Indigenous Terra Madre 2024 — Abya Yala Peoples, will be held in Mexico City from March 6 to 10 

Indigenous peoples will come together to resist at the table, feed the future and stop food colonization.

From March 6 to 10, 2024, 80 delegates from Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil will come together as peoples in Mexico City at the 2nd Indigenous Terra Madre — Abya Yala Peoples, “Abya Yala” meaning America in the Kuna language. Under the theme “Indigenous peoples resisting at the table to feed the future and stop food colonization” conferences, discussions, taste workshops and cultural events will be held to celebrate the diversity, beauty and deliciousness of indigenous food cultures, to raise awareness around indigenous peoples’ rights and to re-awaken taste. Experiences and examples will be shared so that everyone can Decolonize their Food.

The aim of the international Decolonize Your Food campaign, of which the Indigenous Terra Madre event is the latest step, led by the Slow Food Indigenous Peoples’ Network, is to share some of the efforts under way to protect the food of indigenous peoples from extinction and to help people discover the perhaps little-known indigenous origins of everyday foods, as well as the places where they are still produced by local communities.

The Indigenous Terra Madre — Abya Yala Peoples event will take place in the “Los Pinos” Cultural Center in Mexico City, where there will be public events, with visitors and guests, and private events, with workshops and guided visits, to collectively reflect on the journey of the Slow Food Indigenous Peoples’ Network.

These insights will focus on various themes, such as the role of indigenous peoples as defenders of the life of the planet, which is threatened by factors such as migration due to a lack of opportunities, cultural assimilation, land grabbing, unsustainable agricultural practices and violence towards the defenders of Mother Earth. This puts the food security and sovereignty of our communities at risk and, therefore, the cultural and biological diversity of which we are custodians.

Indigenous peoples’ lands are home to 80% of the world’s biodiversity, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).. This fact has shown the international community the importance of indigenous peoples in safeguarding the life of the planet. America, or rather Abya Yala, is home to a significant part of this diversity that indigenous peoples, with their knowledge, environmental management practices and governance systems, help to protect. In fact, they have protected unique foods that have enabled them to feed and nourish their communities without harming Mother Earth. Holistic, indigenous food systems can be the answer to global issues such as climate change and food security.

In addition, there is less obvious cultural colonization, that is taking place through food: mass-produced and globalized food is replacing traditional and local food. The media and public policies encourage consumption and production of such food, creating food insecurity, loss of flavors, knowledge, gastronomic celebrations, local economies and food identities, affecting indigenous young people in particular.

Indigenous peoples have always take action to resist food colonization, preserving seeds, ingredients, food practices and, therefore, protecting cultural and biological biodiversity and caring for the environment. It is vital that people recognize their role and strengthen their commitment to defending their cultures.

Indigenous Terra Madre — Abya Yala Peoples 2024 is organized by the Timo´Patla Intercultural indigenous organization and the Slow Food Indigenous Peoples’ Network, with the support of Slow Food International and Slow Food Mexico.

The event is being held with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Tamalpais Trust and the Los Pinos Cultural Center.

About the organizers

Timo’Patla Intercultural A.C.: an entrepreneurial group of Nahua, Totonac and Mixtec women and men, who promote collective processes and leadership from living well with the peoples and communities of Mexico.

Slow Food is a global movement acting to ensure good, clean and fair food for all. We are growing a global network of local communities who defend cultural and biological diversity,, promote food education and advocate for fairer and more equitable food policy. Slow Food has grown to involve millions of people in over 160 countries around the world. Within the movement, the Slow Food Indigenous Peoples’ Network is dedicated to preserving, promoting and celebrating the food rights of indigenous peoples on every continent. The network facilitates networking and promotes a collaborative environment for advocates of indigenous peoples’ food systems, making it possible to follow dreams, develop projects, access resources and create valuable networks.