Defending People's milk: same plight, same fight for peasants and fresh milk vendors by GRAIN | 7 Mar 2022 Supermarket Watch Asia "People's milk", as most call the milk produced from these local networks, involves hundreds of millions of people, from small-scale farmers and pastoralists to local dairy processors and fresh milk vendors. More than 8 million rural families are engaged in dairy production in Pakistan, and, in India, the People's milk sector accounts for 85 per cent of the national milk market. "People's milk", as most call the milk produced from these local networks, involves hundreds of millions of people, from small-scale farmers and pastoralists to local dairy processors and fresh milk vendors. More than 8 million rural families are engaged in dairy production in Pakistan, and, in India, the People's milk sector accounts for 85 per cent of the national milk market.
From land grab to soil grab - the new business of carbon farming by GRAIN | 24 Feb 2022 Climate The world's largest agrochemical companies are pushing ahead with carbon credit programmes to enhance their power in the food system and enable big oil, food and tech corporations to avoid cuts to their emissions. This massive soil grab is based on faulty carbon sequestration schemes that undermine real climate solutions. The world's largest agrochemical companies are pushing ahead with carbon credit programmes to enhance their power in the food system and enable big oil, food and tech corporations to avoid cuts to their emissions. This massive soil grab is based on faulty carbon sequestration schemes that undermine real climate solutions.
Peasants still feed the world, even if FAO claims otherwise by AFSA, A Growing Culture, ETC Group, GRAIN, Groundswell International, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Landworkers Alliance, The Oakland Institute | 2 Feb 2022 Corporations The FAO has bumbled into a controversy over whether peasants or agribusiness feed most of the world. Seven organisations with long experience working on food and farming issues have written to the Director General of the FAO sharply criticizing the UN agency for a 2021 report that is statistically confusing and contradicts FAO positions. The FAO has bumbled into a controversy over whether peasants or agribusiness feed most of the world. Seven organisations with long experience working on food and farming issues have written to the Director General of the FAO sharply criticizing the UN agency for a 2021 report that is statistically confusing and contradicts FAO positions.
Ending violence against women street vendors and market traders by GRAIN | 10 Dec 2021 Supermarket Watch Asia On November 25, the world marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. For this occasion, we want to highlight the vulnerability that women street vendors and market traders endure, both physically and economically, and resound the call to end violence against them. On November 25, the world marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. For this occasion, we want to highlight the vulnerability that women street vendors and market traders endure, both physically and economically, and resound the call to end violence against them.
Trade deals pushing UPOV: an interactive map by Stop UPOV global alliance | 1 Dec 2021 Seeds | Multimedia A new map based on GRAIN’s dataset of signed FTAs in the past 20 years can help visualise which countries use free trade deals to push corporate control over seeds and which countries are under attack from these trade deals. A new map based on GRAIN’s dataset of signed FTAs in the past 20 years can help visualise which countries use free trade deals to push corporate control over seeds and which countries are under attack from these trade deals.
Corporations make a killing milking Africa by GRAIN | 18 Nov 2021 Corporations Africa's vibrant dairy sector is under threat. Multinational dairy corporations see the continent as a dumping ground for their excess production and as a new frontier for their processed dairy products. They are pushing for regulations, trade measures and agribusiness projects that will undermine local dairy systems and give them monopoly control over Africa's rapidly growing urban markets. Africa's vibrant dairy sector is under threat. Multinational dairy corporations see the continent as a dumping ground for their excess production and as a new frontier for their processed dairy products. They are pushing for regulations, trade measures and agribusiness projects that will undermine local dairy systems and give them monopoly control over Africa's rapidly growing urban markets.
New research shows 50 year binge on chemical fertilisers must end to address the climate crisis by GRAIN, Greenpeace International & Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) | 1 Nov 2021 Climate New research shows nitrogen fertilisers made from fossil fuels are an ecological disaster, responsible for around a quarter of all GHGs from agriculture. The research provides the first estimate of the global climate impacts of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers to cover the entire production chain, from manufacturing to soil application. A global phase-out is urgently required! New research shows nitrogen fertilisers made from fossil fuels are an ecological disaster, responsible for around a quarter of all GHGs from agriculture. The research provides the first estimate of the global climate impacts of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers to cover the entire production chain, from manufacturing to soil application. A global phase-out is urgently required!
Organising informal traders and local markets by GRAIN | 8 Oct 2021 Supermarket Watch Asia In this bulletin: we talk with a community organiser who has worked for more than a decade with fresh market traders and street vendors; and share how supermarkets became the pandemic’s winners while women workers the losers. In this bulletin: we talk with a community organiser who has worked for more than a decade with fresh market traders and street vendors; and share how supermarkets became the pandemic’s winners while women workers the losers.
Governments use a pig pandemic to expand corporate power and crush small farms by GRAIN | 6 Oct 2021 Corporations A variant of African swine fever that entered Europe in 2007 has laid waste to pig farms in Eastern Europe and Asia and, now, for the first time in 40 years, ASF is back in the Americas. The corporate approach to “biosecurity” will not stop ASF, and it will only make the world more vulnerable to new diseases. A variant of African swine fever that entered Europe in 2007 has laid waste to pig farms in Eastern Europe and Asia and, now, for the first time in 40 years, ASF is back in the Americas. The corporate approach to “biosecurity” will not stop ASF, and it will only make the world more vulnerable to new diseases.
The corporate attack on Pakistan’s small dairies by GRAIN | 29 Sep 2021 Corporations Under the banner of pasteurisation and modernisation of the dairy sector, the Government of Pakistan, dairy corporations and international agencies like USAID, are on the offensive to marginalize smallholder dairies. Corporate dairies are not leaving any stone unturned to damage the reputation of fresh, local milk. Under the banner of pasteurisation and modernisation of the dairy sector, the Government of Pakistan, dairy corporations and international agencies like USAID, are on the offensive to marginalize smallholder dairies. Corporate dairies are not leaving any stone unturned to damage the reputation of fresh, local milk.
Big Food in Africa: Endangering people’s health by AFSA & GRAIN | 21 Sep 2021 Corporations | Multimedia In the following publication, we have collected examples from across the African continent that highlight the dangers of the industrial food system, but also demonstrate the pushback taking place from consumers and small producers. These food safety scandals illustrate our argument that the industrial food system does not care about nutrition or health, but of profits. In the following publication, we have collected examples from across the African continent that highlight the dangers of the industrial food system, but also demonstrate the pushback taking place from consumers and small producers. These food safety scandals illustrate our argument that the industrial food system does not care about nutrition or health, but of profits.
Agribusiness and big finance's dirty alliance is anything but "green" by GRAIN | 15 Sep 2021 Climate Across the world, the most notorious players in the expansion of industrial agriculture are turning to “green finance” to raise money for themselves. The growing support for regulations on their investments and public control over the financial market has made them look for a solution that keeps the cash and agribusiness commodities flowing but hides the destruction they provoke. Across the world, the most notorious players in the expansion of industrial agriculture are turning to “green finance” to raise money for themselves. The growing support for regulations on their investments and public control over the financial market has made them look for a solution that keeps the cash and agribusiness commodities flowing but hides the destruction they provoke.
A label for bicycle chicken? Time to ask some questions! by COPAGEN & GRAIN | 10 Sep 2021 Corporations On July 2021, the government of Burkina Faso announced the launch of a project to provide a label for “bicycle chicken”, as local chicken is known there and in other African countries. According to the government, the aim of this label is to protect local Burkina Faso chicken from imported broiler chickens. But how can it be attributed to just one country? And if the aim is to protect a breed of chicken via the market, doesn’t creating a label run the risk of promoting its industrialisation? On July 2021, the government of Burkina Faso announced the launch of a project to provide a label for “bicycle chicken”, as local chicken is known there and in other African countries. According to the government, the aim of this label is to protect local Burkina Faso chicken from imported broiler chickens. But how can it be attributed to just one country? And if the aim is to protect a breed of chicken via the market, doesn’t creating a label run the risk of promoting its industrialisation?
One year into the Covid-19 pandemic: the continuous fight & resilience of People’s markets by GRAIN | 23 Jun 2021 Supermarket Watch Asia This edition of Supermarket Watch Asia features summaries of the virtual discussion among fresh market traders, street vendors and organisers from India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines about the current socioeconomic situation and on how to move forward in the context of the ongoing global pandemic. This edition of Supermarket Watch Asia features summaries of the virtual discussion among fresh market traders, street vendors and organisers from India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines about the current socioeconomic situation and on how to move forward in the context of the ongoing global pandemic.
How the Gates Foundation is driving the food system, in the wrong direction by GRAIN | 17 Jun 2021 Corporations | Multimedia Over the past 17 years, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has spent nearly US$6 billion on agriculture. In a new report, GRAIN analyses all the food and agriculture grants the foundation has made up until 2020, and reveals that while the Foundation allegedly prioritises African farmers, the vast majority of its funding actually goes to groups in North America and Europe. Over the past 17 years, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has spent nearly US$6 billion on agriculture. In a new report, GRAIN analyses all the food and agriculture grants the foundation has made up until 2020, and reveals that while the Foundation allegedly prioritises African farmers, the vast majority of its funding actually goes to groups in North America and Europe.