The primary focus of Kiwar Maigua, co-founder of the KISTH Foundation, Young Expert for Fair Culture with the German Commission for UNESCO and Youth Sounding Board member for the European Commission, lies in aiding indigenous communities through initiatives in education, economy, and culture.
1. How does your ideal sustainable food system look like in the context of your country/region of expertise?
A system where people can take advantage of agriculture for food, for biodiversity and also for culture. I mention that, as in my country, agriculture is not only a way to feed population but an important element of culture (especially the culture of indigenous people), where agrifood system is like an identity, a part of life and influences everyday life. Traditional knowledge is preserved and balanced at the same time with technological advancements.
2. Can you share with us your experience of supporting changes / transitions towards sustainable food systems in a country/region?
I do not work directly in this field, but from what I know of my context in Ecuador some initiatives are being implemented to preserve seed diversity with the indigenous community. In addition, some projects connect farmers directly with consumers, which is very important because in Ecuador we have issues with intermediaries/middlemen who exploit the markets and control prices at the expense of farmers. Cooperative of indigenous people to achieve economies of scale and have a stronger voice is important. However, the group dynamic and the quality of the products are a challenge for the cooperatives and there are opportunities to improve the quality and diversity of products with capacity development.
3. In your view, what are the key triggers and success factors for change to happen?
First, the role of youth – new generations have more opportunities when they are educated and can benefit from the digital technology and innovations. However, they need to be engaged to understand the importance of the agrifood system. The problem is that they are not attracted to agriculture and the hardships of their parents.
Also, increasing the capacity of associations and farmers to associate themselves to come together, negotiate prices, share perspectives and support their own developments and to remove the middleman. Intermediaries/middlemen in Ecuador are better organized and associations could learn from them.
