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.
Unmasking the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor by GRAIN | 12 May 2021 Corporations Through an intricate network of roads, railways and other infrastructure, CPEC intends to create a low-cost route and to increase trade between China and Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. But CPEC projects in Pakistan are paving the way for the takeover of important agriculture sectors by private corporations, and the pushing out of local farmers in the process. Through an intricate network of roads, railways and other infrastructure, CPEC intends to create a low-cost route and to increase trade between China and Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. But CPEC projects in Pakistan are paving the way for the takeover of important agriculture sectors by private corporations, and the pushing out of local farmers in the process.
EFTA-Mercosur: another low blow to climate, peoples’ rights and food sovereignty by GRAIN | 5 May 2021 Corporations | Multimedia The climate impacts of the EFTA-Mercosur trade deal, if it goes ahead, will be significant, even judging by just a few industrially produced farm commodities. We cannot expand global trade and drive down emissions, as is so urgently needed, at the same time. For this reason alone, the deal must be scrapped. The climate impacts of the EFTA-Mercosur trade deal, if it goes ahead, will be significant, even judging by just a few industrially produced farm commodities. We cannot expand global trade and drive down emissions, as is so urgently needed, at the same time. For this reason alone, the deal must be scrapped.
Infographic | Digital fences: technology and its use in land grabbing by GRAIN | 19 Apr 2021 Land | Multimedia This infographic highlights the main findings of a thorough investigation that was carried out in five South American countries in order to stop the ongoing cycle of violent dispossession. Our report zeros in on the land digitalisation process that is paving the way towards the mass privatisation and financialisation of land. This infographic highlights the main findings of a thorough investigation that was carried out in five South American countries in order to stop the ongoing cycle of violent dispossession. Our report zeros in on the land digitalisation process that is paving the way towards the mass privatisation and financialisation of land.
Booklet | UPOV: the great seeds robbery by Alianza Biodiversidad & GRAIN | 6 Apr 2021 Seeds Peasants around the world are understanding what is at stake. The big companies and powerful governments that support UPOV, even with all their power, do not have it easy. Popular resistance is emerging everywhere. The following booklet explains in more detail what we are talking about. Peasants around the world are understanding what is at stake. The big companies and powerful governments that support UPOV, even with all their power, do not have it easy. Popular resistance is emerging everywhere. The following booklet explains in more detail what we are talking about.
GRAIN's 2020 activity report by GRAIN | 1 Apr 2021 Activity reports This report shares examples of GRAIN’s support in the form of information work and movement building in the struggles for food sovereignty last year. From corporate capture to seed saving, factory farming to climate justice, agribusiness to agroecology, we are committed to exposing the ills of the current system and advancing alternatives towards community-controlled, biodiversity-based food systems. This report shares examples of GRAIN’s support in the form of information work and movement building in the struggles for food sovereignty last year. From corporate capture to seed saving, factory farming to climate justice, agribusiness to agroecology, we are committed to exposing the ills of the current system and advancing alternatives towards community-controlled, biodiversity-based food systems.
Corporate greenwashing: "net zero" and "nature-based solutions" are a deadly fraud by GRAIN | 17 Mar 2021 Climate Corporations are ramping up their greenwashing to head-off any efforts to reign in their GHG emissions. After five years of having done nothing to move towards the already compromised targets established by the 2015 Paris Agreement, dozens of big polluters like Nestlé and Shell are now making "net zero" pledges, mainly to satisfy the public relations needs of the financial players that fund them. Corporations are ramping up their greenwashing to head-off any efforts to reign in their GHG emissions. After five years of having done nothing to move towards the already compromised targets established by the 2015 Paris Agreement, dozens of big polluters like Nestlé and Shell are now making "net zero" pledges, mainly to satisfy the public relations needs of the financial players that fund them.
Agroecology vs. climate chaos: Farmers leading the battle in Asia by GRAIN | 10 Mar 2021 Climate As urgent as the climate crisis is, some of the solutions being promoted from above are misleading. Not only are they not putting us in the right track, they are also exacerbating an array of other problems ranging from poverty to loss of biodiversity. Fortunately, a number of farmers across Asia on the front lines of climate disaster are putting forth a solution that is working and that is also adapted to their socioeconomic circumstances and farming traditions: Agroecology. As urgent as the climate crisis is, some of the solutions being promoted from above are misleading. Not only are they not putting us in the right track, they are also exacerbating an array of other problems ranging from poverty to loss of biodiversity. Fortunately, a number of farmers across Asia on the front lines of climate disaster are putting forth a solution that is working and that is also adapted to their socioeconomic circumstances and farming traditions: Agroecology.
What kind of "markets" are we fighting for? by GRAIN | 24 Feb 2021 Supermarket Watch Asia Calls to “cut out middlemen” or “connect farmers directly to consumers” often come up in discussions about how to build local food systems or support small farmers. But such notions can be misleading for food sovereignty struggles. Small farmers and peasants represent only one node within the complex food web. Calls to “cut out middlemen” or “connect farmers directly to consumers” often come up in discussions about how to build local food systems or support small farmers. But such notions can be misleading for food sovereignty struggles. Small farmers and peasants represent only one node within the complex food web.
UPOV animation: The great seed robbery by GRAIN and Alianza Biodiversidad | 12 Feb 2021 Seeds | Multimedia To help you understand UPOV, we have a short animated video for you. It explains in a simple way how UPOV tries to appropriate and privatise seeds that have been developed over thousands of years by communities around the world, and why we should resist it and demand that it be dismantled. To help you understand UPOV, we have a short animated video for you. It explains in a simple way how UPOV tries to appropriate and privatise seeds that have been developed over thousands of years by communities around the world, and why we should resist it and demand that it be dismantled.
Digital control: how Big Tech moves into food and farming (and what it means) by GRAIN | 21 Jan 2021 Corporations | Multimedia The world’s biggest technology companies and distribution platforms, such as Microsoft and Amazon, have started entering the food sector. What does this mean for small farmers and local food systems? This is leading to a strong and powerful integration between the companies that supply products to farmers (pesticides, tractors, drones, etc) and those that control the flow of data and have access to food consumers. The world’s biggest technology companies and distribution platforms, such as Microsoft and Amazon, have started entering the food sector. What does this mean for small farmers and local food systems? This is leading to a strong and powerful integration between the companies that supply products to farmers (pesticides, tractors, drones, etc) and those that control the flow of data and have access to food consumers.
How the funding of a colonial-era oil palm plantation by European development banks dramatically failed: new report by RIAO-RDC, FIAN Belgium, Entraide et Fraternité, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, FIAN Germany, urgewald, Milieudefensie, The Corner House, Global Justice Now!, World Rainforest Movement, and GRAIN | 15 Jan 2021 Corporations A new report by an alliance of civil society organisations chronicles one of the most scandalous failures of development bank investment in agriculture. The report details how Europe's largest development banks poured upwards of US$150 million into an oil palm plantation company despite the company's long-standing land conflicts with local communities. A new report by an alliance of civil society organisations chronicles one of the most scandalous failures of development bank investment in agriculture. The report details how Europe's largest development banks poured upwards of US$150 million into an oil palm plantation company despite the company's long-standing land conflicts with local communities.
Lessons learned from 30 years of GRAIN by GRAIN | 18 Dec 2020 What started as a passionate and determined initiative of a few activists in Europe has matured into a solid, diverse and decentralised international organisation. Over that period, the politics and vision of GRAIN have not wavered, only grown deeper. Here we offer some of the lessons that we learned and shifts we undertook, over this 30 year period, in the hope that they can be useful for others. What started as a passionate and determined initiative of a few activists in Europe has matured into a solid, diverse and decentralised international organisation. Over that period, the politics and vision of GRAIN have not wavered, only grown deeper. Here we offer some of the lessons that we learned and shifts we undertook, over this 30 year period, in the hope that they can be useful for others.