the need for a cultural rights-based approach to ensure the right to food sovereignty of indigenous and local communities

The central question addressed in this article concerns the role that cultural rights do and should play in protecting the right to food sovereignty of local and indigenous communities. the right to food, predicated on the narrower concept of food security, is not adequate alone in ensuring this right. as a starting point in this discussion, this article draws out the linkages between biological diversity, food sovereignty and cultural diversity. the international law frameworks for preserving biological diversity, protecting intellectual property rights relating to traditional knowledge, seeds etc. and for protecting the rights of farmers are then presented in broad terms. following a brief examination of the rights of indigenous peoples relevant to the cultural aspects of ensuring food sovereignty, the specific role that is played by cultural heritage law and, in particular the law safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, is then explored in more detail. this is illustrated by two cases related to indigenous food production practices that draw out the aforementioned linkages between biological diversity, food sovereignty and the preservation of cultural diversity.

the need for a cultural rights-based approach to ensure the right to food sovereignty of indigenous and local communities

the central question addressed in this article concerns the role that cultural rights do and should play in protecting the right to food sovereignty of local and indigenous communities. the right to food, predicated on the narrower concept of food security, is not adequate alone in ensuring this right. as a starting point in this discussion, this article draws out the linkages between biological diversity, food sovereignty and cultural diversity. the international law frameworks for preserving biological diversity, protecting intellectual property rights relating to traditional knowledge, seeds etc. and for protecting the rights of farmers are then presented in broad terms. following a brief examination of the rights of indigenous peoples relevant to the cultural aspects of ensuring food sovereignty, the specific role that is played by cultural heritage law and, in particular the law safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, is then explored in more detail. this is illustrated by two cases related to indigenous food production practices that draw out the aforementioned linkages between biological diversity, food sovereignty and the preservation of cultural diversity.