The history of the global convergence is deeply rooted in the fight against land and water grabbing. These issues connect with climate change, where communities must maintain control of their water and land.
The convergence was born at the Africa Social Forum in Dakar in October 2014 where large-scale land grabbing and climate change were the primary issues discussed.
At the forum, where many representatives were from Africa, the delegates pointed out that there needs to be a collaborative effort into fighting these struggles.
The first meeting was held at the World Social Forum in Tunis in March 2015.
The convergence held its second global meeting at the COP 21 in December 2015. The meeting discussed the solutions pertaining to climate change presented at the COP 21, the importance of the Convergence and actions to be taken by different members of the convergence and as a collective.
In a report of the second global meeting compiled by the members of the convergence which included representatives from international Agriculture, Fishing and Extractive industries, the convergence said, the idea was not to create something new, but to pull existing threads together in a common text that would emphasize linkages.
“The Convergence is about peace and struggle. It is about people’s victories….. Our commons, forests, and seeds are at stake. We need to implement more collective activities” the report noted.
“Convergence allows multiple actions, builds unity, and brings our forces and constituencies together. It helps us to move to a different vision. It brings the responsibility of action back to all of us (Land and Water movements)”.
The convergence has planned a number of actions which include seeing 14 West African countries joining forces to demand their legal rights to land and water in dialogue with their leaders, creating a Human Rights Defender Alert and joining the World Fisheries Day celebration on the 21 of November.
Masifundise Development Trust and Coastal Links South Africa are members of the convergence.