Karuturi Global's new land deal in Ethiopia must be scrapped by Anywaa Survival Organisation (ASO), GRAIN, Kenya Peasants' League, South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers' Movements (SICCFM) | 13 Jun 2019 Land | Media releases Two years ago, indigenous communities in Gambella, Ethiopia, celebrated the departure of the Indian company Karuturi Global, after its contract for a 300,000 hectares agribusiness project was finally cancelled.1 But a diplomatic intervention by the Indian government and law suits filed by the company appear to have pushed Ethiopian authorities to backtrack and offer a new lease, this time for 15,000 hectares. Once again, the local communities have not been consulted, and a coalition of groups is now urgently calling on the local authorities to put a stop to the process. Two years ago, indigenous communities in Gambella, Ethiopia, celebrated the departure of the Indian company Karuturi Global, after its contract for a 300,000 hectares agribusiness project was finally cancelled.1 But a diplomatic intervention by the Indian government and law suits filed by the company appear to have pushed Ethiopian authorities to backtrack and offer a new lease, this time for 15,000 hectares. Once again, the local communities have not been consulted, and a coalition of groups is now urgently calling on the local authorities to put a stop to the process.
Biofortified crops or biodiversity? The fight for genuine solutions to malnutrition is on by GRAIN | 4 Jun 2019 Seeds GRAIN took a look at the current status of biofortification in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the emerging critiques from feminist perspectives and food sovereignty movements. What we found is a worrisome push for a top-down and anti-diversity approach to food and health that may ultimately undermine people’s capacities to strengthen their local food systems. GRAIN took a look at the current status of biofortification in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the emerging critiques from feminist perspectives and food sovereignty movements. What we found is a worrisome push for a top-down and anti-diversity approach to food and health that may ultimately undermine people’s capacities to strengthen their local food systems.
The rise of the superbugs - and why industrial farming is to blame by GRAIN | 29 May 2019 Corporations Massive use of antibiotics, fungicides and herbicides in industrial farming is contributing to the undermining of live-saving human medicines. Governments and intergovernmental agencies have created task forces, working groups and guidelines to deal with the rise of antimicrobial resistance. But none seem to want to confront one of the root causes. Is this not further evidence that it is time to move away from industrial farming and turn to agroecology and food sovereignty instead? This would also help to eliminate one of the key causes behind the collapse of species populations across the world, as well as one of the central culprits behind the climate crisis. Massive use of antibiotics, fungicides and herbicides in industrial farming is contributing to the undermining of live-saving human medicines. Governments and intergovernmental agencies have created task forces, working groups and guidelines to deal with the rise of antimicrobial resistance. But none seem to want to confront one of the root causes. Is this not further evidence that it is time to move away from industrial farming and turn to agroecology and food sovereignty instead? This would also help to eliminate one of the key causes behind the collapse of species populations across the world, as well as one of the central culprits behind the climate crisis.
What justice for local communities affected by SOCFIN plantations? by FIAN Belgium et al | 28 May 2019 Media releases | Land An action of solidarity with the communities affected by SOCFIN's plantations in Africa and Asia was carried out in Luxembourg today during the multinational's General Assembly. About ten activists participated in the GA to denounce the situation and demand immediate action. An action of solidarity with the communities affected by SOCFIN's plantations in Africa and Asia was carried out in Luxembourg today during the multinational's General Assembly. About ten activists participated in the GA to denounce the situation and demand immediate action.
Bolloré group sued by NGOs in an unprecedented legal action by Sherpa et al. | 27 May 2019 Media releases | Land Palm oil in Cameroon: French courts must order the group to respect its commitments for residents and workers of the Socapalm plantations. Palm oil in Cameroon: French courts must order the group to respect its commitments for residents and workers of the Socapalm plantations.
Where’s the place for small farmers and traders in the digital marketing world? by GRAIN | 19 May 2019 Corporations | Supermarket Watch Asia In this edition of Supermarket watch Asia, articles from IT for Change reflect on how the existing dominant digital platform will not work for women in the global South whose sources of livelihood are wholly dependent on the informal economy. This is the case in many Asian countries, where women are very much present and actively engaged in traditional food markets. Lastly, the bulletin includes an interview with GRAIN and INRA exploring whether the steamroller effect of supermarkets has the same impacts in the global North and South; and how this model is attempting to reinvent itself in different parts of the world. In this edition of Supermarket watch Asia, articles from IT for Change reflect on how the existing dominant digital platform will not work for women in the global South whose sources of livelihood are wholly dependent on the informal economy. This is the case in many Asian countries, where women are very much present and actively engaged in traditional food markets. Lastly, the bulletin includes an interview with GRAIN and INRA exploring whether the steamroller effect of supermarkets has the same impacts in the global North and South; and how this model is attempting to reinvent itself in different parts of the world.
Find GRAIN on Instagram! by GRAIN | 15 May 2019 GRAIN is happy to announce it has started a new account on Instagram where we will initially be posting announcements of new GRAIN publications and other multimedia materials produced with our partners, in English, French and Spanish mainly. GRAIN is happy to announce it has started a new account on Instagram where we will initially be posting announcements of new GRAIN publications and other multimedia materials produced with our partners, in English, French and Spanish mainly.
All crises, THE crisis (the industrial agri-food system is central to all of them) by GRAIN | 18 Apr 2019 Corporations The crises that all of humanity is confronting, linked to the capitalist, extractivist, and colonial model that now dominates most societies on the planet, have reached such a magnitude that they are no longer just being denounced by the same social movements that have been talking about them for fifty years; they are now found in the official reports of governments, international organisations and scientific organisations that have not been co-opted by corporate interests. A particular feature of all these crises is their close interconnection with the industrial agri-food system — indeed, they are all deeply and causally rooted in it. The crises that all of humanity is confronting, linked to the capitalist, extractivist, and colonial model that now dominates most societies on the planet, have reached such a magnitude that they are no longer just being denounced by the same social movements that have been talking about them for fifty years; they are now found in the official reports of governments, international organisations and scientific organisations that have not been co-opted by corporate interests. A particular feature of all these crises is their close interconnection with the industrial agri-food system — indeed, they are all deeply and causally rooted in it.
GRAIN's 2018 activity report by GRAIN | 11 Apr 2019 Activity reports We are happy to share some of GRAIN's key activities and publications in 2018. We are happy to share some of GRAIN's key activities and publications in 2018.
Booklet: 12 tactics palm oil companies use to grab community land by GRAIN, WRM and the Alliance | 4 Apr 2019 Land | Multimedia 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.
Violent tensions at Feronia's oil palm plantations in the DR Congo by RIAO-RDC et al. | 21 Mar 2019 Land | Media releases This Saturday military forces fired live bullets at villagers within the Lokutu oil palm plantation concession area of the Canadian company Feronia Inc, following weeks of growing tension between communities and the company. This Saturday military forces fired live bullets at villagers within the Lokutu oil palm plantation concession area of the Canadian company Feronia Inc, following weeks of growing tension between communities and the company.
“Seeds in resistance” comic by Colectivo de Semillas de América Latina | 14 Mar 2019 Seeds | Multimedia We share Seeds in resistance, a comic made from the animation documentary “Semillas, ¿Bien común o propiedad corporativa? [Seeds: common good or corporate property] published in 2017 by a collective of Latin-American organisations who work through all the continent in defence of native and indigenous seeds seeking a food sovereignty for the peoples. We share Seeds in resistance, a comic made from the animation documentary “Semillas, ¿Bien común o propiedad corporativa? [Seeds: common good or corporate property] published in 2017 by a collective of Latin-American organisations who work through all the continent in defence of native and indigenous seeds seeking a food sovereignty for the peoples.
Breaking the silence: Industrial oil palm and rubber plantations bring harassment, sexual violence and abuse against women by GRAIN, WRM, Muyissi Environnment and Natural Resource Women Platform | 8 Mar 2019 Land On the 8th of March - International Women's Day – we join women across the world who are affected by the violent expansion of industrial oil palm and rubber plantations and who are calling for action to stop the harassment, sexual violence and abuse against women in and around industrial oil palm and rubber plantations IMMEDIATELY! On the 8th of March - International Women's Day – we join women across the world who are affected by the violent expansion of industrial oil palm and rubber plantations and who are calling for action to stop the harassment, sexual violence and abuse against women in and around industrial oil palm and rubber plantations IMMEDIATELY!
Supermarkets and convenience stores: the unflinching plastic polluters by GRAIN | 1 Mar 2019 Supermarket Watch Asia | Corporations In the past few years, the growing problem of plastic pollution has reached a tipping point in public awareness. China and the United States stand as the top plastic waste generators in the world. But poor waste management has put Asia in the spotlight of the global fight against plastic pollution. Inadequate waste disposal in open and uncontrolled landfills has led China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined. In the past few years, the growing problem of plastic pollution has reached a tipping point in public awareness. China and the United States stand as the top plastic waste generators in the world. But poor waste management has put Asia in the spotlight of the global fight against plastic pollution. Inadequate waste disposal in open and uncontrolled landfills has led China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to dump more plastic into the oceans than the rest of the world combined.
Stop land grabbing by SOCFIN in Sierra Leone! Stop the criminalisation of land rights defenders! by Civil society organisations | 22 Feb 2019 Media releases | Land One month after violent incidents in the SOCFIN plantations in Sierra Leone leading to brutal repression by security forces, the death of two people and 15 people arrested, Sierra Leonean and international civil society organisations urge the government of Sierra Leone and the company to immediately end the repression of land rights defenders and the human rights violations and abuses suffered by local communities. One month after violent incidents in the SOCFIN plantations in Sierra Leone leading to brutal repression by security forces, the death of two people and 15 people arrested, Sierra Leonean and international civil society organisations urge the government of Sierra Leone and the company to immediately end the repression of land rights defenders and the human rights violations and abuses suffered by local communities.