Government launches National Sovereignty Strategy for Food Security “Juntos Alimentamos Chile”

Agriculture Minister Esteban Valenzuela has launched the National Sovereignty Strategy for Food Security, “Juntos Alimentamos Chile” (Together We Feed Chile), together with the executive secretary of the National Food Security and Sovereignty Commission and the national director of the Office of Agrarian Studies and Policies (ODEPA), Andrea García. The strategy aims to guide state management and actions to strengthen Chile’s food system, making it more sustainable, resilient and inclusive. It includes ten concrete measures as a first step in strengthening the country’s food system and safeguarding present and future food security. 

Minister Valenzuela explained that President Boric’s Government “has placed credits of almost $300 billion (US$372,000,000) in direct aid to programs to sustain agricultural production (…) We have also managed credits for medium and large-scale industry through the Economy Ministry; Minister Grau is here. It has been possible to provide support through Siembra por Chile (Sow for Chile), a soft credit, which has meant that after five years of declining sowing, Chile has reversed the trend, and we now have more wheat, corn and rice production.” 

He added, “the food security strategy has a fundamental social and gender aspect, as Minister Orellana has requested and Minister Jackson has implemented. Here are the support chains for women farmers, for rural tables. 49% of the people who have benefited from National Institute of Agricultural Development (INDAP) programs are women. We are continuing on this path, with young people, and in turn with territorial social programs, such as the food banks implemented by the Social Development Ministry.” 

For Women and Gender Equity Minister Antonia Orellana, this strategy “also complies with several of the historical demands of the Rural Women Working Group, in particular by supporting family smallholder agriculture through biodiversity and seed protection. Since the mid-2000s, there has been a space in our country called the Rural Women Working Group, which is a space between agriculture, the Foundation for the Promotion and Development of Women (PRODEMU), and also the National Service for Women and Gender Equity (SernamEG) and the Women Ministry, to advance economic development and the full autonomy of women in rural areas and family smallholder agriculture.” 

Work of the commission 

The National Food Security and Sovereignty Commission was formed in June 2022. It was established in order to develop a National Policy and Agreement on Food and Nutrition Sovereignty, which was committed to in the government program, to move towards more sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems. 

In the first stage of work, the commission formulated a Food Contingency Plan, which made it possible to face up to the complex global scenario in which there had been a historical rise in the price of food and the products necessary for its production. As of May 2023, 96% of the measures had been implemented or were in the process of being implemented. 

In the second stage, the commission addressed the challenge of strengthening food security, shifting the paradigm through which food security is achieved. This was done by promoting the Chile Potencia (Exportadora) Alimentaria (Chile Promotes [Export] Food) program and recognizing the value of local produce in the food system. How was it addressed? By incorporating the concept of sovereignty in this food security. 

Ten concrete measures 

1. Juntos Más Barato (Cheaper Together): Provides training in financial education to families, so that they continue making collective purchases over time to give them permanent savings to their incomes (Solidarity and Social Investment Fund, FOSIS).  
2. Food Microbanks: Microbanks are a form of food recovery for products that, for various reasons, could not be sold. During 2023, 70 new microbanks will be implemented, taking the number to 79 throughout Chile (Tarapacá, Antofagasta, Atacama, Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Metropolitana, O´Higgins, Maule, Ñuble, Biobío, Los Ríos). (Elige Vivir Sano – Choose to Live Healthy). 
3. Electronic Family Purse: Consists of a monthly payment of $13,500 pesos (US$16.77) per family to offset the rise in food prices. It is part of the package of measures of the Government’s Economic Security Plan (Economy Ministry). 
4. Farmers’ Market Bill: Allows a better development of farmers’ markets, recognizing their role in the food and nutrition security of the most vulnerable population. It is promoted by the National Farmers’ Market Working Group, and will be presented during the second half of 2023 (Economy Ministry). 
5. New Dietary Guidelines for Chile: Guides the population to maintain good nutritional health and promote better eating habits. Among its principles, it promotes nutritious, safe and sustainable food and food systems; privileges fresh, natural and minimally-processed foods; considers the diversity of territories throughout Chile and seasonality; appreciates the importance of homemade preparations; and respects cultures (Health Ministry). 
6. Research and development (R+D) for food security and sovereignty: Incorporates a line of sustainable productive diversification to promote food security and sovereignty as part of the “Advanced Technologies 2023” research program (National Research and Development Agency, ANID). 
7. Traditional Seeds for Smallholder and Indigenous Family Farming (AFCI): Seeks to regenerate and multiply traditional crop seeds in Chilean Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) germplasm banks, in order to restore and provide seeds to farmers’ organizations and indigenous communities (INIA). 
8. Launch of the Program to Strengthen the Sustainable Production of Traditional Crops: Seeks to strengthen the sustainable production of traditional crops in response to the decrease in cultivated areas (National Institute of Agricultural Development, INDAP). 
9. New Irrigation Law in process: Will allow Chile to face its challenges of production and food, and contribute to generating fair and sustainable rural development (National Irrigation Commission, CNR). 
10. National Bioproducts Center to be opened in Chillán: Will coordinate technological development in the country’s products of microbiological origin, in order to fight agricultural pests and diseases, as well as the stress on crops in the face of climate change, with a smaller footprint in the use of agrochemicals.