Resisting pension fund capitalism: a webinar series by AGC & GRAIN | 28 Apr 2022 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 Land 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.
Thailand's swine fever cover-up: a disaster for its small pig farms by BioThai and GRAIN | 28 Feb 2022 Indications are that the Thai government may have been covering up the presence of African swine fever in the country for the past two years. Now, with extensive reports of ASF as the reason for a dramatic loss of small pig farms and an 80 per cent increase in pork prices, the government is in the hot seat. Indications are that the Thai government may have been covering up the presence of African swine fever in the country for the past two years. Now, with extensive reports of ASF as the reason for a dramatic loss of small pig farms and an 80 per cent increase in pork prices, the government is in the hot seat.
Will digital land records stop land grabs in Indonesia? by GRAIN | 17 Feb 2022 Indonesia has long faced the serious issue of land grabs, driving indigenous and rural communities into conflict with plantation, forestry and infrastructure developers. Could digitising land records and national geospatial information help resolve land conflicts, and promote agrarian reform? Indonesia has long faced the serious issue of land grabs, driving indigenous and rural communities into conflict with plantation, forestry and infrastructure developers. Could digitising land records and national geospatial information help resolve land conflicts, and promote agrarian reform?
The inseparable trio: land grabbing, deforestation, and climate crisis by GRAIN | 11 Feb 2022 There is overwhelming evidence of a link between deforestation and the climate crisis. However, there has not yet been an in-depth study carried out into the impact of land grabbing on deforestation, and therefore also on climate change, over the last few decades. From our investigations at GRAIN, the first conclusion is clear: we must immediately end land grabbing and land concentration by large corporate groups to put a stop to the current climate crisis. There is overwhelming evidence of a link between deforestation and the climate crisis. However, there has not yet been an in-depth study carried out into the impact of land grabbing on deforestation, and therefore also on climate change, over the last few decades. From our investigations at GRAIN, the first conclusion is clear: we must immediately end land grabbing and land concentration by large corporate groups to put a stop to the current climate crisis.
Big farms don’t feed the world by GRAIN | 9 Feb 2022 A controversy has erupted over who feeds the world. The FAO is backtracking and has come up with a report claiming that small farmers feed only a third of the world’s population. If it were true that small food producers only feed a third of the population, then that means that big farms feed the other two thirds. A closer look at what big farms really produce, paint a very different picture. A controversy has erupted over who feeds the world. The FAO is backtracking and has come up with a report claiming that small farmers feed only a third of the world’s population. If it were true that small food producers only feed a third of the population, then that means that big farms feed the other two thirds. A closer look at what big farms really produce, paint a very different picture.
Lessons from the communities of the Puebla-Hidalgo Sierra in Mexico that resist a TC-Energy gas pipeline by Ceccam, GRAIN, La UACMilpa, Taller en Defensa de los Territorios | 14 Jan 2022 This document tells the story of communities in the Puebla-Hidalgo Sierra that defend their water commons (against the Tuxpan-Tula gas pipeline). We stress the fact that it was built through participation as a multi-layered research piece. Its intention is to return its findings to the communities from which these voices emerged to serve as a transformation tool. This document tells the story of communities in the Puebla-Hidalgo Sierra that defend their water commons (against the Tuxpan-Tula gas pipeline). We stress the fact that it was built through participation as a multi-layered research piece. Its intention is to return its findings to the communities from which these voices emerged to serve as a transformation tool.