The FOOD right FIGHTERS’ speech at the World Food Day the 16th of Oct. 2010

We are all gathered here today at World food Day, to raise awareness of the global food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

 We are 20 youth Activistas - known as the “FOOD right FIGHTERS” from Uganda, Kenya, Denmark, Zambia, Zimbabwe, The Gambia and Tanzania with one common goal - to Punch Hunger in Tanzania.

Approximately one billion people are hungry in the world. According to the ActionAid report on implications of biofuel production on food security in Tanzania more than 36% of the population lives for less than a dollar a day and 60 % are food insecure, most of them are living in rural areas. That makes Tanzania among the poorest counties in the world.

We have been looking at the causes of hunger here in Tanzania and one of the recent causes is biofuel investment. Through our research in Kisarawe and Rufiji, we have seen how this affects the people. We have seen how food security has been compromised by biofuel production as land, water and labor which should be used for food production is being used for biofuel.  These findings are supported by the ActionAid report.

We have seen how TIC has allocated village land to biofuel investment and heard how investors promised the world to these people and yet almost nothing has happened. Still the farmers hope for a better future, where they get what they were promised - Schools for their children, water to survive, jobs for the youth and hospitals for the sick. Even in the rare cases where people do get jobs the conditions they work and live under are horrifying. They are based on seasonal contracts which mean no rights for the workers. We have cases where workdays are from 6 am to 6 pm every day of the week for a minimum wage of 3000tsh. Not only is this not enough money to feed their families, also, they have no possibility to provide medication or schooling for their children. This is not only depriving them of education but also against the labor law here in Tanzania that should ensure the wellbeing of the people.

The consequences of biofuel investment in Tanzania are huge. More and more land is being grabbed for biofuel production resulting, which has the potential for food insecurity if the situation is left as it is. This means that the farmers have less or no land for their own food production, and no money to buy the food they need.

The biofuel guideline has been under construction since 2006, and is now to be released. However they are not enforceable by law, and will not demand investors to own up to their responsibilities. That is way we say “No biofuel without a policy that is implemented and that ensure food security!”

You might think that this problem only affects the farmers in Tanzania, so why should you care?

The truth of the matter is that it does affect you. Tanzania’s future is on the line! Your future is on the line!

When the ministry of land through TIC allows the land to be taken from the farmers and given to biofuel companies, it becomes a threat to all Tanzanian people. Government has to prioritize food security and not only focus on investments that are not benefiting Tanzania.  Right now the government’s main focus should therefore be to feed the people of Tanzania. Make it a right to have food on the table in every household!

Reality is that people are dying of hunger! The biofuels investments do not benefit Tanzania by bringing any local development. This is only the beginning. As reported in The Guardian dated 11 October, four million hectares of land is as I speak being requested for biofuel production without a policy! Four percent of your country’s land is in danger of being used for biofuel production. If we don’t stand together now against this problem: food insecurity will only increase in the future. Not only will you not have enough food for you and your family - your children will be deprived of the right to go to school, and the right to have a bright future.

Africa’s land, Labour and Water is been exploited to grow biofuels that benefits the western countries. Is it right that YOU are growing food for the western vehicles, when YOUR children are starving in your country?

That is why we are Food right Fighters, and you can be a Food right Fighter too. Together we can create great social change and make hunger history. So take action! Be a Food Right Fighter!
We have a collective responsibility to make sure that biofuel investments do not compromise food security. “No biofuel without a policy- ensure food security!”

We demand that the ministry of energy and minerals ensures that the national biofuel task force develop a policy and regulatory framework for biofuel investment that ensures food security!

We demand that the ministry of agriculture, though its representation in the task force, push for a policy that ensures food security!

We demand that the ministry of land and TIC, stop approving land for biofuel production, without a policy!

And we demand that the government stops delaying the process of policy formulation!

The government should start taking the responsibility for their own people. Start supporting the local small scale farmers and the local development instead of endangering the wellbeing of the Tanzanian people by favoring the investors. Food insecurity is a political manmade problem, and therefore mankind can change it. Together we can change this!!

This is the World Food Day!

This is the time for social change!

We now want to invite some very important people up on stage that we believe have the power to make the change that we want. We believe in you, and that you can be the best food right fighter there is. Would a representative from the ministry of energy and mineral, the ministry of agriculture and food security and the ministry of land to kindly join us on stage?

We would like to present you this future award, for the effort that you are going to make in meeting your demands J we believe that you want the best for Tanzania, and we recognize your intentions of formulation a policy and legislation that will guide biofuel investment in a sustainable manner. Therefore it needs to been effectively implemented.

We would also like a meeting with you, to discuss the way forward in dealing with this problem.

No biofuel without a policy!! Ensure food security!