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| Elizabeth Mpofu | |
|---|---|
| Name | Elizabeth Mpofu |
| Birth date | 1959 |
| Birth place | Zimbabwe |
| Occupation | Farmer, Activist, Leader |
| Known for | Peasant movements, Food sovereignty, Agroecology |
Elizabeth Mpofu
Elizabeth Mpofu is a Zimbabwean smallholder farmer and prominent peasant leader known for her work on food sovereignty, seed saving, and agroecology. She has served in leadership roles within international movements and organizations, engaging with institutions, treaties, and conferences to advocate for small-scale farming rights. Mpofu’s activism connects grassroots mobilization with multilateral processes and civil society networks across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Mpofu was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in a rural context shaped by land reform, postcolonial politics, and rural livelihoods. Her formative years intersected with regional developments such as Zimbabwean independence and agricultural policy debates involving entities like the African Union, Southern African Development Community, and United Nations agencies. She gained practical knowledge through community-based exchanges and informal training linked to organizations such as Food and Agriculture Organization programs, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and local cooperatives.
As a small-scale farmer, Mpofu practices diversified cropping, seed conservation, and agroecological methods adapted to local agroclimatic conditions. Her farm work engages with issues addressed by institutions like Convention on Biological Diversity, International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and dialogues at forums such as the Conference of the Parties of various UN conventions. She implements crop rotation, intercropping, and indigenous seed systems comparable to initiatives promoted by groups including Slow Food, ActionAid, and Oxfam International affiliates. Her practices counter industrial agricultural models advocated by corporates and policy forums exemplified by World Bank and World Trade Organization negotiations, emphasizing biodiversity and resilience promoted by networks like Global Alliance for the Future of Food.
Mpofu has held leadership positions within La Via Campesina, the global movement for peasant agriculture, engaging with member organizations across continents including All India Kisan Sabha, Confederación Nacional Campesina, and All-African Farmers' Union. In this role she has participated in international coordination with movements such as Landless Workers' Movement (MST), National Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives, and regional platforms like East African Farmers Federation. Her tenure involved interactions with the secretariat, participation at global assemblies, mobilizations linked to events such as the World Social Forum, and partnerships with federations like International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations.
Mpofu’s advocacy spans UN processes, treaty negotiations, and global campaigns addressing seed rights, climate justice, and food systems. She has intervened in processes connected to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Committee on World Food Security, and the Human Rights Council, aligning with civil society coalitions including Friends of the Earth International, Via Campesina, and International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty. Mpofu has engaged alongside activists from movements like Extinction Rebellion, negotiators from states such as Brazil, India, and Kenya, and experts from research institutions including International Food Policy Research Institute and Bioversity International. Her activism also intersects with campaigns opposing policies from multinationals represented in spaces linked to G20, OECD, and trade forums like World Trade Organization ministerials.
Mpofu’s leadership and grassroots impact have been acknowledged by civil society networks, peer organizations, and thematic prize committees focused on agrarian movements and human rights. She has been recognized in contexts involving organizations such as Right Livelihood Award discussions, solidarity acknowledgements from groups like Laureates and Leaders Network, and endorsements by platforms including Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and Global Justice Now. Her contributions have been highlighted in publications and events organized by entities such as University of Sussex, SOAS University of London, and research centers including Institute of Development Studies.
Mpofu continues to live and work in rural Zimbabwe, where her family farm remains a site of practice, training, and solidarity exchanges with peasant organizations from regions such as Southern Africa, West Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Her legacy is visible in strengthened seed networks, mentorship of youth movements like La Via Campesina Youth Network, and influence on policy debates at institutions such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and United Nations. Her work has inspired collaborations with academics from universities including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Cornell University and activists associated with campaigns in cities like Harare, Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Brussels.
Category:Zimbabwean activists Category:Smallholder farmers