Africa, let us help – just like in 1884 by George Monbiot | 11 Jun 2013 United Kingdom | land grabbing | corporations From the Conference of Berlin to today's G8, 'helping' Africans looks suspiciously like grabbing their resources. An excellent take on the G8 plans to help Africa, by George Monbiot. From the Conference of Berlin to today's G8, 'helping' Africans looks suspiciously like grabbing their resources. An excellent take on the G8 plans to help Africa, by George Monbiot.
Open Letter from Mozambican civil society organisations and movements to the presidents of Mozambique and Brazil and the Prime Minister of Japan by UNAC et al | 3 Jun 2013 Brazil | Japan | Mozambique | land grabbing The sweeping scope of the ProSavana programme stands in contrast to the total absence of a broad, transparent and democratic public debate over it, preventing small-scale farmers and their families from exercising their constitutional right of access to information, consultation, participation and informed consent on a matter of great social, economic and environmental relevance. The sweeping scope of the ProSavana programme stands in contrast to the total absence of a broad, transparent and democratic public debate over it, preventing small-scale farmers and their families from exercising their constitutional right of access to information, consultation, participation and informed consent on a matter of great social, economic and environmental relevance.
Our man in Sudan by Aljazeera | 1 Jun 2013 Sudan | land grabbing | corporations An ex-Wall Street banker jets off to South Sudan to show how investors are rushing to Africa in a modern-day land-grab. A fascinationg Aljazeera video. An ex-Wall Street banker jets off to South Sudan to show how investors are rushing to Africa in a modern-day land-grab. A fascinationg Aljazeera video.
Ugandan schoolboys reflect on landgrabbing by Lorna Jones | 26 Apr 2013 Uganda | land grabbing Ochen Solomon is one of four Ugandan schoolboys who wrote essays about the effects of land grabbing on the lives of their families and community as part of the annual Essay Contest for Children and Young People of African Descent 2013. This London-originated initiative encourages and supports educational development in children aged 7 to 16 years in Africa and across the African diaspora. Ochen and his schoolmates chose to read GRAIN's report, "Squeezing Africa Dry" from a list of documents on contemporary issues. The questions they had to address were: What are your views on the topic of land grabbing? What are your solutions to these challenges? What is your family, or people you know, doing about it? They then conducted their own independent research on their chosen topic, and then provided their perspective on it. Ochen Solomon is one of four Ugandan schoolboys who wrote essays about the effects of land grabbing on the lives of their families and community as part of the annual Essay Contest for Children and Young People of African Descent 2013. This London-originated initiative encourages and supports educational development in children aged 7 to 16 years in Africa and across the African diaspora. Ochen and his schoolmates chose to read GRAIN's report, "Squeezing Africa Dry" from a list of documents on contemporary issues. The questions they had to address were: What are your views on the topic of land grabbing? What are your solutions to these challenges? What is your family, or people you know, doing about it? They then conducted their own independent research on their chosen topic, and then provided their perspective on it.
Argentina's bad seeds by Al Jazeera | 18 Mar 2013 Argentina | land grabbing | corporations | seeds & biodiversity The country's soya industry is booming, but what is the impact on Argentinians and their land? Al Jazeera investigates. The country's soya industry is booming, but what is the impact on Argentinians and their land? Al Jazeera investigates.
Agricultural Growth Corridors: the latest idea for Africa? by EcoNexus, War on Want | 13 Dec 2012 Mozambique | Tanzania | United Kingdom | land grabbing | corporations Agricultural Growth Corridors' increasingly pop up in the promotion literature of donors, corporations and multilateral agencies alike. The latest idea to 'develop' Africa and help it's small farmers, they claim. What's this all about? Two new reports give some background. Agricultural Growth Corridors' increasingly pop up in the promotion literature of donors, corporations and multilateral agencies alike. The latest idea to 'develop' Africa and help it's small farmers, they claim. What's this all about? Two new reports give some background.
Nyéléni newsletter # 11 - Food and Cities by Organisations of the Food Sovereignty Movement | 9 Oct 2012 land grabbing | food crisis | food sovereignty | food safety Nearly a quarter of the world’s fresh food is supplied by approximately one billion people who produce fruits and vegetables on urban and peri-urban farms and gardens. While most of this food is consumed by the producers themselves, a substantial part goes directly into urban markets at affordable prices. Given that over half of the world’s economically poor population now live in cities, and given the dangerous volatility of global food markets, this locally-produced food is becoming increasingly important to urban food security. Nearly a quarter of the world’s fresh food is supplied by approximately one billion people who produce fruits and vegetables on urban and peri-urban farms and gardens. While most of this food is consumed by the producers themselves, a substantial part goes directly into urban markets at affordable prices. Given that over half of the world’s economically poor population now live in cities, and given the dangerous volatility of global food markets, this locally-produced food is becoming increasingly important to urban food security.
Land grabbing by pension funds and other financial institutions must be stopped by GRAIN | 26 Jun 2012 land grabbing | corporations | food sovereignty A statement signed by over 60 environmental, development and farming groups calls for pension funds and other financial institutions to stop land grabbing. A statement signed by over 60 environmental, development and farming groups calls for pension funds and other financial institutions to stop land grabbing.
Land grabs leave Africa thirsty by Oakland and Polaris Institutes | 15 Feb 2012 Ethiopia | Mali | Tanzania | land grabbing An excellent new report from Polaris and the Oakland institute on the impact of landgrabbing on water use in Africa. 'If all the 40 million hectares of land that were acquired on the continent in 2009 come under cultivation, a staggering volume of water would be required for irrigation (…) approximately twice the volume of water that was used for agriculture in all of Africa in 2005'. An excellent new report from Polaris and the Oakland institute on the impact of landgrabbing on water use in Africa. 'If all the 40 million hectares of land that were acquired on the continent in 2009 come under cultivation, a staggering volume of water would be required for irrigation (…) approximately twice the volume of water that was used for agriculture in all of Africa in 2005'.
Campesino land struggles in Honduras by Heather Gies | 23 Jan 2012 Honduras | land grabbing | food sovereignty | actions The Aguán River Valley in the department of Colón, Honduras, is a site of both an ongoing conflict and a powerful social movement. The situation of the local farmers was further exacerbated by the 2009 military coup in Honduras. But their communities are also unfailingly resilient. A story of repression and resistance. The Aguán River Valley in the department of Colón, Honduras, is a site of both an ongoing conflict and a powerful social movement. The situation of the local farmers was further exacerbated by the 2009 military coup in Honduras. But their communities are also unfailingly resilient. A story of repression and resistance.
New data sets on land grabbing by GRAIN | 14 Dec 2011 land grabbing In the past few months, GRAIN staff have been participating in a range of meetings and workshops in different parts of the world on land grabbing. Most of these events have been organised by small farmers' organisations, others by civil society groups. GRAIN's role has often been to provide data and analysis to feed into the debates. As a support to these initiatives, staff have put together a number of new data sets that we would now like to share publicly for everyone's use. In the past few months, GRAIN staff have been participating in a range of meetings and workshops in different parts of the world on land grabbing. Most of these events have been organised by small farmers' organisations, others by civil society groups. GRAIN's role has often been to provide data and analysis to feed into the debates. As a support to these initiatives, staff have put together a number of new data sets that we would now like to share publicly for everyone's use.
The dark side of "sustainable" investments by Brot für alle | 3 Dec 2011 Sierra Leone | land grabbing Groups that are interested and organising to stop land grabs from the "home base" of the land grabbers might want to look at this very well done report from Brot für Alle, about what the Swiss energy giant Addax is doing in Sierra Leone. Groups that are interested and organising to stop land grabs from the "home base" of the land grabbers might want to look at this very well done report from Brot für Alle, about what the Swiss energy giant Addax is doing in Sierra Leone.
Farmers mobilise to find solutions against land grabbing by Via Campesina | 17 Nov 2011 Mali | land grabbing | actions More than 250 participants, mainly representatives of farmers’ organisations, from thirty different countries gathered in Nyéléni Village, a centre for agro-ecology training built in a rural area near Sélingué, in Mali, to participate into the first International farmers’ conference to stop land grabbing. More than 250 participants, mainly representatives of farmers’ organisations, from thirty different countries gathered in Nyéléni Village, a centre for agro-ecology training built in a rural area near Sélingué, in Mali, to participate into the first International farmers’ conference to stop land grabbing.
Grabbing Gambela by ASO/EJOLT/GRAIN | 21 Oct 2011 Ethiopia | land grabbing Grabbing Gambela is a short video documentary about a massive takeover of agricultural lands in the Gambela Region of Ethiopia. Since 2008, the Ethiopian government has signed deals with investors from India, Saudi Arabia, China and other countries for large-scale agricultural projects in the region. The deals give foreign investors control of half of Gambela's arable land. In this documentary, local people affected by the land deals speak about their experiences. Grabbing Gambela is a short video documentary about a massive takeover of agricultural lands in the Gambela Region of Ethiopia. Since 2008, the Ethiopian government has signed deals with investors from India, Saudi Arabia, China and other countries for large-scale agricultural projects in the region. The deals give foreign investors control of half of Gambela's arable land. In this documentary, local people affected by the land deals speak about their experiences.
Honduran police burn community to the ground by Real News Network | 14 Oct 2011 Honduras | land grabbing This video report by Canadian media activist Jesse Freeston vividly illustrates the courageous struggle for land and food sovereignty that peasants in Honduras are waging against the ruthless combined force of agribusiness and national and foreign governments. This video report by Canadian media activist Jesse Freeston vividly illustrates the courageous struggle for land and food sovereignty that peasants in Honduras are waging against the ruthless combined force of agribusiness and national and foreign governments.