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In Uruguay, the approval of a National Agroecology Plan has been promoted since 2015. The plan is a public policy aimed at promoting agroecological production in the country. The networks that have been developing the initiative include the Native Seeds Network, the Agroecology Network and the Latin American Agroecology Scientific Society (SOCLA) for the approval of a National Agroecology Plan, as a public policy to promote agroecology in the framework of the promotion of food sovereignty carried out by these Uruguayan networks.
According to REDES – Friends of the Earth Uruguay, member of the Native Seeds Network, the plan is supported by public institutions and MPs, and even an Agroecology Bill was introduced to Senate.
The work for the saving and exchange of native seeds is one of the main areas of work that is growing in a steady way in Uruguay. According to information provided by REDES, in 2016 the organization carried out three regional meetings of the Seeds Network that are held every year and include the exchange of native seeds, capacity building spaces, discussion and "peasant to peasant" exchanges.
The Seed Network also supports cooperative projects for the production of agroecological grains and flour and collective youth initiatives for the right to land.
According to the organization "the National Network of native Seeds has a policy based on the search for equality among men and women and the strengthening of women as political subjects, because in all decision making spaces there are approximately 50% women and 50% men.
In addition to this specific policy, different activities are carried out annually with the Network of Rural Women Groups, aiming to "strengthen women around issues related to food sovereignty, agroecology, collective biodiversity management and environmental justice, and to reflect upon the sexual division of labor and the roles given to men and women in a patriarchal society".
In addition to the work towards the building of the National Agroecology Plan, REDES makes reference to the following activities related to agroecology: "The building and strengthening of a collective biodiversity management system for national sustenance that involves family farmers and vegetable garden groups from around the country; participatory investigation in the production of seeds and agroecology; activities to raise awareness and discuss the impacts of GMOs and the agribusiness model in rural and urban communities and their territories; co-organization of capacity building and debate activities: forums, workshops and talks about food sovereignty, agroecology and public policies with a feminist perspective; elaboration of awareness-raising materials, books, leaflets and audiovisual material to build capacities around these issues".
These are some of REDES – Friends of the Earth Uruguay publications about agroecology.
More information available in REDES – Friends of the Earth Uruguay´s website.
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