Ana Paola Mora Vergara, a professor affiliated with the School of Nutrition and Dietetics, served as moderator for the panel “The Human Right to Food and Food Sovereignty,” held as part of the “Roots of Our Land” farmers’ gathering, held on June 18 and 19, 2026, in Neomundo and at MERCORED’s Center for Peasant Empowerment.
This gathering, organized by MERCORED, the Solidarity Unit, and the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF), with the support of partner organizations such as the National Learning Service (SENA)—CampeSENA, Prosperidad Social, and the Agrarian Bank of Colombia—established itself as a forum for coordination, knowledge exchange, and collective action among public institutions, social organizations, peasant communities, producers, and academia.
The panel featured Néstor Mendieta, a representative of the OBUSINGA Corporation; Miguel Fajardo, from Territorios Solidarios; Francisco Castro, from MERCORED; and Valerin Saurith López, representing the ICBF, who shared experiences, lessons learned, and reflections on the progress achieved through collaboration among social, institutional, and community actors.
During this session, the importance of initiatives such as the Santander Solidarity Circuit was highlighted—a strategy aimed at strengthening food supply processes by promoting public procurement mechanisms and coordination models that encourage the participation of organizations representing Peasant, Family, Ethnic, and Community Agriculture (ACFEC).
Professor Ana Paola Mora Vergara’s participation reaffirms the School of Nutrition and Dietetics’ commitment to generating and transferring knowledge, actively engaging in social and political advocacy, and supporting initiatives that promote the human right to food, sustainable rural development, and the holistic well-being of communities.
