This speech was delivered by Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and the Peasant Commission of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle as synthesis to Radical Ground: Land Reform as Imperative to People-led Agroecology and People’s Food Sovereignty, the fourth session of the Land and Liberation series. It aims to educate participants on the inherent connection of the land question to national liberation movements. Organized by @pcfsglobal , Asian Peasant Coalition, and International League of Peoples Struggle – ILPS Commission 6 (Peasant) and 1 (National Liberation). 

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The fourth session of the Land and Liberation education series organized by the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) explored the theme “Genuine Land Reform as the Foundation of Food Sovereignty and Agroecology.” The discussion examined how people’s movements across the world are reclaiming control over land and food systems as part of their broader struggle against imperialism, neoliberalism, and climate injustice.

For decades, food sovereignty and agroecology have been upheld by peasant and people’s movements as transformative alternatives to imperialism’s destructive, chemicals-heavy model of industrial agriculture. These approaches place ecological sustainability and people’s democratic control at the center of food production, offering systemic solutions to the intertwined crises of hunger and climate change. 

Before going into the synthesis, i would like to add that this session has made me reflect on how my organization, the Peasant Movement of the Philippines (KMP) has led the struggle for genuine agrarian reform — not only by advancing the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill in Congress but, more importantly, by spearheading grassroots campaigns that assert farmers’ right to land. In 2017, KMP launched the Bungkalan or collective land cultivation campaign, a turning point in the peasant movement. Through Bungkalan, farmers and landless peasants refused to remain passive beneficiaries of state land reform programs. Instead, they collectively asserted their right to till and occupy the land, while their organizations engaged in the legal battles that accompanied their struggles. Today, Bungkalan stands as a cornerstone of KMP’s Genuine Agrarian Reform and Sustainable Agriculture Program, where communities continue to relearn and practice agroecology and sustainable farming, strengthened by initiatives like KMP’s Bagsakan Farmer’s Market — advancing food sovereignty through practice.

This reflection has been affirmed by our speakers from four regions who shared how their movements are also advancing this struggle. Suraphon Songruk of the Southern Peasant Federation of Thailand (SPFT) said that working  with the people’s movement is essential in the struggle for land. Comrade Suraphon said that they cannot isolate themselves from other movements because if they do that, they will not succeed. As a movement SPFT is able to promote communal ownership through Communal Land Title Deeds, where communities collectively manage land based on ecological balance, equality, and shared responsibility. This system treats land as a social, cultural, and economic foundation—not a commodity—and ensures fair access and sustainability. They will be setting up their agroecology school where peasants can learn not just agroecology but also about the structural problems of the society. 

From Africa, Hakim Baliraine of the Eastern and Southern Africa Small-Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF) shared the experience of uniting small-scale farmers across Uganda. ESAFF promotes equitable access to land, water, and seeds, linking these to broader struggles for climate justice and resilience. Their advocacy highlights securing land tenure which is important for women and their communities and in practice of Agroecology.  He highlighted recommendations which include long-term commitment of governments and institutions in funding and promoting Agroecology, locally-led or people-led approaches, and most importantly securing land tenure and social equity, among others. 

In Latin America, Letícia Souza of Brazil’s Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST) shared the history and context of agriculture in Brasil and detailed how, less than 1% of landowners control nearly half of the country’s agricultural land. Despite this inequality, smallholders produce over 70% of food consumed by Brazilian families. The Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) founded in 1984 leads the push for People’s Agrarian Reform—an initiative promoting equitable land distribution, agroecology, and social justice. MST confronts agribusinesses and is born with the quest for the realisation of an agrarian reform that is by the people, for the people and against inequality. MST has given millions of tonnes of food donations since the pandemic which comes from its farms and associations.

Finally, Ghassan Makarem of the Agri-Movement in Lebanon highlighted efforts to find alternatives for small farmers and help them organize unions that can be the voice of the oppressed peoples. He shared about the constant threat of recolonization of Israel and how we cannot separate the question of land to the right to land. He shared that the use of pesticide and the monopoly of seeds is now a reality and being pushed by the government. Now, Lebanon has been declared by the UN to be in a state of emergency in terms of food security. Agri-Movement is now working on the transition to Agroecology,  empowering farmers—including women and refugees—to build sustainable food systems from below. Comrade Ghassan said that any change around the world cannot happen without the involvement of peasants and farmworkers. 

Like PCFS, and APC, the ILPS Peasant Commission also sees that corporate and intergovernmental institutions are now co-opting our ground solutions, our people-led solutions and, reducing for example agroecology to a depoliticized set of technical solutions and emptying food sovereignty of its radical call to dismantle corporate power. We reiterate that genuine land reform remains the non-negotiable foundation of any authentic practice of food sovereignty and agroecology—since people cannot control their food systems without control over the land itself. 

For agroecology to be truly transformative, peasant movements must remain at the core of the struggle, and genuine land reform is the determinant factor for success. Land Reform must be recognized as the primary catalyst and political precondition for realizing Food Sovereignty. Without securing land rights for farmers, AE remains limited in its scale and transformative potential.

Lastly, this session highlights that while genuine land reform, food sovereignty and agroecology are inseparable pillars of the anti-imperialist struggle, it must be led by a strong peasant movement, that focuses on organizing around the combined demands of land reform and AE and demanding accountability from states and institutions. These efforts will challenge the dominance of corporate agriculture, restore ecological balance, and reaffirm the right of peoples to produce and consume food according to their needs, cultures, and visions for liberation. ###