Indigenous organisations outraged by Ethiopian government’s new land deal with iconic land grabber Karuturi by Anywaa Survival Organisation | 7 May 2018 Ethiopia | land grabbing The Anywaa Survival Organisation (ASO) is outraged by recent news reports that the Ethiopian government is providing a new lease of lands to disgraced land grabber Karuturi Global Ltd. The Anywaa Survival Organisation (ASO) is outraged by recent news reports that the Ethiopian government is providing a new lease of lands to disgraced land grabber Karuturi Global Ltd.
Canada - A strange permit for GMO golden rice by Charlotte Krinke, Inf'OGM | 2 May 2018 Australia | Canada | New Zealand | seeds & biodiversity In March 2018, the Canadian Ministry of Health authorized the marketing of the controversial Golden Rice, which is genetically modified to produce beta-carotene that the human body will transform into vitamin A. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the source of this application, declared that this Golden Rice was not meant for sale in Canada as of now. Is this a way of encouraging Asian countries to authorize it as well? In March 2018, the Canadian Ministry of Health authorized the marketing of the controversial Golden Rice, which is genetically modified to produce beta-carotene that the human body will transform into vitamin A. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the source of this application, declared that this Golden Rice was not meant for sale in Canada as of now. Is this a way of encouraging Asian countries to authorize it as well?
We know how food production needs to change if crisis is to be avoided – so why isn’t this happening? by Nina Moeller and Michel Pimbert | 3 Apr 2018 United Kingdom | technologies A good article on the need for agroecology, denouncing that the bulk of development cooperation funding goes to supporting industrial agriculture. A good article on the need for agroecology, denouncing that the bulk of development cooperation funding goes to supporting industrial agriculture.
Free at last: charges against indigenous land rights defender & former World Bank inspection panel translator dropped by Anywaa Survival, Bread for All, GRAIN, Inclusive Development International, Oakland Institute | 3 Apr 2018 Ethiopia | land grabbing Today, charges against Pastor Omot Agwa, an indigenous land rights defender from the Gambella region of Ethiopia, were finally dropped by an Ethiopian court. Today, charges against Pastor Omot Agwa, an indigenous land rights defender from the Gambella region of Ethiopia, were finally dropped by an Ethiopian court.
Cerrado: US investment spurs land theft and deforestation in Brazil by Alicia Prager and Flávia Milhorance | 29 Mar 2018 Brazil | United States | land grabbing Excellent investigative article, which shows how Harvard’s endowment fund in involved in a massvie land grab in Brazil Excellent investigative article, which shows how Harvard’s endowment fund in involved in a massvie land grab in Brazil
With vigor of the youth, intensify the struggle for land and life! by PAN Asia Pacific (PANAP), the Asian Peasant Coalition and People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty and grassroots movements | 29 Mar 2018 land grabbing | actions We mark the Day of the Landless this year amid ever pervasive landlessness and land grabbing, driven by the competition of global powers and local elites to control the world’s resources at the expense of small food producers and the food sovereignty of poor countries. This is accompanied by rising militarism and violent repression of rural communities. Among those worst affected by deepening poverty and hunger as well as increasing human rights violations are the rural youth. We mark the Day of the Landless this year amid ever pervasive landlessness and land grabbing, driven by the competition of global powers and local elites to control the world’s resources at the expense of small food producers and the food sovereignty of poor countries. This is accompanied by rising militarism and violent repression of rural communities. Among those worst affected by deepening poverty and hunger as well as increasing human rights violations are the rural youth.
Declaration of the 6th West African Peasant Seed Fair by West African Peasant Seed Committee (COASP) | 27 Mar 2018 Senegal | seeds & biodiversity We, members of the West African Peasant Seed Committee COASP, peasants, representatives of peasant organizations, civil society, national and international research institutes from eight West African countries and three European countries, gathered from 5-7 March 2018 for the 6th West African Peasant Seed Fair of Djimini. We, members of the West African Peasant Seed Committee COASP, peasants, representatives of peasant organizations, civil society, national and international research institutes from eight West African countries and three European countries, gathered from 5-7 March 2018 for the 6th West African Peasant Seed Fair of Djimini.
Public alarmed as Health Canada’s approval of Golden Rice will lead to clinical feeding trials among children in Asia by Stop Golden Rice! Network | 23 Mar 2018 Canada | seeds & biodiversity | Bangladesh | Philippines
Under the cover of philanthropy: A monopoly machine at work by Pavan Kulkarni | 23 Mar 2018 corporations | technologies | intellectual property rights A good summary of the concerns about the role of philantropy pushing corporate agendas into health and agriculture programmes in the Global South. A good summary of the concerns about the role of philantropy pushing corporate agendas into health and agriculture programmes in the Global South.
The World Bank’s land program in the State of Piauí, Brazil, is a license for land grabbing by Campanha Nacional em Defesa do Cerrado | 21 Mar 2018 Brazil | land grabbing The World Bank is financing a land titling, or “regularization” program in the Brazilian State of Piauí, where large areas of land have been grabbed from local communities and illegally occupied by agribusiness. Local communities, including communities of descendants of runaway slaves (quilombolas) as well as indigenous peoples, are being violently displaced from their traditional lands and face contamination of water and soils, increasing violence against community leaders, deforestation and loss of biodiversity. The World Bank is financing a land titling, or “regularization” program in the Brazilian State of Piauí, where large areas of land have been grabbed from local communities and illegally occupied by agribusiness. Local communities, including communities of descendants of runaway slaves (quilombolas) as well as indigenous peoples, are being violently displaced from their traditional lands and face contamination of water and soils, increasing violence against community leaders, deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
Health Canada approves GM “Golden Rice” not intended for sale in Canada by Canadian Biotechnology Action Network | 20 Mar 2018 Canada | seeds & biodiversity March 20, 2018. Ottawa – Health Canada has announced its approval of the genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) Vitamin A enhanced “Golden Rice” even though it is not intended for sale in Canada and has not yet been approved by regulators in the intended markets. March 20, 2018. Ottawa – Health Canada has announced its approval of the genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) Vitamin A enhanced “Golden Rice” even though it is not intended for sale in Canada and has not yet been approved by regulators in the intended markets.
“Ghana’s plant breeders bill lacks legitimacy! It must be revised!” – CSOs tell Parliament by Food Sovereignty Ghana | 14 Mar 2018 Ghana | seeds & biodiversity The representatives included Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG), Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), General Agricultural Workers Union – GAWU of TUC Ghana, Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. The representatives included Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG), Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), General Agricultural Workers Union – GAWU of TUC Ghana, Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.
Press release: Women demand that oil palm companies stop violence and give back community land by Civil society organisations | 8 Mar 2018 Cameroon | Congo | Congo, the Democratic Republic of the | Gabon | Guinea | Liberia | Sierra Leone | land grabbing On 8 March, International Women’s Day, hundreds of organizations and individuals demand an end to the violence against women living in and around large-scale oil palm plantations expansion. On 8 March, International Women’s Day, hundreds of organizations and individuals demand an end to the violence against women living in and around large-scale oil palm plantations expansion.
"Trade agreements impact Kenyan farmers" an interview with Justus Lavi by Zahra Moloo | 22 Feb 2018 Kenya | corporations | seeds & biodiversity An interview with Justus Lavi Mwololo, National General Secretary of Kenya Small Scale Farmers’ Forum (KESSFF). An interview with Justus Lavi Mwololo, National General Secretary of Kenya Small Scale Farmers’ Forum (KESSFF).
Agritech in Africa promoted in Davos by Catherine Morand | 14 Feb 2018 corporations | technologies Bill Gates, at the World Economic Forum (WEF), which opens today in Davos, Switzerland, alongside agrobusiness multinationals in corpore, pursues a strategy of predation and transformation in continental African agriculture. In the name of world hunger and climate change. Bill Gates, at the World Economic Forum (WEF), which opens today in Davos, Switzerland, alongside agrobusiness multinationals in corpore, pursues a strategy of predation and transformation in continental African agriculture. In the name of world hunger and climate change.