17 April 2014: Global day of action in defence of peasants' seeds by La Vía Campesina | 4 Mar 2014 seeds & biodiversity | actions La Via Campesina are calling for this April 17th 2014 to be a global day of action and mobilisation in defence of the struggles of farmers and peasants, and, in particular, in defence of peasants' and farmers' seeds. La Via Campesina are calling for this April 17th 2014 to be a global day of action and mobilisation in defence of the struggles of farmers and peasants, and, in particular, in defence of peasants' and farmers' seeds.
Soil to sky: agroecology vs. industrial agriculture by Christensen Fund | 8 Feb 2014 corporations | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity A great educational poster contrasting industrial agriculture and agroecology. By the Christensen Fund. A great educational poster contrasting industrial agriculture and agroecology. By the Christensen Fund.
India's new milky way by Jyotika Sood | 4 Feb 2014 India | food sovereignty Private players are entering the Indian dairy market in a big way. Dairy cooperatives, which ushered in the White Revolution, need to expand and strengthen their network to protect the interests of small dairy farmers. But the cooperatives are hampered by political interference, unsustainable subsidies and poor marketing strategies. In such a scenario, the National Dairy Development Board is promoting a model—milk producer companies—to compete with private companies. Is it the right strategy? Private players are entering the Indian dairy market in a big way. Dairy cooperatives, which ushered in the White Revolution, need to expand and strengthen their network to protect the interests of small dairy farmers. But the cooperatives are hampered by political interference, unsustainable subsidies and poor marketing strategies. In such a scenario, the National Dairy Development Board is promoting a model—milk producer companies—to compete with private companies. Is it the right strategy?
Seed diversity and food security threatened by an overly concentrated EU seed market by EU Parliament Greens/EFA group | 27 Jan 2014 seeds & biodiversity | laws & policies De-bunking the myth that the European seed market is diversified: the event will highlight the dominance of a small group of multinational companies, exposing false assumptions underlying proposed regulation of the seeds in the European Community. De-bunking the myth that the European seed market is diversified: the event will highlight the dominance of a small group of multinational companies, exposing false assumptions underlying proposed regulation of the seeds in the European Community.
Food sovereignty: A critical dialogue by Future Agricultures | 22 Jan 2014 food sovereignty On 24 January 2014, the event ‘Food Sovereignty: A Critical Dialogue’ will bring together sceptics and advocates of food sovereignty to discuss the future of this contested idea in critical agrarian studies. On 24 January 2014, the event ‘Food Sovereignty: A Critical Dialogue’ will bring together sceptics and advocates of food sovereignty to discuss the future of this contested idea in critical agrarian studies.
World Bank funding a company implicated in human rights abuses in Honduras by International and Honduran CSOs | 21 Jan 2014 Honduras | land grabbing | corporations Internal investigation found the World Bank's International Finance Corporation failed to adhere to policies to protect local communities; failed to disclose vital project information, consult with local communities, or identify the project as a high-risk investment; ignored or failed to spot the serious social, political and human rights Dinant operates in. Internal investigation found the World Bank's International Finance Corporation failed to adhere to policies to protect local communities; failed to disclose vital project information, consult with local communities, or identify the project as a high-risk investment; ignored or failed to spot the serious social, political and human rights Dinant operates in.
Petition for the struggle of Buol Farmers Forum against land grabbing by PT Hardaya Inti Plantations by Forum Tani Buol (Buol Farmers Forum) | 21 Jan 2014 Indonesia | land grabbing We, the Buol community united in the Buol Farmers Forum (FTB), ask for national and international support to demand that PT Hardaya Inti Plantation immediately return the land belonging to members of Buol Farmers Forum (FTB); that Buol District government take immediate action to reclaim the contested land; that land outside the concession be declared the object of Land Reform; and immediately distributed to members of FTB who have fought for many years to reclaim it. We, the Buol community united in the Buol Farmers Forum (FTB), ask for national and international support to demand that PT Hardaya Inti Plantation immediately return the land belonging to members of Buol Farmers Forum (FTB); that Buol District government take immediate action to reclaim the contested land; that land outside the concession be declared the object of Land Reform; and immediately distributed to members of FTB who have fought for many years to reclaim it.
Mobilisation to defend farmers’ rights by Coordination Européenne Via Campesina | 17 Jan 2014 seeds & biodiversity | actions FOR the rights of farmers to use and freely exchange their seeds and breeding animals, and to have unrestricted access to all available crop diversity AGAINST patents on living organisms, and control of the seed market by multinationals FOR the rights of farmers to use and freely exchange their seeds and breeding animals, and to have unrestricted access to all available crop diversity AGAINST patents on living organisms, and control of the seed market by multinationals
The Gates Foundation's hypocritical investments by Alex Park & Jaeah Lee | 16 Jan 2014 United States | corporations According to its website, the Gates Foundation "works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives." So how do the investments of the foundation's $36 billion investing arm, the Gates Foundation Trust, match up to its mission? Alex Park and Jaeah Lee of Mother Jones dug into the group's tax returns to find out. ExxonMobil, Walmart, and McDonald's are just a few of the companies that the mega-charity supports. According to its website, the Gates Foundation "works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives." So how do the investments of the foundation's $36 billion investing arm, the Gates Foundation Trust, match up to its mission? Alex Park and Jaeah Lee of Mother Jones dug into the group's tax returns to find out. ExxonMobil, Walmart, and McDonald's are just a few of the companies that the mega-charity supports.
How Bill Gates is helping KFC take over Africa by Alex Park, Mother Jones | 13 Jan 2014 Mozambique | South Africa | Zambia | corporations | food sovereignty The Gates Foundation and USAID are helping the Colonel's African expansion, perhaps at the expense of local farmers. The Gates Foundation and USAID are helping the Colonel's African expansion, perhaps at the expense of local farmers.
Agroecology cools down the earth by Via Campesina | 5 Dec 2013 climate crisis | seeds & biodiversity "We are directly opposed to the carbon market approach to dealing with the climate crisis. Turning our farmers’ fields into carbon sinks – the rights to which can be sold on the carbon market – will only lead us further away from what we see as the real solution: food sovereignty. The carbon in our farms is not for sale!" A film by Via Campesina "We are directly opposed to the carbon market approach to dealing with the climate crisis. Turning our farmers’ fields into carbon sinks – the rights to which can be sold on the carbon market – will only lead us further away from what we see as the real solution: food sovereignty. The carbon in our farms is not for sale!" A film by Via Campesina
Seeds of sovereignty by Gaia Foundation | 4 Dec 2013 Ethiopia | climate crisis | seeds & biodiversity As the world’s agriculture and food systems face a crisis of disappearing seed diversity, a new short film tells the story of how African farming communities and organisations are reviving traditional seed diversity across the continent, and resisting mounting corporate pressure to use industrialised seed and farming methods. As the world’s agriculture and food systems face a crisis of disappearing seed diversity, a new short film tells the story of how African farming communities and organisations are reviving traditional seed diversity across the continent, and resisting mounting corporate pressure to use industrialised seed and farming methods.
Dust to dust: a man-made Malthusian crisis by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard | 2 Dec 2013 United States | food crisis | seeds & biodiversity We must wake up to the global land crisis or face a very real threat of famine We must wake up to the global land crisis or face a very real threat of famine
The global struggle for peasants seeds: a struggle for our future by Via Campesina | 22 Nov 2013 seeds & biodiversity Seeds is becoming a central and strong pillar in the fight for food sovereignty. In kitchens, gardens and markets, farmers conserve, exchange and develop seeds. But the corporations and many governments are keen to privatise seeds, and get farmers to get hooked onto the hybrids and GMOs from the laboratories. Here is Via Campesina's take on the issue. Seeds is becoming a central and strong pillar in the fight for food sovereignty. In kitchens, gardens and markets, farmers conserve, exchange and develop seeds. But the corporations and many governments are keen to privatise seeds, and get farmers to get hooked onto the hybrids and GMOs from the laboratories. Here is Via Campesina's take on the issue.
Thai farmers and civic groups protest UPOV lobby by Bangkok Post | 21 Nov 2013 Thailand | seeds & biodiversity | laws & policies | actions A group of farmers gather at the Department of Agriculture (DOA) in Bang Khen district yesterday to voice their opposition to the planned ratification of the 1991 International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). The farmers submitted a protest letter to Martin Ekvad, the UPOV executive who briefed DOA officials about the convention. A group of farmers gather at the Department of Agriculture (DOA) in Bang Khen district yesterday to voice their opposition to the planned ratification of the 1991 International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). The farmers submitted a protest letter to Martin Ekvad, the UPOV executive who briefed DOA officials about the convention.