Global Experts Commit to Food Security in Historic Declaration in Seville
On December 4 2024, the University of Seville hosted a pivotal workshop on Public Food Policies and the Right to Food, gathering world-renowned experts and representatives from the NEEMA project in a joint effort to address global food insecurity. This event, coordinated by the University of Seville alongside leading organizations such as ODA-E, FIIAPP, Expertise France, the SUN Movement, and FAO, culminated in the signing of a historic declaration reaffirming the global commitment to eradicating hunger.
The workshop, part of NEEMA’s dissemination activities, focused on enhancing the role of higher education institutions in West Africa to improve food and nutritional resilience. This aligns with the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and aims to strengthen institutional capacities to adapt to its challenges. The event also marked the conclusion of the IV Congress on Land and Human Rights, held December 2–4 at the University of Seville.
The Declaration of Seville underscores the global challenge of food insecurity, with Africa being the most vulnerable region due to specific historical, economic, and social contexts. Common challenges include rising food prices, outdated agri-food systems, climate change, biodiversity loss, and limited access to nutritious diets. Despite regional differences, there is a shared urgency to eradicate hunger and ensure the universal right to adequate food, which is essential for food security and sovereignty.
The delay in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (zero hunger) is evident, exacerbated by insufficient resources, lack of political will, and outdated approaches. Strengthening institutional mechanisms is critical to making the right to food a fundamental human right.
This document also underlines the central role played by academia by integrating food security into interdisciplinary education, conducting innovative research, and transferring knowledge to civil society and policymakers. Universities also foster collaboration through international cooperation, bridging the gap between science and policy to address food insecurity effectively.
Right to Food Observatories exemplify these efforts, fostering partnerships among academia, parliaments, and organizations like the FAO. Expanding this model to Africa is a priority. Ultimately, the declaration reaffirms the global commitment to eradicating hunger, promoting knowledge sharing, and building strong partnerships for a just and equitable future for all.
The Declaration of Seville was subscribed by NEEMA partner universities from West Africa and Europe, the SUN Movement, and FAO (through the Hunger-Free Latin America Initiative), the Observatorio del Derecho a la Alimentación de España (ODA-E), the Réseau africain pour le Droit à l’alimentation and the Réseau des Scientifiques pour la Nutrition au Tchad, Expertise France and Fundación Internacional y para Iberoamérica de Administración y Políticas Públicas (FIIAPP). This unified effort underscores a shared commitment to food security and resilience, bridging continents for a more equitable future.
Please click here to download and read the Declaration of Seville in English.
About NEEMA
NEEMA is a 36-month capacity building project of Ulysseus European University funded through the ERASMUS+ program. It aligns with the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy, adapting these frameworks to the unique challenges of the Sahel and West Africa.
Led by the University of Seville, NEEMA aims to enhance food and nutritional resilience, focusing on vulnerable populations. The project involves 14 universities across Africa and Europe, fostering collaboration, designing contextual curricula, and launching pilot initiatives to strengthen local capacities in food security and sustainability.