Argentina

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food on her mission to Argentina, A/HRC/40/56/Add.3

The Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Hilal Elver, conducted an official visit to Argentina from 12 to 21 September 2018, at the invitation of the Government.  The Special Rapporteur’s report analyzes the impact of Argentina’s ongoing economic and financial crisis on the right to food. It reiterates the importance of protecting and promoting family farming as a means of achieving a balance between the prevailing agro-industrial system and the agro-ecological production system. The report also encourages the Government to prioritize the design and implementation of effective policies and reforms with the participation of all relevant segments of society in order to guarantee the right to adequate food. Read the full-text report here.

Concluding Remarks and Recommendations

103. Argentina has an abundance of natural resources that allows for self-sufficiency and support of the agricultural sector. While it should not have problems providing available food for the population, the current model of industrial agriculture that promotes soy and other export-oriented commercial crops over diversified agriculture has undermined the population’s food security.

104. Further, the right to adequate food requires economic access. Although the impact of a free market economy has contributed to impressive economic growth in recent years, this growth has not benefitted all. Poverty has risen in some parts of the country, not only in rural areas, but posing risks to urban centers as well. The recent economic crisis is likely to deepen the poverty gap.

105. Despite the existence of a legal structure and formulation of good strategies intended to ensure the realization of the right to food, Argentina does not have an explicit constitutional protection of this right. Therefore, Argentina does not have the tools necessary to address problems related to the right to food within a legally binding framework, with clear guidelines to promote and implement integral and multi-dimensional policies. The Special Rapporteur insists that the legal framework for the right to adequate food should include food sovereignty for all.

106. The Special Rapporteur trusts that the Government will prioritize the design and implementation of effective policies with the participation of all interested parties in order to ensure the right to adequate food, and will do everything possible to avoid negative effects of the financial crisis on the most vulnerable populations.

107. The Special Rapporteur notes that Argentina is in the process of implementing a National Plan on Human Rights. She recommends that the Plan be applied in consultation with representatives from civil society.

108. Finally, the Special Rapporteur wishes to reiterate her commitment to continue the dialogue that was started during her visit. She hopes that she can work with the Government in a spirit of cooperation in order to implement the recommendations formulated below.

109. In order to fully comply with its obligations related to human rights, and more specifically, to the right to food, Argentina should:

(a) Develop and adopt a national legislative framework based on human rights related to the right to food, with a strategy and plan for the effective implementation of in each region. The plan must also include necessary financial resources, taking into account long-term sustainability. Authorities responsible for the implementation, monitoring and accountability should develop a mechanism for the full and active participation of all relevant actors in the decision-making process, including the most vulnerable;

(b) Comply with legal obligations to uphold the right to food in times of national economic crisis, taking into account the indirect and direct effects of the Government’s austerity measures on the accessibility of food, especially for the poorest populations;

(c) Protect and promote family farming as a productive agricultural model, as it represents almost 80% of producers in Argentina that produce almost half of the fruits and vegetables consumed in the country;

(d) Improve the control and monitoring systems to avoid excessive use of pesticides;

(e) Implement and carefully monitor the regulations that protect human health, soil degradation depletion, and water pollution that can result from intensive agricultural practices as well as large-scale livestock farming;

(f) Create seed banks in order to maintain the genetic diversity of seeds and ensure that the benefits from the use of these resources are shared fairly and equitably;

(g) Promote and provide support for agroecology, which includes financial mechanisms and training programmes;

(h) Implement the FAO voluntary guidelines for activities related to national agricultural policies, especially the Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security, as well as the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security, and the principles for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems;

(i) Ensure that the national development agenda includes a human rights perspective and is aligned with protections for small-scale producers;

(j) Enact laws related to labels on food packaging, making sure that they contain nutritional information and work in collaboration with the food industry in order to design and implement innovative label schemes that will help consumers choose healthier options;

(k) Comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk substitutes published by WHO and monitor and enforce any violation of the code;

(l) Activate the mechanism to select and appoint the National Ombudsman, in accordance with the Paris Principles.