July 2007 by GRAIN | 30 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 In this special issue of Seedling we focus on agrofuels. Visit the resource page on agrofuels where more information is available: http://www.grain.org/agrofuels In this special issue of Seedling we focus on agrofuels. Visit the resource page on agrofuels where more information is available: http://www.grain.org/agrofuels
In this special agrofuels issue... by GRAIN | 28 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 We are devoting almost all of this edition to a single topic – the rapid expansion of biofuels across much of the globe. Read the editorial. We are devoting almost all of this edition to a single topic – the rapid expansion of biofuels across much of the globe. Read the editorial.
Stop the agrofuel craze! by GRAIN | 26 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 An introductory article that, among other things, looks at the mind-boggling numbers that are being bandied around: the Indian government is talking of planting 14 million hectares of land with jatropha; the Inter-American Development Bank says that Brazil has 120 million hectares that could be cultivated with agrofuel crops; and an agrofuel lobby is speaking of 379 million hectares being available in 15 African countries. An introductory article that, among other things, looks at the mind-boggling numbers that are being bandied around: the Indian government is talking of planting 14 million hectares of land with jatropha; the Inter-American Development Bank says that Brazil has 120 million hectares that could be cultivated with agrofuel crops; and an agrofuel lobby is speaking of 379 million hectares being available in 15 African countries.
Corporate power: Agrofuels and the expansion of agribusiness by GRAIN | 24 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Corporate interest in agrofuels has gone from a casual trot to a full-on stampede over the last few years. For business and politicians alike, agrofuels are certainly one of the more palatable “renewable” forms of energy because they fit easily into the existing petroleum-based economy. But they also present opportunities for profit that the new order of “green” business has wasted no time in capturing. Big money is now flowing into agrofuel projects across the world – with big consequences. Corporate interest in agrofuels has gone from a casual trot to a full-on stampede over the last few years. For business and politicians alike, agrofuels are certainly one of the more palatable “renewable” forms of energy because they fit easily into the existing petroleum-based economy. But they also present opportunities for profit that the new order of “green” business has wasted no time in capturing. Big money is now flowing into agrofuel projects across the world – with big consequences.
Corporate power: The palm-oilbiodiesel nexus by GRAIN | 22 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Palm oil is big business for the production of biodiesel. Palm oil is big business for the production of biodiesel.
Corporate power: Alternative energy crops and next-generation agrofuels by GRAIN | 20 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007
Agrofuels in Asia: Fuelling poverty, conflict, deforestation by Almuth Ernsting | 14 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 In no other region in the world is the absurdity of the frenzied rush into agrofuels more blatant than in Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. Far from helping to reduce global warming, it is leading to a big increase in global carbon emissions. Just as serious, it is cementing the control over large areas of land of industrial groups that are amongst the most ruthless in the world in terms of environmental destruction, labour conditions and human rights abuses. In no other region in the world is the absurdity of the frenzied rush into agrofuels more blatant than in Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. Far from helping to reduce global warming, it is leading to a big increase in global carbon emissions. Just as serious, it is cementing the control over large areas of land of industrial groups that are amongst the most ruthless in the world in terms of environmental destruction, labour conditions and human rights abuses.
Snapshot of the agrofuel situation in some Asian countries by GRAIN | 12 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007
The new scramble for Africa by GRAIN | 8 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Africa, with its large land area and cheap labour, is an obvious target for agrofuel developers. As one European agrofuel lobby group likes to point out, just 15 African countries have a combined arable land base larger than India available for agrofuel crop production. And already millions of hectares of the continent’s so-called “fallow” lands have been surveyed and allocated for agrofuels. Africa, with its large land area and cheap labour, is an obvious target for agrofuel developers. As one European agrofuel lobby group likes to point out, just 15 African countries have a combined arable land base larger than India available for agrofuel crop production. And already millions of hectares of the continent’s so-called “fallow” lands have been surveyed and allocated for agrofuels.
Latin America - Joao Pedro Stedile by GRAIN | 7 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 South America is becoming a key area for agrofuels, both ethanol made from sugar cane and biodiesel produced from soya oil and, to a lesser extent, palm oil. Latin American activists, who were the first to come up with the term agrocombustible (agrofuels), have also been among the first to denounce what is going on. Here they explain in their own words how the agrofuel craze is affecting their continent. João Pedro Stedile is one of the leaders of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), Brazil’s Landless Movement. In its recent conference in Brasilia, attended by 18,000 activists, the MST spoke out strongly against the damage being caused by agrofuel monoculture (http://www.mst.org.br). South America is becoming a key area for agrofuels, both ethanol made from sugar cane and biodiesel produced from soya oil and, to a lesser extent, palm oil. Latin American activists, who were the first to come up with the term agrocombustible (agrofuels), have also been among the first to denounce what is going on. Here they explain in their own words how the agrofuel craze is affecting their continent. João Pedro Stedile is one of the leaders of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), Brazil’s Landless Movement. In its recent conference in Brasilia, attended by 18,000 activists, the MST spoke out strongly against the damage being caused by agrofuel monoculture (http://www.mst.org.br).
Latin America - Max Thomet by GRAIN | 7 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Max Thomet is a member of the collective CET SUR, which has its headquarters in the south of Chile. Its mission is to contribute to the mobilisation for social and cultural transformation led by social movements, which are trying to build sustainable societies through the reinvigoration of traditional values and the territorial empowerment of people at local level (http://www.cetsur.org). Max Thomet is a member of the collective CET SUR, which has its headquarters in the south of Chile. Its mission is to contribute to the mobilisation for social and cultural transformation led by social movements, which are trying to build sustainable societies through the reinvigoration of traditional values and the territorial empowerment of people at local level (http://www.cetsur.org).
Latin America - Norma Giarraca by GRAIN | 6 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Norma Giarraca is a lecturer in sociology at the Instituto Gino Germani in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She specialises in the study of social protest. Norma Giarraca is a lecturer in sociology at the Instituto Gino Germani in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She specialises in the study of social protest.
Latin America - Germán Velez by GRAIN | 5 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Germán Velez is an activist from the Grupo Semillas (Seeds Group), a Colombian non-governmental organisation that works on environmental issues with local communities (http://www.semillas.org.co). Germán Velez is an activist from the Grupo Semillas (Seeds Group), a Colombian non-governmental organisation that works on environmental issues with local communities (http://www.semillas.org.co).