Investigation shows Socfin/Bolloré plantations harm communities in Africa and Asia by Several groups | 1 Jul 2025 Media releases | Land For decades, communities neighbouring the Socfin group's plantations worldwide have railed against the company's abusive practices. Now their complaints have been vindicated by a surprising source: Socfin's own paid consultants. For decades, communities neighbouring the Socfin group's plantations worldwide have railed against the company's abusive practices. Now their complaints have been vindicated by a surprising source: Socfin's own paid consultants.
Why Benin should not join UPOV by Collective | 20 Jun 2023 Seeds | Media releases Social movements call on Benin to reconsider membership in UPOV, urging protection of local seed systems and food sovereignty. Social movements call on Benin to reconsider membership in UPOV, urging protection of local seed systems and food sovereignty.
Local communities in Senegal demand the return of their land acquired by US firm by Collectif pour la Défense des terres du Ndiaël, the Oakland Institute, GRAIN | 16 Jun 2022 Media releases As US-based holding company African Agriculture Inc. has filed an initial public offering to fund a large-scale agribusiness project in the northern region of Saint-Louis in Senegal, local communities are demanding the company return their land stolen over a decade ago. As US-based holding company African Agriculture Inc. has filed an initial public offering to fund a large-scale agribusiness project in the northern region of Saint-Louis in Senegal, local communities are demanding the company return their land stolen over a decade ago.
Bolloré case: associations' victory in the Cameroonian palm oil case confirmed by Several groups | 10 Jun 2022 Media releases The legal battle initiated by the associations to force Bolloré to remedy the human rights violations denounced in the context of the activities of the Cameroonian subsidiary Socapalm is still ongoing. The appeal judge once again ruled in favour of the associations: one more step for the victims. The legal battle initiated by the associations to force Bolloré to remedy the human rights violations denounced in the context of the activities of the Cameroonian subsidiary Socapalm is still ongoing. The appeal judge once again ruled in favour of the associations: one more step for the victims.
Socfin/Bolloré plantations: rising profits, ongoing repression by Collective | 25 May 2022 Media releases From Sierra Leone to Nigeria, through Cameroon, Guinea and Ivory Coast, communities living near the industrial palm oil and rubber plantations of Socfin/Bolloré are fighting for their rights and against repression. From Sierra Leone to Nigeria, through Cameroon, Guinea and Ivory Coast, communities living near the industrial palm oil and rubber plantations of Socfin/Bolloré are fighting for their rights and against repression.
Trade and climate are on a collision course - media release by GRAIN | 26 Nov 2019 Media releases | Climate New EU-Mercosur trade deal will raise greenhouse gas emissions from trade in just eight farm products by one-third. New EU-Mercosur trade deal will raise greenhouse gas emissions from trade in just eight farm products by one-third.
Karuturi Global's new land deal in Ethiopia must be scrapped by Anywaa Survival Organisation (ASO), GRAIN, Kenya Peasants' League, South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers' Movements (SICCFM) | 13 Jun 2019 Land | Media releases Two years ago, indigenous communities in Gambella, Ethiopia, celebrated the departure of the Indian company Karuturi Global, after its contract for a 300,000 hectares agribusiness project was finally cancelled.1 But a diplomatic intervention by the Indian government and law suits filed by the company appear to have pushed Ethiopian authorities to backtrack and offer a new lease, this time for 15,000 hectares. Once again, the local communities have not been consulted, and a coalition of groups is now urgently calling on the local authorities to put a stop to the process. Two years ago, indigenous communities in Gambella, Ethiopia, celebrated the departure of the Indian company Karuturi Global, after its contract for a 300,000 hectares agribusiness project was finally cancelled.1 But a diplomatic intervention by the Indian government and law suits filed by the company appear to have pushed Ethiopian authorities to backtrack and offer a new lease, this time for 15,000 hectares. Once again, the local communities have not been consulted, and a coalition of groups is now urgently calling on the local authorities to put a stop to the process.
What justice for local communities affected by SOCFIN plantations? by FIAN Belgium et al | 28 May 2019 Media releases | Land An action of solidarity with the communities affected by SOCFIN's plantations in Africa and Asia was carried out in Luxembourg today during the multinational's General Assembly. About ten activists participated in the GA to denounce the situation and demand immediate action. An action of solidarity with the communities affected by SOCFIN's plantations in Africa and Asia was carried out in Luxembourg today during the multinational's General Assembly. About ten activists participated in the GA to denounce the situation and demand immediate action.
Bolloré group sued by NGOs in an unprecedented legal action by Sherpa et al. | 27 May 2019 Media releases | Land Palm oil in Cameroon: French courts must order the group to respect its commitments for residents and workers of the Socapalm plantations. Palm oil in Cameroon: French courts must order the group to respect its commitments for residents and workers of the Socapalm plantations.
Violent tensions at Feronia's oil palm plantations in the DR Congo by RIAO-RDC et al. | 21 Mar 2019 Land | Media releases This Saturday military forces fired live bullets at villagers within the Lokutu oil palm plantation concession area of the Canadian company Feronia Inc, following weeks of growing tension between communities and the company. This Saturday military forces fired live bullets at villagers within the Lokutu oil palm plantation concession area of the Canadian company Feronia Inc, following weeks of growing tension between communities and the company.
Stop land grabbing by SOCFIN in Sierra Leone! Stop the criminalisation of land rights defenders! by Civil society organisations | 22 Feb 2019 Media releases | Land One month after violent incidents in the SOCFIN plantations in Sierra Leone leading to brutal repression by security forces, the death of two people and 15 people arrested, Sierra Leonean and international civil society organisations urge the government of Sierra Leone and the company to immediately end the repression of land rights defenders and the human rights violations and abuses suffered by local communities. One month after violent incidents in the SOCFIN plantations in Sierra Leone leading to brutal repression by security forces, the death of two people and 15 people arrested, Sierra Leonean and international civil society organisations urge the government of Sierra Leone and the company to immediately end the repression of land rights defenders and the human rights violations and abuses suffered by local communities.
In Sierra Leone, land rights defenders under attack by SILNORF et al. | 24 Jan 2019 Media releases | Land At least two villagers have been killed and dozens of others are in hiding or being held by police in Malen, Sierra Leone following a brutal intervention by police and military to suppress local protests against SOCFIN's oil palm plantation operations. At least two villagers have been killed and dozens of others are in hiding or being held by police in Malen, Sierra Leone following a brutal intervention by police and military to suppress local protests against SOCFIN's oil palm plantation operations.
Civil society groups welcome decision of development bank complaints panel to proceed with complaint from DR Congo communities against palm oil company by RIAO-RDC et al. | 15 Jan 2019 Congo, the Democratic Republic of the | Germany | land grabbing | Land | Media releases The panel of the complaints mechanism for the German, Dutch and French development banks has ruled that a complaint submitted on 5 November 2018 by nine communities in the DR Congo is admissible. This means that the complaints mechanism will now begin a preliminary review process before initiating the mediation process requested by the communities to resolve their long-standing land conflict with Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), a subsidiary of Canadian company, Feronia Inc. The panel of the complaints mechanism for the German, Dutch and French development banks has ruled that a complaint submitted on 5 November 2018 by nine communities in the DR Congo is admissible. This means that the complaints mechanism will now begin a preliminary review process before initiating the mediation process requested by the communities to resolve their long-standing land conflict with Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC), a subsidiary of Canadian company, Feronia Inc.
DRC communities file complaint with German development bank to resolve century-old land conflict with palm oil company by RIAO-RDC, GRAIN, FIAN Germany, urgewald, WRM, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, CNCD-11.11.11, FIAN Belgium, SOS Faim, Oxfam Solidarité/teit, Entraide et Fraternité, AEFJN (Belgium), The Corner House (UK), Global Legal Action Network | 7 Nov 2018 Media releases | Land Nine communities from the DR Congo took a historic step this week by filing a complaint with the complaints mechanism of the German development bank (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft – DEG). The communities of the DR Congo want a resolution to a land conflict that dates back to the Belgian colonial period with a palm oil company that is currently being financed by a consortium of European development banks led by DEG. Nine communities from the DR Congo took a historic step this week by filing a complaint with the complaints mechanism of the German development bank (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft – DEG). The communities of the DR Congo want a resolution to a land conflict that dates back to the Belgian colonial period with a palm oil company that is currently being financed by a consortium of European development banks led by DEG.
New report shines light on the role of farmers in saving Africa’s seed diversity by GRAIN and the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) | 29 Oct 2018 Media releases | Seeds An analysis on the role of small-scale farmers in saving Africa’s seed diversity has been compiled and co-published today by GRAIN, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) together with research partners from Ethiopia, Mali, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. An analysis on the role of small-scale farmers in saving Africa’s seed diversity has been compiled and co-published today by GRAIN, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) together with research partners from Ethiopia, Mali, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.