Asia-Pacific peoples movements come together to challenge RCEP by APRN, APWLD, AFTINET, Focus on the Global South, Forum against FTAs-India, GRAIN, PSI, TWN and TNI | 1 Aug 2016 Malaysia | laws & policies More than 80 participants representing trade unions, farming communities, indigenous peoples, health networks, women’s organisations, academia and civil society organizations met on 27-28 July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to take stock of the new generation of mega regional free trade agreements (FTAs) emerging in the region. The group shared concerns on the threats to people’s lives and livelihoods posed by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP is a mega FTA that 16 countries from the Asia-Pacific region are aiming to finalise by 2017. More than 80 participants representing trade unions, farming communities, indigenous peoples, health networks, women’s organisations, academia and civil society organizations met on 27-28 July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to take stock of the new generation of mega regional free trade agreements (FTAs) emerging in the region. The group shared concerns on the threats to people’s lives and livelihoods posed by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP is a mega FTA that 16 countries from the Asia-Pacific region are aiming to finalise by 2017.
Impacts for farmers and consumers of amending the Plant Varieties Protection Act by BioThai | 20 Jun 2016 Thailand | seeds & biodiversity | laws & policies By amending Thailand's Plant Varieties Protection Act, seeds will become 200-600% more expensive as the rights of corporations are extended along with expanded patent protection, reducing farmers rights in saving seeds. Food will become more expensive as production costs go up, while food diversity suffers. Farmers will lose the ability to save seeds for planting the next season or for swapping with their neighbors. By amending Thailand's Plant Varieties Protection Act, seeds will become 200-600% more expensive as the rights of corporations are extended along with expanded patent protection, reducing farmers rights in saving seeds. Food will become more expensive as production costs go up, while food diversity suffers. Farmers will lose the ability to save seeds for planting the next season or for swapping with their neighbors.
Statement of international solidarity with Venezuela’s seed law by International groups and individuals | 30 May 2016 Venezuela | seeds & biodiversity | laws & policies On 23 December 2015, Venezuela’s national assembly passed a new seed law banning the import, production and planting of GMO seeds and protecting the production and free exchange of seed varieties of Venezuela’s farming communities (indigenous, peasant and Afro-descendant) among other provisions. The law is significant both for its content and for the process through which it was passed. On 23 December 2015, Venezuela’s national assembly passed a new seed law banning the import, production and planting of GMO seeds and protecting the production and free exchange of seed varieties of Venezuela’s farming communities (indigenous, peasant and Afro-descendant) among other provisions. The law is significant both for its content and for the process through which it was passed.
New GRAIN article: New leaked chapter of Asia trade deal shows RCEP will undercut farmers’ control over seeds by GRAIN | 25 May 2016 seeds & biodiversity | laws & policies Ever since the ink dried on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), people have become aware of another mega-trade deal being negotiated behind closed doors in the Asia-Pacific region. Like the TPP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) threatens to increase corporate power in member countries, leaving ordinary people with little recourse to assert their rights to things like land, safe food, life-saving medicines and seeds. Ever since the ink dried on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), people have become aware of another mega-trade deal being negotiated behind closed doors in the Asia-Pacific region. Like the TPP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) threatens to increase corporate power in member countries, leaving ordinary people with little recourse to assert their rights to things like land, safe food, life-saving medicines and seeds.
Groups promote agroecology at international meeting in Uganda by Waswa Deo, Capital Radio | 19 May 2016 Uganda | laws & policies Organizations that are advocating for agroecology among smallholder farmers in Uganda and Africa at large have urged government of Uganda to support small farmers in terms of finances and knowledge to increase food production for their families and income earning, instead of opening Uganda to genetically modified organisms. Organizations that are advocating for agroecology among smallholder farmers in Uganda and Africa at large have urged government of Uganda to support small farmers in terms of finances and knowledge to increase food production for their families and income earning, instead of opening Uganda to genetically modified organisms.
New mega-treaty in the pipeline: what does RCEP mean for farmers’ seeds in Asia? by GRAIN | 17 Mar 2016 seeds & biodiversity | laws & policies | intellectual property rights Signed in February 2016, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) will have a major impact on farmers’ access to and control over seeds. The US-led agreement, which covers 12 countries of the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China), opens the door to trade in genetically modified seeds and encourages member countries to apply intellectual property rights to the realm of “traditional knowledge” about plants and animals. While the TPP is certainly cause for concern, another mega trade deal is being negotiated behind closed doors that could threaten farmer seed sovereignty in Asia even further. Signed in February 2016, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) will have a major impact on farmers’ access to and control over seeds. The US-led agreement, which covers 12 countries of the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China), opens the door to trade in genetically modified seeds and encourages member countries to apply intellectual property rights to the realm of “traditional knowledge” about plants and animals. While the TPP is certainly cause for concern, another mega trade deal is being negotiated behind closed doors that could threaten farmer seed sovereignty in Asia even further.
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.
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.
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.
South Africa – Land for food! One woman, one hectare! Rural Women's Assembly march in Cape Town on 21 March by Rural Women's Assembly | 19 Mar 2015 South Africa | food sovereignty | laws & policies | actions Rural women are the guardians of seed, life and love. Without land, seeds cannot be planted. Without land, life cannot be brought forth and without land in the hands of women, the love for nature does not exist while corporate control rapidly destroys the planet we share. We will not wait to be given land and will march across the world in unity with our sisters. Rural women are the guardians of seed, life and love. Without land, seeds cannot be planted. Without land, life cannot be brought forth and without land in the hands of women, the love for nature does not exist while corporate control rapidly destroys the planet we share. We will not wait to be given land and will march across the world in unity with our sisters.
Despite hunger, Mozambique leases huge land holdings to foreigners by Chris Arsenault, Reuters | 19 Feb 2015 Mozambique | land grabbing | corporations | laws & policies A report on landgrabbing by GRAIN and the Mozambique small farmers movement UNAC has sparked quite some debate in the country. According to Chris Arsenault of Reuters: "Mozambique, a country wracked by hunger, has signed away land concessions three times larger than Greater London to outside investors in the past decade, displacing thousands of farmers in the process, said a report released on Thursday". A report on landgrabbing by GRAIN and the Mozambique small farmers movement UNAC has sparked quite some debate in the country. According to Chris Arsenault of Reuters: "Mozambique, a country wracked by hunger, has signed away land concessions three times larger than Greater London to outside investors in the past decade, displacing thousands of farmers in the process, said a report released on Thursday".
South Africa: the farm labour question – fifty-fifty shades of obfuscation by Andries du Toit | 17 Feb 2015 South Africa | laws & policies Government proposes that those who have worked and lived on a farm for ten years or more should, by law, get a proportional share in the ‘land’ or ‘equity’ on the farm. Du Toit argues that the draft policy's rationale lies not insupposed benefits for those who work the land, but in the political theatre currently unfolding in South Africa as a whole. Government proposes that those who have worked and lived on a farm for ten years or more should, by law, get a proportional share in the ‘land’ or ‘equity’ on the farm. Du Toit argues that the draft policy's rationale lies not insupposed benefits for those who work the land, but in the political theatre currently unfolding in South Africa as a whole.
Street vendors join Global Day of Action: hundreds march to Walmart India headquarters by India FDI Watch | 19 Nov 2014 India | corporations | food sovereignty | laws & policies A street vendor in India would need to work for a staggering 350 million years to amass the same amount of wealth as the supermarket's owners, the Walton family – this is just one of the findings of new research by UNI Global Union ahead of worldwide protests against the family's role in global inequality today. A street vendor in India would need to work for a staggering 350 million years to amass the same amount of wealth as the supermarket's owners, the Walton family – this is just one of the findings of new research by UNI Global Union ahead of worldwide protests against the family's role in global inequality today.
How a national food policy could save millions of American lives by Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan, Ricardo Salvador and Olivier De Schutter | 10 Nov 2014 United States | corporations | technologies | climate crisis | laws & policies | food safety How we produce and consume food has a bigger impact on Americans’ well-being than any other human activity. Yet we have no food policy — no plan or agreed-upon principles — for managing American agriculture or the food system as a whole. That must change. An appeal for a US food policy. How we produce and consume food has a bigger impact on Americans’ well-being than any other human activity. Yet we have no food policy — no plan or agreed-upon principles — for managing American agriculture or the food system as a whole. That must change. An appeal for a US food policy.