PARLATINO unanimously approves Model Law for the Promotion of Agroecology

In a significant step for sustainable agriculture, the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO) unanimously approved the Model Law for the Promotion of Agroecology during its General Assembly, held on 5 December 2024 at the PARLATINO headquarters in Panama.

The Model Law aims to foster sustainable and resilient agricultural practices throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, with an innovative framework that is poised to drive meaningful strides towards achieving food security and sustainable development.

FAO provided technical support in developing the Model Law, building on FAO’s 2021 publication, “Legislate to Promote Agroecology in the Latin America and Caribbean Region,” which was prepared with assistance from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). As part of the drafting process, FAO and the Brazilian association, AS-PTA, conducted three public consultations across the Caribbean, Mesoamerica and South America in 2023, engaging parliamentarians, civil society representatives, academia, and farmer and international organizations. This was vital in ensuring that the Model Law addresses the unique realities and needs of each member country, a sentiment that was echoed by PARLATINO President, Rolando González.

The Model Law for the Promotion of Agroecology has ten chapters, which contain provisions developed across 39 articles. It has the potential to help countries in Latin America and the Caribbean enact national legislations that promote agroecology and transform food systems, aiming to integrate existing scattered regulations and encourage the use of sustainable practices for agricultural, environmental, food, and territorial development. The Model Law emphasizes the importance of education on agroecology and the involvement of civil society in the formulation of agricultural policies, while also recognizing that well-developed institutional frameworks are vital for the successful monitoring and promotion of agroecology at national level. Encouraging international cooperation, the Model Law also provides guidelines for government financing to support agroecological practices through subsidies and incentives.

Agroecology is presented as a transformative approach to agrifood systems, integrating ecological and social principles to enhance the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment. This legislative initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 Agenda, including its aims to eliminate poverty, achieve zero hunger, promote health and wellbeing, ensure gender equality, foster decent work and economic growth, and combat climate change.

The approval of the Model Law for the Promotion of Agroecology marks a critical milestone in advancing sustainable agricultural frameworks across Latin America and the Caribbean, reflecting PARLATINO’s commitment to addressing hunger and malnutrition. It serves as a testament to successful international collaboration, building upon previous Model Laws developed by PARLATINO, such as those on the Right to Food, School Feeding, Family Farming, and Climate Change and Food Security.

This advancement aligns with the Global Parliamentary Pact Against Hunger and Malnutrition, which was adopted in Valparaíso in 2023 during the Second Global Parliamentary Summit Against Hunger and Malnutrition, representing a unified effort to combat these pressing issues on a global scale. 

As the region looks to the future, the Model Law for the Promotion of Agroecology stands as a foundational pillar for sustainable development, ecological balance, and the empowerment of local communities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.