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Winnipeg, Man.
Conference addresses food security, biotechnology


“If the thrust of this conference could be transferred to the pastors, priests and parish diaconates of our nation, we could have a Canada-wide discussion on a just agricultural policy alternative,” said Jim Visser, a retired Alberta seed-potato producer and a member of Earthkeeping (Alberta). “The gospel principles, which this conference defined and applied to our complex food security issues, offer an alternative to the controlling model which holds us today.”

Visser was among 43 like-minded delegates who gathered November 2-4 in Winnipeg for a conference addressing the impact of globalization and technological changes on food from a theological and ecumenical perspective. “Gifts from the Earth: an Ecumenical Forum on Food Security, Biotechnology and the Global Farming Crisis” was, according to organizers, another step in cooperative efforts between church groups to work denominationally and ecumenically to address the ethical and justice aspects of food production.

While the issues are not new, the fact that four of Canada’s church umbrella groups combined their efforts to address the topic is significant. In an effort to promote understanding of issues facing food producers in both hemispheres, the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC), Inter-Church Action Committee (IAC), the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) brought persons with particular skills and experience in these issues from across Canada as well as from Bangladesh, Bolivia, Chile and Kenya.

According to Bruce Cleminger, director of the Centre for Faith and Public Life for EFC, the conference was a “helpful convergence” in the exploration of issues of common concern. “I was quite excited about the conference. We have been talking before; being able to work together on the issues was fruitful and helpful.”

Delegates also took part in open forums and in small group discussions. On the last day of the conference, sponsoring groups met separately to map out concrete plans and proposals to implement follow-up strategies at organizational and denominational levels.

Jim Cornelius, executive director of the CFGB, said that his organization will draw on the reflection and discussion generated during the forum to further strengthen Canadian church support for rural communities in developing countries, and will result in bridge-building between rural communities in Canada and those in developing countries. “God is calling Canadian churches to seriously address issues of hunger, our relationship with the land, and rural livelihoods,” he said.

 – Linda Wegner

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Last modified January 5, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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