The People’s Dialogue is a South-South dialogue platform that brings together social organizations and movements particularly from Latin America and Africa to promote action and democratic participation processes which consolidate the foundations for change towards new models of development.

The People’s Dialogue incorporates aspects relating to the organizational experiences and struggles, as well as the ethnic, cultural, political diversity and gender diversity. Through the establishment of national/local Rural Women Assemblies in various Southern African countries, the People’s Dialogue platform is also strengthening the Rural Women’s Voice in these important debates.
Currently, the People’s Dialogue is focusing on the following broader themes: (1) Land and food sovereignty (2) Ecological crisis and extractives and (3) The state, democracy and popular power in Southern Africa. These themes will define the campaign thrust for 2013, whose calendar was developed and adopted in February.

The People’s Dialogue is also developing an initiative to fight Transnational Corporations (TNCs) through the establishment of the Southern African People’s Tribunal. The tribunal will allow smallholders and grassroots women to bring their cases (through video, stories, writing etc) against the TNCs and the exact formulation of the charges would be constructed against the TNCs from their perspective.

African Institute for Agrarian Studies (AIAS) is part of the coordinating team of the People’s Dialogue and a member of the Reference Group responsible for developing the plans, programmes and strategic direction of the People’s Dialogue. AIAS participates in a numerous events organized by the People’s Dialogue aimed at promoting the interests of the small holder farmers in Southern Africa and Africa in general. AIAS contributions are anchored in grounded research on issues of food security, social movements and globalization which take popular struggles into account in building alternatives.