Women and Food Sovereignty: gendered perspectives from Chaupiuno, Bolivia

Food sovereignty questions the current economic and social power structures which shape the global food production and distribution system, and advocates for control at the local or domestic level. A key determining factor for the successful implementation of food sovereignty is increased gender equality. However a considerable amount of uncertainty exists in respect to this relationship – uncertainty regarding how to execute the gender empowerment process and uncertainty as to how gender empowerment will manifest for a more food sovereign future. This thesis project explores the relationship between food sovereignty and women’s empowerment through the experiences of seven women who have engaged in a goat cheese commercialization project in Chaupiuno, Bolivia.