Telling family farming fairy tales by GRAIN | 7 Nov 2014 In the last 50 years, a staggering 140 million hectares – the size of almost all the farmland in India – has been taken over by four industrial crops: soya bean, oil palm, rapeseed and sugar cane. And this trend is accelerating. In the last 50 years, a staggering 140 million hectares – the size of almost all the farmland in India – has been taken over by four industrial crops: soya bean, oil palm, rapeseed and sugar cane. And this trend is accelerating.
How does the Gates Foundation spend its money to feed the world? by GRAIN | 4 Nov 2014 Since the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation added “feeding the world” to its objectives almost a decade ago, it has channelled an impressive three billion dollars towards agricultural projects, much of it to improve farming in Africa. But GRAIN analysed the foundation's agricultural grants records for the past decade and reached some sobering conclusions. Since the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation added “feeding the world” to its objectives almost a decade ago, it has channelled an impressive three billion dollars towards agricultural projects, much of it to improve farming in Africa. But GRAIN analysed the foundation's agricultural grants records for the past decade and reached some sobering conclusions.
Harvest of hardship: Yala Swamp land grab destroys Kenyan farmers' livelihoods by GRAIN | 23 Oct 2014 Land A June 2014 interview with farmer Erastus Odindo about his community's struggle to defend their lands from US-based Dominion Farms A June 2014 interview with farmer Erastus Odindo about his community's struggle to defend their lands from US-based Dominion Farms
Karuturi still going down by Tax Justice Network, Forum Syd Kenya, GRAIN, Anywaa Survival Organisation, South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements | 9 Oct 2014 Media releases Karuturi Global Ltd, the Indian multinational that made its name in the global cut flower industry and recently acquired more than 300,000 ha in Ethiopia to produce food for foreign markets, is continuing its painful and massive decline. Karuturi Global Ltd, the Indian multinational that made its name in the global cut flower industry and recently acquired more than 300,000 ha in Ethiopia to produce food for foreign markets, is continuing its painful and massive decline.
Feeding the one percent by GRAIN | 7 Oct 2014 An IT billionaire's foray into agribusiness paints a disturbing picture of today's farmland financiers. An IT billionaire's foray into agribusiness paints a disturbing picture of today's farmland financiers.
Planet palm oil by GRAIN | 22 Sep 2014 Expanding production of cheap palm oil comes at a high price. Destruction of rainforests, labour exploitation, and brutal land grabbing: these are just a few of the nasty consequences that come with today's oil palm plantations. With palm oil companies finding lands in Indonesia and Malaysia more difficult to acquire, attention is shifting to Africa. Over the past fifteen years, foreign companies have signed over 60 deals covering nearly 4 million hectares in central and western Africa for the development of oil palm plantations. The land grabs are already generating violent conflicts in several African countries. Expanding production of cheap palm oil comes at a high price. Destruction of rainforests, labour exploitation, and brutal land grabbing: these are just a few of the nasty consequences that come with today's oil palm plantations. With palm oil companies finding lands in Indonesia and Malaysia more difficult to acquire, attention is shifting to Africa. Over the past fifteen years, foreign companies have signed over 60 deals covering nearly 4 million hectares in central and western Africa for the development of oil palm plantations. The land grabs are already generating violent conflicts in several African countries.
Food sovereignty for sale: supermarkets are undermining people's control over food and farming in Asia by GRAIN | 17 Sep 2014 In the past decade, food corporations have been taking over a bigger and bigger slice of the retail pie in Asia, with major implications for the entire food chain. Corporate supermarkets are expanding faster in this region than anywhere else on the planet. And as supermarkets and their procurement chains expand, they take revenue out of traditional food systems – and out of the hands of peasants, small scale food producers and traders. They also exert increasing influence over what people eat and how that food is produced. In the past decade, food corporations have been taking over a bigger and bigger slice of the retail pie in Asia, with major implications for the entire food chain. Corporate supermarkets are expanding faster in this region than anywhere else on the planet. And as supermarkets and their procurement chains expand, they take revenue out of traditional food systems – and out of the hands of peasants, small scale food producers and traders. They also exert increasing influence over what people eat and how that food is produced.
Land grabber's paradise: Cameroonian environmentalist faces trial by GRAIN | Oakland Institute | World Rainforest Movement | 17 Jun 2014 GRAIN, the Oakland Institute and the World Rainforest Movement call on Herakles and the Cameroonian government to drop all charges against Nasako Besingi and his fellow activists and instead engage in good faith with local communities seeking to defend their lands. GRAIN, the Oakland Institute and the World Rainforest Movement call on Herakles and the Cameroonian government to drop all charges against Nasako Besingi and his fellow activists and instead engage in good faith with local communities seeking to defend their lands.
Hungry for land by GRAIN and La Vía Campesina | 28 May 2014 Media releases A joint media release from GRAIN and La Vía Campesina on a new report, "Hungry for land", issues an urgent call for land to be put back in the hands of small farmers. The struggle for genuine and comprehensive agrarian reform is central to the fight for better food systems. A joint media release from GRAIN and La Vía Campesina on a new report, "Hungry for land", issues an urgent call for land to be put back in the hands of small farmers. The struggle for genuine and comprehensive agrarian reform is central to the fight for better food systems.
Hungry for land: small farmers feed the world with less than a quarter of all farmland by GRAIN | 28 May 2014 Land It is commonly heard today that small farmers produce most of the world's food. But how many of us realise that they are doing this with less than a quarter of the world's farmland, and that even this meagre share is shrinking fast? GRAIN took an in depth look at the data to see what is going on. It is commonly heard today that small farmers produce most of the world's food. But how many of us realise that they are doing this with less than a quarter of the world's farmland, and that even this meagre share is shrinking fast? GRAIN took an in depth look at the data to see what is going on.
2,4-D soy: waging war on peasants by GRAIN | 26 May 2014 Dow Agrosciences is proposing new varieties of transgenic soy which will result in the use of millions more litres of even more toxic herbicides. But sustained resistance is growing in all five countries where Dow is seeking regulatory approval as the impacts of GM technologies are denounced and the fallacies that allowed for them to be rolled out are exposed. Dow Agrosciences is proposing new varieties of transgenic soy which will result in the use of millions more litres of even more toxic herbicides. But sustained resistance is growing in all five countries where Dow is seeking regulatory approval as the impacts of GM technologies are denounced and the fallacies that allowed for them to be rolled out are exposed.
Senhuile director arrested for alleged financial crime by GRAIN, Ndiaël Collective, Oakland Institute and Re:Common | 21 May 2014 Media releases Benjamin Dummai, the Director-General of Senhuile SA, an Italian-Senegalese agribusiness project illegitimately occupying 20,000 hectares in northern Senegal, was last week fired by his board of directors and arrested by Senegalese authorities last week. Local media has reported that he has been accused of embezzling almost half a million dollars. Benjamin Dummai, the Director-General of Senhuile SA, an Italian-Senegalese agribusiness project illegitimately occupying 20,000 hectares in northern Senegal, was last week fired by his board of directors and arrested by Senegalese authorities last week. Local media has reported that he has been accused of embezzling almost half a million dollars.
No agrobiodiversity without peasants by GRAIN | 22 Mar 2014 Governments and intergovernmental agreements on agrobiodiversity do not improve farmer and indigenous rights, the team of GRAIN argues. The peasants who are keeping agrobiodiversity alive are under threat from the rapid expansion of industrial farming. We need to fight for food sovereignty to preserve local agrobiodiversity. A short opinion piece by GRAIN in Farming Matters Magazine. Governments and intergovernmental agreements on agrobiodiversity do not improve farmer and indigenous rights, the team of GRAIN argues. The peasants who are keeping agrobiodiversity alive are under threat from the rapid expansion of industrial farming. We need to fight for food sovereignty to preserve local agrobiodiversity. A short opinion piece by GRAIN in Farming Matters Magazine.
Senegalese farmers and herders demand shady transnational corporation Senhuile SA get off their land by The Ndiaël Collective et al. | 27 Feb 2014 Farmers and herders from northwestern Senegal have travelled to Europe to demand the scrapping of a land deal that threatens the lives and livelihoods of some 9,000 people. Please join their action now! Farmers and herders from northwestern Senegal have travelled to Europe to demand the scrapping of a land deal that threatens the lives and livelihoods of some 9,000 people. Please join their action now!
Karuturi, the iconic landgrabber, flops by TJN et al | 14 Feb 2014 Media releases Karuturi Ltd, the Kenyan flower production unit of Karuturi Global, is in financial collapse and been put under receivership. One of the world's most infamous landgrabbers is in its deepest trouble yet. Karuturi Ltd, the Kenyan flower production unit of Karuturi Global, is in financial collapse and been put under receivership. One of the world's most infamous landgrabbers is in its deepest trouble yet.