Multimedia

Who profits under UPOV?

As UPOV has expanded, the global seed market has been taken over by a cartel of agrochemical companies. Today, just four of these companies control half of the US$47 billion seed market. They also control 75% of the global agrochemicals market. This is not a coincidence.

As UPOV has expanded, the global seed market has been taken over by a cartel of agrochemical companies. Today, just four of these companies control half of the US$47 billion seed market. They also control 75% of the global agrochemicals market. This is not a coincidence.

Farms, arms and Israel's agro-diplomacy

Israeli agribusiness has developed out of a militarised and illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and, in recent years, its growth is closely tied to the promotion of Israel's political and economic agenda abroad. This report pulls back the curtain on the little-known Israeli companies pushing large-scale industrial agriculture projects across the global South.

Israeli agribusiness has developed out of a militarised and illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and, in recent years, its growth is closely tied to the promotion of Israel's political and economic agenda abroad. This report pulls back the curtain on the little-known Israeli companies pushing large-scale industrial agriculture projects across the global South.

An agribusiness greenwashing glossary

The main contributors to the climate crisis are devising plans for the agri-food sector which will only serve to make them richer. To do this, they offer a range of “climate compatible” projects and technologies. This will lead to the expansion of the agribusiness model, bringing more destruction and dispossession. Here, we present their “Greenwashing Toolkit”.

The main contributors to the climate crisis are devising plans for the agri-food sector which will only serve to make them richer. To do this, they offer a range of “climate compatible” projects and technologies. This will lead to the expansion of the agribusiness model, bringing more destruction and dispossession. Here, we present their “Greenwashing Toolkit”.

Resisting pension fund capitalism: a webinar series

Join us for an upcoming webinar series organised by GRAIN and hosted by A Growing Culture, unpacking the current impacts of pension funds and how we can start working towards a more just and equitable system.

Join us for an upcoming webinar series organised by GRAIN and hosted by A Growing Culture, unpacking the current impacts of pension funds and how we can start working towards a more just and equitable system.

Trade deals pushing UPOV: an interactive map

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.

Big Food in Africa: Endangering people’s health

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.

How the Gates Foundation is driving the food system, in the wrong direction

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.

EFTA-Mercosur: another low blow to climate, peoples’ rights and food sovereignty

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

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.

UPOV animation: The great seed robbery

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)

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.

"What does factory farming have to do with the climate crisis?" Comic strip edition

The pandemic has turned life on its head and has made us question a whole host of matters, including industrial livestock and the issue of factory farming. This is why we are sharing this comic strip. It offers a simple and clear explanation of why producing livestock in factory farms can be devastating for our planet’s climate.

The pandemic has turned life on its head and has made us question a whole host of matters, including industrial livestock and the issue of factory farming. This is why we are sharing this comic strip. It offers a simple and clear explanation of why producing livestock in factory farms can be devastating for our planet’s climate.

A journey through 30 years supporting the struggle for food sovereignty

Come take a guided tour through 30 years of GRAIN’s history supporting the struggle for food sovereignty. Through interviews and animation, you will discover how an endeavour that initially focused mainly on seeds became the multifaceted international organisation GRAIN is today, supporting the peasant movement and the struggle for food sovereignty at large.

Come take a guided tour through 30 years of GRAIN’s history supporting the struggle for food sovereignty. Through interviews and animation, you will discover how an endeavour that initially focused mainly on seeds became the multifaceted international organisation GRAIN is today, supporting the peasant movement and the struggle for food sovereignty at large.

What does factory farming have to do with the climate crisis?

In recent years, GRAIN’s research on the climate impacts of industrial food production has focused more particularly on the contribution of factory farming and its byproducts to global warming. The data come as a shock: taken together, the world’s five largest meat and dairy corporations are responsible for a greater volume of greenhouse gas emissions than oil companies like Exxon, Shell, or BP.

In recent years, GRAIN’s research on the climate impacts of industrial food production has focused more particularly on the contribution of factory farming and its byproducts to global warming. The data come as a shock: taken together, the world’s five largest meat and dairy corporations are responsible for a greater volume of greenhouse gas emissions than oil companies like Exxon, Shell, or BP.

Booklet: 12 tactics palm oil companies use to grab community land

Oil palm plantation companies use very similar tactics wherever they operate to try and take over the land of communities. Knowing that they can count on high-level politicians and state authorities for support, the companies routinely make promises they do not intend to keep, try to silence and marginalise opposition to their plans and divide communities.

Oil palm plantation companies use very similar tactics wherever they operate to try and take over the land of communities. Knowing that they can count on high-level politicians and state authorities for support, the companies routinely make promises they do not intend to keep, try to silence and marginalise opposition to their plans and divide communities.