Golden Rice and the push for GMOs won’t solve food crisis, it will make it worse by Stop Golden Rice Network | 8 Aug 2022 Seeds The commercialisation of Golden Rice and the promotion and de-regulation of GMOs, including gene-edited crops, during a period of intense food crisis threatens to exacerbate inequality and contribute further to the loss of people’s food sovereignty – one of the main reasons why hundreds of millions remain food insecure today The commercialisation of Golden Rice and the promotion and de-regulation of GMOs, including gene-edited crops, during a period of intense food crisis threatens to exacerbate inequality and contribute further to the loss of people’s food sovereignty – one of the main reasons why hundreds of millions remain food insecure today
Funding industrial agriculture vs agroecology: Not a simple binary by GRAIN | 4 Aug 2022 Corporations It's often said that we need to "shift funding" from industrial agriculture to agroecology in order to advance food sovereignty. While it’s true that we need to resource and strengthen agroecology, the idea that it’s matter of moving money around, or pointing institutions in a different direction, is not as straightforward as it sounds. It's often said that we need to "shift funding" from industrial agriculture to agroecology in order to advance food sovereignty. While it’s true that we need to resource and strengthen agroecology, the idea that it’s matter of moving money around, or pointing institutions in a different direction, is not as straightforward as it sounds.
Bolloré case: associations' victory in the Cameroonian palm oil case confirmed by Several groups | 10 Jun 2022 Media releases The legal battle initiated by the associations to force Bolloré to remedy the human rights violations denounced in the context of the activities of the Cameroonian subsidiary Socapalm is still ongoing. The appeal judge once again ruled in favour of the associations: one more step for the victims. The legal battle initiated by the associations to force Bolloré to remedy the human rights violations denounced in the context of the activities of the Cameroonian subsidiary Socapalm is still ongoing. The appeal judge once again ruled in favour of the associations: one more step for the victims.
Ten reasons why certification should not be promoted in the EU anti-deforestation regulation by Milieudefensie/Collective | 3 Jun 2022 After careful analysis of the draft legislation, available evidence and our hands-on experience with the effects of certification schemes of soy, palm oil and timber on the ground, we discern 10 arguments as to why certification should not be promoted in the EU anti deforestation regulation. After careful analysis of the draft legislation, available evidence and our hands-on experience with the effects of certification schemes of soy, palm oil and timber on the ground, we discern 10 arguments as to why certification should not be promoted in the EU anti deforestation regulation.
It’s Africa vs African Union by GRAIN | 19 May 2022 Seeds Under a cloud of secrecy and haste, guidelines are set at AU to promote agrarian extractivism at the expense of food and seed sovereignty of an entire continent. They also situate farmers’ rights and farmer managed seed systems within a corporate seed environment and agenda. Processes like these at the AU provide a basis and affect other guidelines and seed regulatory frameworks at the continental and national processes. Under a cloud of secrecy and haste, guidelines are set at AU to promote agrarian extractivism at the expense of food and seed sovereignty of an entire continent. They also situate farmers’ rights and farmer managed seed systems within a corporate seed environment and agenda. Processes like these at the AU provide a basis and affect other guidelines and seed regulatory frameworks at the continental and national processes.
Defying patriarchy and other power dynamics: our experience at GRAIN by GRAIN | 4 May 2022 Defying patriarchy and other power dynamics: To what extent are we ourselves, our partners and our funders influenced by these norms and reinforcing these dynamics? Can we grow more aware of, and assertive in, our role to overcome them? Defying patriarchy and other power dynamics: To what extent are we ourselves, our partners and our funders influenced by these norms and reinforcing these dynamics? Can we grow more aware of, and assertive in, our role to overcome them?
Resisting pension fund capitalism: a webinar series by AGC & GRAIN | 28 Apr 2022 Corporations | Corporations | Multimedia Join us for an upcoming webinar series organised by GRAIN and hosted by A Growing Culture, unpacking the current impacts of pension funds and how we can start working towards a more just and equitable system. Join us for an upcoming webinar series organised by GRAIN and hosted by A Growing Culture, unpacking the current impacts of pension funds and how we can start working towards a more just and equitable system.
Congress should pull the plug on USAID’S failing African green revolution by Anne Maina | 29 Mar 2022 A major evaluation commissioned for donors to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other international donors, has confirmed what many of us in Africa have claimed for years: The billion-dollar AGRA “did not meet its headline goal of increased incomes and food security for 9 million smallholders.” A major evaluation commissioned for donors to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other international donors, has confirmed what many of us in Africa have claimed for years: The billion-dollar AGRA “did not meet its headline goal of increased incomes and food security for 9 million smallholders.”
A Century of Agro-Colonialism in the DR Congo by GRAIN | 25 Mar 2022 LandLand Many of the oil palm plantations now owned by multinational corporations in West and Central Africa were built on lands stolen from local communities during colonial occupations. This is the case in what is known today as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the Anglo-Dutch multinational food company Unilever began building its palm oil empire. Today, these plantations are sites of on-going poverty, conflict and violence. Many of the oil palm plantations now owned by multinational corporations in West and Central Africa were built on lands stolen from local communities during colonial occupations. This is the case in what is known today as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the Anglo-Dutch multinational food company Unilever began building its palm oil empire. Today, these plantations are sites of on-going poverty, conflict and violence.
Carlos Vicente: A “man-tree” by GRAIN | 17 Mar 2022 GRAIN is heartbroken to announce the passing of our brother, comrade and colleague, Carlos Vicente. May we all take comfort in knowing that Carlos had a great impact on so many different peoples' struggles, which he knew at their root, to be one and the same. His legacy lives on in the schools of agroecology and social movements across Latin America and across the world. GRAIN is heartbroken to announce the passing of our brother, comrade and colleague, Carlos Vicente. May we all take comfort in knowing that Carlos had a great impact on so many different peoples' struggles, which he knew at their root, to be one and the same. His legacy lives on in the schools of agroecology and social movements across Latin America and across the world.
In West and Central Africa, palm oil investors buckle under community pressure by Ashoka Mukpo | 11 Mar 2022 Land grabbing for oil palm plantations in West and Central Africa backfires due to community resistance. Land grabbing for oil palm plantations in West and Central Africa backfires due to community resistance.
Press conference on 15 March: No to Nature Based Solutions! by GRAIN | 10 Mar 2022 A coalition of international organisations release a statement signed by more than 360 organisations, and announce a press conference to denounce the push for 'nature based solutions' as a tool to allow corporations to continue polluting the atmosphere and create a giant new farmland grab at the cost of small-scale farmers and global food production. A coalition of international organisations release a statement signed by more than 360 organisations, and announce a press conference to denounce the push for 'nature based solutions' as a tool to allow corporations to continue polluting the atmosphere and create a giant new farmland grab at the cost of small-scale farmers and global food production.
Big food companies jumping on the plant based food bandwagon by GRAIN | 8 Mar 2022 Big food is jumping on the plant based food market, with promises of healthier and environmentally friendly products. But a closer look reveals another reality Big food is jumping on the plant based food market, with promises of healthier and environmentally friendly products. But a closer look reveals another reality
Seeds in the hands of peasant farmers: a judgment in favour of food sovereignty in Honduras by Biodiversidad | 2 Mar 2022 Seeds are essential for life and for the full exercise of the human right to food. Without seeds, there can be no food, and without food, no people. After a ten-year fight, the peasant farmers of Honduras have achieved a resounding victory for life and food sovereignty. Seeds are essential for life and for the full exercise of the human right to food. Without seeds, there can be no food, and without food, no people. After a ten-year fight, the peasant farmers of Honduras have achieved a resounding victory for life and food sovereignty.
Development banks make shameless exit from a colonial land grab in the Congo by Collective statement | 1 Mar 2022 As development banks make shameless exit from DRC palm oil company, 30 civil society organisations pledge to continue fighting for redress and return of lands to communities. As development banks make shameless exit from DRC palm oil company, 30 civil society organisations pledge to continue fighting for redress and return of lands to communities.
