Agroecology: Voices from social movements by Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience | 4 Oct 2015 technologies | seeds & biodiversity | laws & policies This video explores the different perspectives of food providers on agroecology and the calls from social movements to embed agroecoogy in the struggle for food sovereignty. It focuses on the International Declaration for Food Sovereignty which has been advanced by social movements to claim agroecology as a bottom up practice, science and movement and the most important pathway towards a most just, sustainable and viable food and agriculture system. This video explores the different perspectives of food providers on agroecology and the calls from social movements to embed agroecoogy in the struggle for food sovereignty. It focuses on the International Declaration for Food Sovereignty which has been advanced by social movements to claim agroecology as a bottom up practice, science and movement and the most important pathway towards a most just, sustainable and viable food and agriculture system.
The Exxons of agriculture by GRAIN | 30 Sep 2015 Climate World leaders are about to converge for the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris in December, but there is only one major intergovernmental initiative that has emerged to deal with climate change and agriculture – and it is controlled by the world's largest fertiliser companies. World leaders are about to converge for the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris in December, but there is only one major intergovernmental initiative that has emerged to deal with climate change and agriculture – and it is controlled by the world's largest fertiliser companies.
Ethiopia: World Bank translator, activists face trial by Human Rights Watch, Bread for All, GRAIN, Anywaa Survival Organisation, Oakland Institute and Inclusive Development International | 22 Sep 2015 Ethiopian authorities should immediately drop all charges and release a former World Bank translator and two other local activists charged under Ethiopia’s repressive anti-terrorism law after trying to attend a workshop on food security in Nairobi, six international development and human rights groups said today. Ethiopian authorities should immediately drop all charges and release a former World Bank translator and two other local activists charged under Ethiopia’s repressive anti-terrorism law after trying to attend a workshop on food security in Nairobi, six international development and human rights groups said today.
Plantations are not forests! by Social organisations from Latin America, Africa and Asia | 21 Sep 2015 Declaration by social organisations from several countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia on 21 September 2015 – International Day of Struggle against Tree Monocultures Declaration by social organisations from several countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia on 21 September 2015 – International Day of Struggle against Tree Monocultures
System change, not climate change by Norway Social Forum | 17 Sep 2015 Norway | corporations | climate crisis | laws & policies A short movie about climate change and trade agreements by the Norway Social Forum A short movie about climate change and trade agreements by the Norway Social Forum
The farm-by-farm fight between China and the United States to dominate the global food supply by Ted Genoways | New Republic | 18 Aug 2015 China | United States | corporations | food sovereignty | laws & policies Activists in both China and the United States have raised concerns about just two corporations having so much influence over the world food supply, with so little transparency. But these fears miss the larger point of what such companies represent: the intent of the U.S. government to use food as an ever-more powerful point of leverage to wield over large, increasingly hungry nations like China. Activists in both China and the United States have raised concerns about just two corporations having so much influence over the world food supply, with so little transparency. But these fears miss the larger point of what such companies represent: the intent of the U.S. government to use food as an ever-more powerful point of leverage to wield over large, increasingly hungry nations like China.
Relaunching destruction in Papua: monoculture agriculture project threatens indigenous lands and livelihoods by AwasMIFEE | GRAIN | 10 Aug 2015 Indonesia | land grabbing For the past five years, the people of Merauke Regency, in Indonesia's Papua province, have been resisting a large-scale agriculture project that threatens the livelihoods of more than 50,000 people. But their government has recently announced new and ambitious plans for the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) project. For the past five years, the people of Merauke Regency, in Indonesia's Papua province, have been resisting a large-scale agriculture project that threatens the livelihoods of more than 50,000 people. But their government has recently announced new and ambitious plans for the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) project.
Golden Rice research publication retracted on ethical grounds by MASIPAG | 7 Aug 2015 corporations | technologies | seeds & biodiversity | China The study's authors were unable to provide sufficient evidence either that the study has been reviewed by a local ethics committee in China or prove that all parents and children involved in the study were provided with the full consent form for the study. Opponents also pointed out that the research was done using meals that are high in fat that would favor positive results of the experiment. The study's authors were unable to provide sufficient evidence either that the study has been reviewed by a local ethics committee in China or prove that all parents and children involved in the study were provided with the full consent form for the study. Opponents also pointed out that the research was done using meals that are high in fat that would favor positive results of the experiment.
Senegal land grab on the verge of implosion by Le Collectif pour la Défense du Ndiaël and Re:Common | 24 Jul 2015 Media releases A new report by Italian researchers shows that the controversial Senhuile project in Senegal is on the verge of collapse. The project, initiated by Italian and Senegalese investors four years ago to produce biofuels, has provoked fierce resistance from affected communities in which six people have died. A new report by Italian researchers shows that the controversial Senhuile project in Senegal is on the verge of collapse. The project, initiated by Italian and Senegalese investors four years ago to produce biofuels, has provoked fierce resistance from affected communities in which six people have died.
Runaway maize: subsidised soil destruction by UK Soil Association | 22 Jul 2015 United Kingdom | food crisis | actions Our soils are coming under devastating pressure from an unlikely crop - maize. A new report by the Soil Association, exposing shocking evidence that this crop is threatening the future of farming and food security in the UK. Maize is responsible for environmental damage to soils and water, and a rapid change in land use away from food production across the UK – all of which is made possible through double subsidies paid for by the UK taxpayer. Our soils are coming under devastating pressure from an unlikely crop - maize. A new report by the Soil Association, exposing shocking evidence that this crop is threatening the future of farming and food security in the UK. Maize is responsible for environmental damage to soils and water, and a rapid change in land use away from food production across the UK – all of which is made possible through double subsidies paid for by the UK taxpayer.
Nigeria palm oil land grab exposes need for human rights treaty by Friends of the Earth | 8 Jul 2015 Nigeria | land grabbing | corporations "Wilmar’s new plantations in Nigeria follow the same business model that has caused vast forest destruction and human rights abuse in Southeast Asia," says Friends of the Earth. "Aggressive government support for large scale plantations... has extracted wealth into the pockets of foreign business owners, leaving as little as possible in tax revenue; and has left communities landless, hungry, indebted, and in conflict." "Wilmar’s new plantations in Nigeria follow the same business model that has caused vast forest destruction and human rights abuse in Southeast Asia," says Friends of the Earth. "Aggressive government support for large scale plantations... has extracted wealth into the pockets of foreign business owners, leaving as little as possible in tax revenue; and has left communities landless, hungry, indebted, and in conflict."
Lidl has received almost $1bn in public development funding by Claire Provost and Matt Kennard - The Guardian | 3 Jul 2015 Germany | Poland | Romania | corporations Supermarket chain owned by one of Germany’s wealthiest families, Lidl and its sister chain Kaufland have benefited from almost $900m (£576m) in public development money over the past decade through loan funding from the World Bank and from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as it expands into eastern Europe. Supermarket chain owned by one of Germany’s wealthiest families, Lidl and its sister chain Kaufland have benefited from almost $900m (£576m) in public development money over the past decade through loan funding from the World Bank and from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as it expands into eastern Europe.
Walls and the tiger by Katrien Curvers and Sushma Kallam | 17 Jun 2015 India | land grabbing The documentary Walls and the Tiger is a six-year account of the strife of a rural community in Andhra Pradesh, India, to reverse the merciless grabbing of their fertile land by the government and corporations in the name of “development.” It follows the rural villagers of Kona Forest village, who have been living traditionally for thousands of years, and who have been robbed of their land to build the Kakinada SEZ. Their resistance has been violently suppressed, but so far, they have been able to hold off loosing their land by uniting, cooperating, and not losing faith. Help us to spread the film and our message as widely as possible The documentary Walls and the Tiger is a six-year account of the strife of a rural community in Andhra Pradesh, India, to reverse the merciless grabbing of their fertile land by the government and corporations in the name of “development.” It follows the rural villagers of Kona Forest village, who have been living traditionally for thousands of years, and who have been robbed of their land to build the Kakinada SEZ. Their resistance has been violently suppressed, but so far, they have been able to hold off loosing their land by uniting, cooperating, and not losing faith. Help us to spread the film and our message as widely as possible
Over-grazing and desertification in the Syrian steppe are the root causes of war by Gianluca Serra | 8 Jun 2015 Syrian Arab Republic | food sovereignty | laws & policies | land grabbing Civil war in Syria is the result of the desertification of the ecologically fragile Syrian steppe, writes Gianluca Serra - a process that began in 1958 when the former Bedouin commons were opened up to unrestricted grazing. Civil war in Syria is the result of the desertification of the ecologically fragile Syrian steppe, writes Gianluca Serra - a process that began in 1958 when the former Bedouin commons were opened up to unrestricted grazing.
Agro-colonialism in the Congo: European and US development finance bankrolls a new round of agro-colonialism in the DRC by RIAO-RDC & GRAIN | 2 Jun 2015 Land | Corporations How did several of the world's most prominent DFIs come to own Feronia Inc., a Canadian agribusiness company that people in the DRC say is illegally occupying their land, subjecting them to horrific work in plantations and leaving their communities destitute? How did several of the world's most prominent DFIs come to own Feronia Inc., a Canadian agribusiness company that people in the DRC say is illegally occupying their land, subjecting them to horrific work in plantations and leaving their communities destitute?