Agroecology and the right to food
The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, presented a report titled "Agroecology and the right to food" to the 16th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on 8 March 2011, in Geneva, Switzerland. The report, based on a review of scientific literature, highlights that if agroecology is sufficiently supported, it can double food production within ten years while responding to climate change and reducing rural poverty. The report stresses the need to focus the reinvestment in agriculture on systems that are highly productive, sustainable, and contribute to the realization of the right to adequate food. It identifies agroecology as an approach that can provide results for many vulnerable groups in various countries and environments. However the report underscores the challenge of scaling up experiences in agroecology. To help achieve this goal, it argues for various policies, including: investing in knowledge through agricultural research and extension services; and investing in organizations that encourage partnerships, the empowerment of women, and the connection of sustainable farms to fair markets.