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.
Walls and the tiger by Katrien Curvers and Sushma Kallam | 17 Jun 2015 India | land grabbing The documentary Walls and the Tiger is a six-year account of the strife of a rural community in Andhra Pradesh, India, to reverse the merciless grabbing of their fertile land by the government and corporations in the name of “development.” It follows the rural villagers of Kona Forest village, who have been living traditionally for thousands of years, and who have been robbed of their land to build the Kakinada SEZ. Their resistance has been violently suppressed, but so far, they have been able to hold off loosing their land by uniting, cooperating, and not losing faith. Help us to spread the film and our message as widely as possible The documentary Walls and the Tiger is a six-year account of the strife of a rural community in Andhra Pradesh, India, to reverse the merciless grabbing of their fertile land by the government and corporations in the name of “development.” It follows the rural villagers of Kona Forest village, who have been living traditionally for thousands of years, and who have been robbed of their land to build the Kakinada SEZ. Their resistance has been violently suppressed, but so far, they have been able to hold off loosing their land by uniting, cooperating, and not losing faith. Help us to spread the film and our message as widely as possible
Over-grazing and desertification in the Syrian steppe are the root causes of war by Gianluca Serra | 8 Jun 2015 Syrian Arab Republic | food sovereignty | laws & policies | land grabbing Civil war in Syria is the result of the desertification of the ecologically fragile Syrian steppe, writes Gianluca Serra - a process that began in 1958 when the former Bedouin commons were opened up to unrestricted grazing. Civil war in Syria is the result of the desertification of the ecologically fragile Syrian steppe, writes Gianluca Serra - a process that began in 1958 when the former Bedouin commons were opened up to unrestricted grazing.
The color of food: stories of race, resilience, and farming in the United States by Natasha Bowens | 28 May 2015 United States | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity A collection of portraits and stories of Black, Native, Asian and Latina farmers in the United States, digging into critical issues at the intersection of race and food to challenge the status quo of agrarian identity. A collection of portraits and stories of Black, Native, Asian and Latina farmers in the United States, digging into critical issues at the intersection of race and food to challenge the status quo of agrarian identity.
Press release: Monsanto, out of China! by Save Green Association | 23 May 2015 China | corporations | GMOs Chinese food safety activists stated that Monsanto not only hid the information from the Chinese government and people, but also defrauded them with fake reports in order to obtain a safety license. Covering up Roundup’s carcinogenicity and the risks posed to human health by Roundup-tolerant GM soybeans and corn, Monsanto misled China to massively import and produce its products. After demanded to make public the report submitted by Monsanto for securing the safety certificate for its Roundup to enter Chinese market last year. This year during Global Day against Monsanto on May 23, a network of concern Chinese citizen launch ‘Monsanto out of China!’ website to showcases protests by people in China against Monsanto. Chinese food safety activists stated that Monsanto not only hid the information from the Chinese government and people, but also defrauded them with fake reports in order to obtain a safety license. Covering up Roundup’s carcinogenicity and the risks posed to human health by Roundup-tolerant GM soybeans and corn, Monsanto misled China to massively import and produce its products. After demanded to make public the report submitted by Monsanto for securing the safety certificate for its Roundup to enter Chinese market last year. This year during Global Day against Monsanto on May 23, a network of concern Chinese citizen launch ‘Monsanto out of China!’ website to showcases protests by people in China against Monsanto.
Agroecology: putting food sovereignty into action by WhyHunger | 15 May 2015 Brazil | Guatemala | Haiti | India | Mali | United States | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity Agroecology is an agricultural method based on the traditional knowledge of those who cultivate the land and a way of life. WhyHunger release its first agroecology publication that shares the knowledge and perspectives of social movement leaders that are working to “scale up” agroecology around the world. Agroecology is an agricultural method based on the traditional knowledge of those who cultivate the land and a way of life. WhyHunger release its first agroecology publication that shares the knowledge and perspectives of social movement leaders that are working to “scale up” agroecology around the world.
Food, farming and climate change: it's bigger than everything else by Ryan Zinn | 30 Apr 2015 climate crisis When we think of climate change and global warming, visions of coal-fired power plants and solar panels come to mind. Policy discussions and personal action usually revolve around hybrid cars, energy-efficient homes and debates about the latest technological solutions. However, the global agriculture system is at the heart of both the problem and the solution. When we think of climate change and global warming, visions of coal-fired power plants and solar panels come to mind. Policy discussions and personal action usually revolve around hybrid cars, energy-efficient homes and debates about the latest technological solutions. However, the global agriculture system is at the heart of both the problem and the solution.