Nyeleni is the name of a Malian woman who lived in the 13th century and became known for her outstanding talents in agriculture. The meeting centre in the town of Sélingué in Mali has been named after her. It has just hosted the first food sovereignty world forum. The centre is already being referred to as the Nyeleni village – the village of food sovereignty. From February 23 to 27, 2007 over 500 delegates - representing peasant farmer organisations, small scale fishermen, indigenous peoples, the landless, rural labourers, migrant cattle raising communities and forest dwellers, women, youth, consumers, environmental and urban social movements - from nearly 90 countries of the five continents, came together in the Nyeleni village at Selingue in Mali. Together we were able to share experiences, forge alliances and friendships. Peasant farmers, cattle-raisers and fishermen – all were united by a common bond: The determination to have food sovereignty (the right of peoples to decide their national farm and food policy and hence the right to protect it by means of import taxes) recognised by the international community. In other words, it was about staking out the road ahead to enable people of all countries to basically eat what they produce and produce what they eat. This forum was a great success in many different ways. Today I shall only dwell on the catering aspect. It takes on an even greater significance at an event where food sovereignty is precisely the subject under discussion! During the five days we had three meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner, prepared by a team of women of the National Farmers Union of Mali, (CNOP, Coordination Nationale des Organisations Paysannes du Mali), using Malian farm products. No pasta, no old Thai rice! The genuine Malian food was appreciated by the participants who, as stated above, came from all the five continents. Our congratulations and our thanks to the organisers of the forum and to the kitchen team, who allowed us to experience food sovereignty in actual fact. We liked the dish of niébé (green beans), Gambiaca rice (high quality Malian rice), fonio (a cereal grown in the Western Sub-Saharan region) with groundnuts, fritters of fine millet, and the quinqueliba (herbal tea from the region, which some mistook for peppermint tea) that we had at breakfast. And those who – like me – take pleasure in a piece of good meat, were well taken care of (mutton and beef) and vegetarians were not forgotten either.. This experience strengthens us in our conviction that it is altogether possible to eat local food without having to give up on good quality. The potential of regional cuisine should not be snubbed in present day cooking in our countries. Why not create a “Food Sovereignty” label for restaurants, which have good quality Sub-Saharan food on their menu? Women of the National Farmers’ Union of Burkina, CPF (Confédération Nationale du Faso) managed to arrange an impromptu meeting with Mrs Aminata Darra, head of the catering services, to gain inspiration from this Malian experience. They are determined to take on the catering for the next Social Forum in Burkina Faso, which is to be held near Ouagadougou from March 28th to 30th 2007 (see
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) provided they are entrusted with the job and given the means to do it. In this way they wish to demonstrate that it is possible, nay, good to produce and eat local food, food Made in Burkina. Indeed food sovereignty has taken off.
Maurice Oudet
28 February 2007
on the Air Burkina flight
from Bamako to Ouagadougou In order to read or print out the Nyeleni declaration, click here
It is also available in French and in Spanish | 
