When it comes to GMOs, beware trans-national capital by Groundbreaking | 10 Dec 2015 China | corporations | GMOs Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are once again in the news. On November 19, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that a genetically modified animal, a breed of fast maturing salmon, had been approved for human consumption for the first time, sparking an uproar. China may be separated from the U.S. by the Pacific Ocean, but that hasn’t insulated it from GMO controversies. In the two years since a campaign to demand greater openness from China Ministry of Agriculture, three Chinese residents has brought a case against Ministry of Agriculture and third party: Monsanto Far East Ltd. This is an interview with Yan Hairong, a professor in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a volunteer with People’s Food Sovereignty Network who is involve in the case. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are once again in the news. On November 19, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that a genetically modified animal, a breed of fast maturing salmon, had been approved for human consumption for the first time, sparking an uproar. China may be separated from the U.S. by the Pacific Ocean, but that hasn’t insulated it from GMO controversies. In the two years since a campaign to demand greater openness from China Ministry of Agriculture, three Chinese residents has brought a case against Ministry of Agriculture and third party: Monsanto Far East Ltd. This is an interview with Yan Hairong, a professor in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a volunteer with People’s Food Sovereignty Network who is involve in the case.
The real cattle class: cows fly to China on 747s by Angus Whitley - Bloomberg | 30 Nov 2015 Australia | China | corporations Next time you’re stuck on a long-haul flight in a packed, economy-class cabin, being ignored by a frazzled flight attendant, spare a thought for the passengers on a recent flight from Melbourne to Chongqing in China. They were cows. Destination: the abattoir. Next time you’re stuck on a long-haul flight in a packed, economy-class cabin, being ignored by a frazzled flight attendant, spare a thought for the passengers on a recent flight from Melbourne to Chongqing in China. They were cows. Destination: the abattoir.
Why is there no food on the table at the UN Climate Change Conference? by IUF | 26 Nov 2015 corporations | climate crisis The International Union of food and farm workers, IUF, asks how come that food and farming is not on the agenda in Paris. The International Union of food and farm workers, IUF, asks how come that food and farming is not on the agenda in Paris.
Pregnant silence by George Monbiot | 20 Nov 2015 George Monbiot on the real population crisis. Human numbers are rising at roughly 1.2% a year. Livestock numbers are rising at around 2.4% a year. By 2050, the world’s living systems will have to support about 120m tonnes of extra human, and 400m tonnes of extra farm animals. George Monbiot on the real population crisis. Human numbers are rising at roughly 1.2% a year. Livestock numbers are rising at around 2.4% a year. By 2050, the world’s living systems will have to support about 120m tonnes of extra human, and 400m tonnes of extra farm animals.
We are the solution: African women organise for land and seed sovereignty by Other Worlds | 4 Nov 2015 Senegal | seeds & biodiversity Other Worlds brings us 7-part series on African seed and food sovereignty. The first article, We Are The Solution: African Women Organize for Land and Seed Sovereignty, shares the inspiring work of Mariama Sonko, a farmer and organizer in Casamance, Senegal, discussing how rural women are organizing for land ownership and preserving traditional agroecological peasant agriculture. This series will run every other Wednesday from now until the first week of January. Check here for their archive of stories. Stay tuned! Other Worlds brings us 7-part series on African seed and food sovereignty. The first article, We Are The Solution: African Women Organize for Land and Seed Sovereignty, shares the inspiring work of Mariama Sonko, a farmer and organizer in Casamance, Senegal, discussing how rural women are organizing for land ownership and preserving traditional agroecological peasant agriculture. This series will run every other Wednesday from now until the first week of January. Check here for their archive of stories. Stay tuned!
Trucost reveals $3.33 trillion environmental cost of farming by Trucost | 23 Oct 2015 Brazil | Germany | India | United States | technologies | climate crisis Industrialized farming practices cost the environment some $3.33 trillion per year — more than the UK’s annual GDP — according to new research for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations by environmental consultants Trucost. Industrialized farming practices cost the environment some $3.33 trillion per year — more than the UK’s annual GDP — according to new research for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations by environmental consultants Trucost.
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.
Relaunching destruction in Papua: monoculture agriculture project threatens indigenous lands and livelihoods by AwasMIFEE | GRAIN | 10 Aug 2015 Indonesia | land grabbing For the past five years, the people of Merauke Regency, in Indonesia's Papua province, have been resisting a large-scale agriculture project that threatens the livelihoods of more than 50,000 people. But their government has recently announced new and ambitious plans for the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) project. For the past five years, the people of Merauke Regency, in Indonesia's Papua province, have been resisting a large-scale agriculture project that threatens the livelihoods of more than 50,000 people. But their government has recently announced new and ambitious plans for the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) project.
Golden Rice research publication retracted on ethical grounds by MASIPAG | 7 Aug 2015 corporations | technologies | seeds & biodiversity | China The study's authors were unable to provide sufficient evidence either that the study has been reviewed by a local ethics committee in China or prove that all parents and children involved in the study were provided with the full consent form for the study. Opponents also pointed out that the research was done using meals that are high in fat that would favor positive results of the experiment. The study's authors were unable to provide sufficient evidence either that the study has been reviewed by a local ethics committee in China or prove that all parents and children involved in the study were provided with the full consent form for the study. Opponents also pointed out that the research was done using meals that are high in fat that would favor positive results of the experiment.
Bangladesh: right to land and seed by Jürgen Kraus and Heiko Thiele | 23 Jul 2015 Bangladesh | climate crisis | food sovereignty Food sovereignty is the main political demand of the landless and peasant movement in Bangladesh in times of climate change and intensifying land conflicts. The concept of food sovereignty is based on the right to grow their own food, with own seeds and in an ecologically sustainable way of farming. Food sovereignty is the main political demand of the landless and peasant movement in Bangladesh in times of climate change and intensifying land conflicts. The concept of food sovereignty is based on the right to grow their own food, with own seeds and in an ecologically sustainable way of farming.
Runaway maize: subsidised soil destruction by UK Soil Association | 22 Jul 2015 United Kingdom | food crisis | actions Our soils are coming under devastating pressure from an unlikely crop - maize. A new report by the Soil Association, exposing shocking evidence that this crop is threatening the future of farming and food security in the UK. Maize is responsible for environmental damage to soils and water, and a rapid change in land use away from food production across the UK – all of which is made possible through double subsidies paid for by the UK taxpayer. Our soils are coming under devastating pressure from an unlikely crop - maize. A new report by the Soil Association, exposing shocking evidence that this crop is threatening the future of farming and food security in the UK. Maize is responsible for environmental damage to soils and water, and a rapid change in land use away from food production across the UK – all of which is made possible through double subsidies paid for by the UK taxpayer.
Nigeria palm oil land grab exposes need for human rights treaty by Friends of the Earth | 8 Jul 2015 Nigeria | land grabbing | corporations "Wilmar’s new plantations in Nigeria follow the same business model that has caused vast forest destruction and human rights abuse in Southeast Asia," says Friends of the Earth. "Aggressive government support for large scale plantations... has extracted wealth into the pockets of foreign business owners, leaving as little as possible in tax revenue; and has left communities landless, hungry, indebted, and in conflict." "Wilmar’s new plantations in Nigeria follow the same business model that has caused vast forest destruction and human rights abuse in Southeast Asia," says Friends of the Earth. "Aggressive government support for large scale plantations... has extracted wealth into the pockets of foreign business owners, leaving as little as possible in tax revenue; and has left communities landless, hungry, indebted, and in conflict."
Lidl has received almost $1bn in public development funding by Claire Provost and Matt Kennard - The Guardian | 3 Jul 2015 Germany | Poland | Romania | corporations Supermarket chain owned by one of Germany’s wealthiest families, Lidl and its sister chain Kaufland have benefited from almost $900m (£576m) in public development money over the past decade through loan funding from the World Bank and from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as it expands into eastern Europe. Supermarket chain owned by one of Germany’s wealthiest families, Lidl and its sister chain Kaufland have benefited from almost $900m (£576m) in public development money over the past decade through loan funding from the World Bank and from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as it expands into eastern Europe.