Tycoon-controlled oil palm groups in Indonesia by Rahmawati Retno Winarni and Jan Willem van Gelder | 20 Feb 2015 Indonesia | land grabbing | corporations The rapid expansion of Indonesian oil palm plantations creates serious environmental and social problems. A report analyse the ownership and financing of 25 large tycoon-controlled business groups that control 31% (3.1 million hectares) of the total planted oil palm plantation at present. These groups still have at least 2 million hectares of undeveloped land banks under control. The most important business groups - in terms of their planted areas - are Sinar Mas Group, Salim Group, Jardine Matheson Group, Wilmar Group and Surya Dumai Group. The rapid expansion of Indonesian oil palm plantations creates serious environmental and social problems. A report analyse the ownership and financing of 25 large tycoon-controlled business groups that control 31% (3.1 million hectares) of the total planted oil palm plantation at present. These groups still have at least 2 million hectares of undeveloped land banks under control. The most important business groups - in terms of their planted areas - are Sinar Mas Group, Salim Group, Jardine Matheson Group, Wilmar Group and Surya Dumai Group.
Despite hunger, Mozambique leases huge land holdings to foreigners by Chris Arsenault, Reuters | 19 Feb 2015 Mozambique | land grabbing | corporations | laws & policies A report on landgrabbing by GRAIN and the Mozambique small farmers movement UNAC has sparked quite some debate in the country. According to Chris Arsenault of Reuters: "Mozambique, a country wracked by hunger, has signed away land concessions three times larger than Greater London to outside investors in the past decade, displacing thousands of farmers in the process, said a report released on Thursday". A report on landgrabbing by GRAIN and the Mozambique small farmers movement UNAC has sparked quite some debate in the country. According to Chris Arsenault of Reuters: "Mozambique, a country wracked by hunger, has signed away land concessions three times larger than Greater London to outside investors in the past decade, displacing thousands of farmers in the process, said a report released on Thursday".
South Africa: the farm labour question – fifty-fifty shades of obfuscation by Andries du Toit | 17 Feb 2015 South Africa | laws & policies Government proposes that those who have worked and lived on a farm for ten years or more should, by law, get a proportional share in the ‘land’ or ‘equity’ on the farm. Du Toit argues that the draft policy's rationale lies not insupposed benefits for those who work the land, but in the political theatre currently unfolding in South Africa as a whole. Government proposes that those who have worked and lived on a farm for ten years or more should, by law, get a proportional share in the ‘land’ or ‘equity’ on the farm. Du Toit argues that the draft policy's rationale lies not insupposed benefits for those who work the land, but in the political theatre currently unfolding in South Africa as a whole.
Thailand: Farmers and rights groups decry land activist killing by Bangkok Post | 16 Feb 2015 Thailand | land grabbing | actions On Wednesday, February 11 2015, Chai Bunthonglek, a land rights activist from Klong Sai Pattana village, Chaiburi District Suratthani Province and member of the Southern Peasant Federation of Thailand was gunned down. International and local human rights defenders have condemned the murder of a land rights activist in Surat Thani. On Wednesday, February 11 2015, Chai Bunthonglek, a land rights activist from Klong Sai Pattana village, Chaiburi District Suratthani Province and member of the Southern Peasant Federation of Thailand was gunned down. International and local human rights defenders have condemned the murder of a land rights activist in Surat Thani.
New ‘Monsanto Law’ in Africa would force GMOs on farmers by Christina Sarich | 5 Jan 2015 Ghana | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity | GMOs The front lines of the food sovereignty war in Ghana are swelling as the national parliament gives support to the Plant Breeders Bill. This proposed legislation contains rules that would restrict farmers from freely saving, swapping, and breeding seeds. The front lines of the food sovereignty war in Ghana are swelling as the national parliament gives support to the Plant Breeders Bill. This proposed legislation contains rules that would restrict farmers from freely saving, swapping, and breeding seeds.
Right to land and seed by Jürgen Kraus and Heiko Thiele | 15 Dec 2014 food sovereignty | actions “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 peasant movement fights for a revolutionary land reform and self-determined food production, in order to improve and guarantee the local and national food supply. “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 peasant movement fights for a revolutionary land reform and self-determined food production, in order to improve and guarantee the local and national food supply.
‘Militarized occupation’: local communities pay the price for palm oil by John C Cannon | 21 Nov 2014 land grabbing | food sovereignty There’s little doubt that the use of palm oil is expanding rapidly throughout the world, and with it the need for millions of hectares of land to grow oil palm trees. The results can be devastating for local communities who depend on the agriculture and forests that these lands support, which led the international NGO GRAIN to catalog the issues that arise with oil palm expansion in a report titled “Planet Palm Oil.” There’s little doubt that the use of palm oil is expanding rapidly throughout the world, and with it the need for millions of hectares of land to grow oil palm trees. The results can be devastating for local communities who depend on the agriculture and forests that these lands support, which led the international NGO GRAIN to catalog the issues that arise with oil palm expansion in a report titled “Planet Palm Oil.”
Street vendors join Global Day of Action: hundreds march to Walmart India headquarters by India FDI Watch | 19 Nov 2014 India | corporations | food sovereignty | laws & policies A street vendor in India would need to work for a staggering 350 million years to amass the same amount of wealth as the supermarket's owners, the Walton family – this is just one of the findings of new research by UNI Global Union ahead of worldwide protests against the family's role in global inequality today. A street vendor in India would need to work for a staggering 350 million years to amass the same amount of wealth as the supermarket's owners, the Walton family – this is just one of the findings of new research by UNI Global Union ahead of worldwide protests against the family's role in global inequality today.
Bailing out a foreign food company in the DR Congo by Chris Arsenault | 14 Nov 2014 Congo, the Democratic Republic of the | land grabbing | corporations European taxpayer funds save Canadian Congo plantation paying workers $1 a day, as backers say the move creates jobs. European taxpayer funds save Canadian Congo plantation paying workers $1 a day, as backers say the move creates jobs.
How a national food policy could save millions of American lives by Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan, Ricardo Salvador and Olivier De Schutter | 10 Nov 2014 United States | corporations | technologies | climate crisis | laws & policies | food safety How we produce and consume food has a bigger impact on Americans’ well-being than any other human activity. Yet we have no food policy — no plan or agreed-upon principles — for managing American agriculture or the food system as a whole. That must change. An appeal for a US food policy. How we produce and consume food has a bigger impact on Americans’ well-being than any other human activity. Yet we have no food policy — no plan or agreed-upon principles — for managing American agriculture or the food system as a whole. That must change. An appeal for a US food policy.
Gates Foundation refutes report it fails African farmers by Karrie Kehoe, Thomson Reuters | 5 Nov 2014 corporations | technologies | food crisis | seeds & biodiversity The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has rejected accusations that too much of its funding goes to Western researchers, saying it is helping small farmers in African countries. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has rejected accusations that too much of its funding goes to Western researchers, saying it is helping small farmers in African countries.
Food Systems Academy - an open education resource to transform our food systems by Food Systems Academy | 5 Nov 2014 corporations | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity A new site aims to help you increase your understanding of our food systems – where they came from, how they change, what the challenges are and how to meet them. A new site aims to help you increase your understanding of our food systems – where they came from, how they change, what the challenges are and how to meet them.
Gendering peasant movements, gendering food sovereignty by Pamela Caro | 5 Nov 2014 food sovereignty An interview with Pamela Caro from Chile's Women’s Development Research Center (CEDEM) exploring the invisibility of peasant women in the feminist and women’s movements as well as the weaknesses in how the food sovereignty concept deals with the challenges of feminism. An interview with Pamela Caro from Chile's Women’s Development Research Center (CEDEM) exploring the invisibility of peasant women in the feminist and women’s movements as well as the weaknesses in how the food sovereignty concept deals with the challenges of feminism.
How much of world’s greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture? by Rani Molla - Wall Street Journal | 30 Oct 2014 climate crisis GRAIN calculates that about half of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system, and that we need to turn to small farmers and local markets to get rid of this. Rani Molla of the Wall Street Journal compares GRAIN's figures with what other's have to say about it. GRAIN calculates that about half of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system, and that we need to turn to small farmers and local markets to get rid of this. Rani Molla of the Wall Street Journal compares GRAIN's figures with what other's have to say about it.
Feeding the world by USC Canada | 20 Oct 2014 food crisis | food sovereignty Here's, on one poster, the central message about feeding the world. By USC Canada. Here's, on one poster, the central message about feeding the world. By USC Canada.