The 16 Days of Global Action on Agroecology is an annual campaign organised and participated in by PAN Asia Pacific and its partners, networks, agroecology advocates and small food producers’ movements. Held from 1 to 16 October, the 16-day campaign is a series of community-initiated awareness-raising, campaigning and advocating for food systems transformation and asserting food sovereignty and climate justice. For this year, women and youth take centerstage. Amid the worsening crises of hunger, poverty, landlessness and climate change, they play very important roles in pushing for agroecology as a viable solution to the crises, and in the continuing struggle for food sovereignty. They march on. They carry the torch and lead the way to strengthening food sovereignty movements, radically transforming food systems and asserting climate justice all over the world. PANAP and its partners are leading the Global People’s Caravan for Food, Land, and Climate Justice campaign, which for this year, will build up towards the COP28 in Dubai on Nov 30-Dec12. The campaign highlights the rural peoples’ demands and struggles for radical food systems transformation, right to land and resources, and climate The 16 Days provides a good opportunity to contribute in the promotion, mobilisation, and forging solidarity for this campaign. Women and Youth will be leading rural and urban communities in activities such as discussion and fora, cultural activities, seed exchanges, food festivals, farmer learning exchanges, rallies and policy advocacy, among others, aimed at promoting and advancing agroecology. It culminates on Rural Women’s Day (15 October) and World Hunger Day (16 October).

Objectives:

1. Women and Youth groups in rural and urban communities lead awareness-raising on agroecology as one of the solutions to the food and climate crises;
2. To gather the broadest support possible and promote women and youth’s leadership and initiatives in advancing food sovereignty, agroecology, and climate justice; and
3. Push for immediate and long-term food and agriculture policy changes at the local, national, regional and international levels towards achieving more just, equitable, healthy and sustainable food
4. Support the Global People’s Caravan for Food, Land, and Climate Justice campaign.

Our main calls and demands:

1. Women and youth unite for food, land, and climate justice!
2. Agroecology, food sovereignty, and climate justice now!
3. End Climate Crisis, Agroecology and Food Sovereignty Now!
4. Ban Highly Hazardous Pesticides!
5. Fight for Just, Equitable, Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems!

Specific sectors can add their own calls and demands. Partners can also add their own calls and demands based on the theme, including local and national-level calls and demands.

How to join:

1. Email us at terence@panap.net and elnard.arellano@panap.net to start a conversation and for more information about the 16 Days campaign
2. Organise an action or activity led by women and youth any day from October 1 to 16 in line with the objectives of the 16 Days of Global Action on Suggested activities are seed exchanges, food festivals, collective farming, learning exchanges, local markets, cultural activities, fora and discussion, policy advocacy, rallies, bike tours etc.
3. Answer any of the two questions in a short written or video form: “How has agroecology helped your community cope with the food/climate crisis?” And “How can women and youth lead the movement for genuine food systems tranfsormation?” Send to terence@panap.net and elnard.arellano@panap.net. (See below for short video submission guidelines) These will be published at the PANAP website & social media accounts.
4. Print the 16 Days poster or simple placards written with our calls and demands and take a photo!
5. Use the hashtags:
   #16DaysofGlobalAction #AgroecologyNow #WomenRiseUp #YouthforAgroecology

Guidelines for Short Video Submission

The farmer or advocate must state his/her name and village/town/province, and answer questions: “How has agroecology helped your community cope with the food/climate crisis?” The video can be shot using a phone and in any format, just make sure of the following:

1. The video is steady (not shaky) and there is enough light
2. The audio can be heard clearly
3. Landscape orientation is preferred
4. Maximum of 3 mins

If it is in local language, please add English subtitles on the video. If you do not have the means to do the English subtitles, this can be done by PANAP. The organisation must provide an English translation of the short video, and PANAP will be the one who will place subtitles or dubbing. There are two ways you can provide translation:

1. 1. Written translation – Simply write down the translation and indicate the timecode (e.g. 00:10-00:20) or when it was said in the video
   2. Spoken translation – You can send a spoken translation through an audio clip. Just make sure that the audio is roughly of the same pacing and length of the Please only use this option for shorter videos (up to 1 minute).