Latin America - Joao Pedro Stedile by GRAIN | 7 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 South America is becoming a key area for agrofuels, both ethanol made from sugar cane and biodiesel produced from soya oil and, to a lesser extent, palm oil. Latin American activists, who were the first to come up with the term agrocombustible (agrofuels), have also been among the first to denounce what is going on. Here they explain in their own words how the agrofuel craze is affecting their continent. João Pedro Stedile is one of the leaders of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), Brazil’s Landless Movement. In its recent conference in Brasilia, attended by 18,000 activists, the MST spoke out strongly against the damage being caused by agrofuel monoculture (http://www.mst.org.br). South America is becoming a key area for agrofuels, both ethanol made from sugar cane and biodiesel produced from soya oil and, to a lesser extent, palm oil. Latin American activists, who were the first to come up with the term agrocombustible (agrofuels), have also been among the first to denounce what is going on. Here they explain in their own words how the agrofuel craze is affecting their continent. João Pedro Stedile is one of the leaders of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), Brazil’s Landless Movement. In its recent conference in Brasilia, attended by 18,000 activists, the MST spoke out strongly against the damage being caused by agrofuel monoculture (http://www.mst.org.br).
Latin America - Max Thomet by GRAIN | 7 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Max Thomet is a member of the collective CET SUR, which has its headquarters in the south of Chile. Its mission is to contribute to the mobilisation for social and cultural transformation led by social movements, which are trying to build sustainable societies through the reinvigoration of traditional values and the territorial empowerment of people at local level (http://www.cetsur.org). Max Thomet is a member of the collective CET SUR, which has its headquarters in the south of Chile. Its mission is to contribute to the mobilisation for social and cultural transformation led by social movements, which are trying to build sustainable societies through the reinvigoration of traditional values and the territorial empowerment of people at local level (http://www.cetsur.org).
Latin America - Norma Giarraca by GRAIN | 6 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Norma Giarraca is a lecturer in sociology at the Instituto Gino Germani in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She specialises in the study of social protest. Norma Giarraca is a lecturer in sociology at the Instituto Gino Germani in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She specialises in the study of social protest.
Latin America - Germán Velez by GRAIN | 5 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Germán Velez is an activist from the Grupo Semillas (Seeds Group), a Colombian non-governmental organisation that works on environmental issues with local communities (http://www.semillas.org.co). Germán Velez is an activist from the Grupo Semillas (Seeds Group), a Colombian non-governmental organisation that works on environmental issues with local communities (http://www.semillas.org.co).
Further reading: good materials on agrofuels by GRAIN | 4 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 The volume of recent articles, papers and other materials on agrofuels can be overwhelming. Below we list some that we found particularly useful when preparing this Seedling. The volume of recent articles, papers and other materials on agrofuels can be overwhelming. Below we list some that we found particularly useful when preparing this Seedling.
Latin America - Soya nexus in South America by GRAIN | 4 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Along with the rapid expansion of ethanol production, largely manufactured from sugar cane, South America is also beginning to play a key role as a producer of biodiesel. The main feedstock is soya and, for the soya farmers and the multinational grain companies, who were facing problems of overproduction, the new market outlet is a godsend. It gives them the perfect pretext for continuing their take-over of the continent. Along with the rapid expansion of ethanol production, largely manufactured from sugar cane, South America is also beginning to play a key role as a producer of biodiesel. The main feedstock is soya and, for the soya farmers and the multinational grain companies, who were facing problems of overproduction, the new market outlet is a godsend. It gives them the perfect pretext for continuing their take-over of the continent.
Fear over growing WIPO-FAO links by Geoff Tansey | 1 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Farmers’ and peasants’ lives are increasingly affected by international rules made by governments at remote international meetings. For some time transnational corporations have been using intergovernmental forums to extend their influence over food and farming policies in the developing world. For example, the introduction of rules on intellectual property (e.g. patents and plant variety protection) in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and, via WTO, into agriculture was very much a corporate-driven project. But sometimes smaller, stealthier steps can have an equally disturbing impact. We look at what is going on in two international organisations. Farmers’ and peasants’ lives are increasingly affected by international rules made by governments at remote international meetings. For some time transnational corporations have been using intergovernmental forums to extend their influence over food and farming policies in the developing world. For example, the introduction of rules on intellectual property (e.g. patents and plant variety protection) in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and, via WTO, into agriculture was very much a corporate-driven project. But sometimes smaller, stealthier steps can have an equally disturbing impact. We look at what is going on in two international organisations.
Monsanto moves to tighten its control over Latin America by GRAIN | 5 Jun 2007 For the past two months, the Latin American press has been inundated with news of a fresh offensive by Monsanto in several Latin American countries. The US transnational corporation appears determined to complete the invasion of GM (genetically modified) crops throughout the continent and to crush the resistance that has arisen in response to the company’s attempt to control and dominate Latin American agriculture. For the past two months, the Latin American press has been inundated with news of a fresh offensive by Monsanto in several Latin American countries. The US transnational corporation appears determined to complete the invasion of GM (genetically modified) crops throughout the continent and to crush the resistance that has arisen in response to the company’s attempt to control and dominate Latin American agriculture.
The mobile seed festival by GRAIN | 1 Jun 2007 Every year in mid-January India-wide there are celebrations around the harvest of crops, one such festival is the Makar Sankrati. On that day several version of prayers are performed on the field for the crops that start coming in. This day of harvest is considered all the more auspicious when it occurs in a leap year. In the Southern India State of Andhra Pradesh, in Medak District’s Pastapur village communities celebrate the diversity of their seeds in a unique month long Mobile Biodiversity Festival. A photo essay by GRAIN Every year in mid-January India-wide there are celebrations around the harvest of crops, one such festival is the Makar Sankrati. On that day several version of prayers are performed on the field for the crops that start coming in. This day of harvest is considered all the more auspicious when it occurs in a leap year. In the Southern India State of Andhra Pradesh, in Medak District’s Pastapur village communities celebrate the diversity of their seeds in a unique month long Mobile Biodiversity Festival. A photo essay by GRAIN
Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India. A photo essay by GRAIN | 1 Jun 2007 Bir is a small village in the Kangra district of the North Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is in the Deer Park Institute located at Bir that GRAIN along with its Indian collaborators – Kalpavriksh environment action group and other friends organised a North India level regional workshop on the “Biodiversity Regulation – Legality & Reality” through 17-18 May 2007. The setting in a microcosm reflected the threats to both natural diversity and diverse cultures across the globe; yet it showed people’s resolve to continue to strive and how little efforts could go a long way. Bir is a small village in the Kangra district of the North Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is in the Deer Park Institute located at Bir that GRAIN along with its Indian collaborators – Kalpavriksh environment action group and other friends organised a North India level regional workshop on the “Biodiversity Regulation – Legality & Reality” through 17-18 May 2007. The setting in a microcosm reflected the threats to both natural diversity and diverse cultures across the globe; yet it showed people’s resolve to continue to strive and how little efforts could go a long way.