – Continental Liaison of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA in Spanish)
• Gregorio Díaz Mirabal – Coordinator of the Coordinator of Amazon Basin Indigenous Organizations (COICA)

-Questions and answers

-Closing and Conclusions: Fabiana del Poppolo - Chief Demographic Analysis and Population Information Area, CECLAC