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.
Agro-colonialism in the Congo: European and US development finance bankrolls a new round of agro-colonialism in the DRC by RIAO-RDC & GRAIN | 2 Jun 2015 Land | Corporations How did several of the world's most prominent DFIs come to own Feronia Inc., a Canadian agribusiness company that people in the DRC say is illegally occupying their land, subjecting them to horrific work in plantations and leaving their communities destitute? How did several of the world's most prominent DFIs come to own Feronia Inc., a Canadian agribusiness company that people in the DRC say is illegally occupying their land, subjecting them to horrific work in plantations and leaving their communities destitute?
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.
GRAIN in 2014: highlights of our activities by GRAIN | 18 May 2015 Activity reports Corporations; people's control over seeds; land grabbing; and agriculture and the climate crisis – these are the interconnected themes of GRAIN's work. In partnership with allies across the world, we document the ways in which the industrial food system damages lives, livelihoods and ecologies, and support the fight for alternatives. Corporations; people's control over seeds; land grabbing; and agriculture and the climate crisis – these are the interconnected themes of GRAIN's work. In partnership with allies across the world, we document the ways in which the industrial food system damages lives, livelihoods and ecologies, and support the fight for alternatives.
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.
Mozambique's Council of Ministers must say ‘no’ to resettlement of 100,000 in the Nacala Corridor by ADECRU | GRAIN | 11 May 2015 Land More than half a million people living in communities along the banks of the Lúrio River in northern Mozambique will be severely affected if the country's Council of Ministers approves the Lúrio River Valley Development Project (DVRL) in the controversial Nacala Corridor. More than half a million people living in communities along the banks of the Lúrio River in northern Mozambique will be severely affected if the country's Council of Ministers approves the Lúrio River Valley Development Project (DVRL) in the controversial Nacala Corridor.
Asia's agrarian reform in reverse: laws taking land out of small farmers' hands by GRAIN | 30 Apr 2015 Land Asia is a land of small farmers. But across the continent, governments are introducing changes to land laws that threaten to displace millions of peasants and undermine local food systems. The region is witnessing an agrarian reform in reverse. Asia is a land of small farmers. But across the continent, governments are introducing changes to land laws that threaten to displace millions of peasants and undermine local food systems. The region is witnessing an agrarian reform in reverse.
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.
Farmers make more money with ecological farming by Mark Curtis & Greenpeace | 22 Apr 2015 Kenya | Malawi | technologies | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity More money for small scale farmers with ecological farming – this is the message contained in a Greenpeace Africa report released in Nairobi today. The report – based on research in Kenya and Malawi – shows that ecological farming provides substantial financial benefits to small-scale farmers when compared to those farmers that use agro-chemical More money for small scale farmers with ecological farming – this is the message contained in a Greenpeace Africa report released in Nairobi today. The report – based on research in Kenya and Malawi – shows that ecological farming provides substantial financial benefits to small-scale farmers when compared to those farmers that use agro-chemical
Global resistance to land grabs by Bolloré and Socfin by ReAct | 22 Apr 2015 Cambodia | Cameroon | Cote d'Ivoire | Liberia | Sierra Leone | land grabbing Peasant farmers deprived of their lands have launched a series of occupations of Socfin's plantations in Cameroon, Liberia, Cambodia and Côte d'Ivoire Peasant farmers deprived of their lands have launched a series of occupations of Socfin's plantations in Cameroon, Liberia, Cambodia and Côte d'Ivoire
Seed laws that criminalise farmers: resistance and fightback by La Via Campesina | GRAIN | 8 Apr 2015 Seeds Seeds are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly put limitations on what farmers can do with their seeds and with the seeds they buy. Seed saving, a thousand-year-old practice which forms the basis of farming, is fast becoming criminalised. What can we do about this? Seeds are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly put limitations on what farmers can do with their seeds and with the seeds they buy. Seed saving, a thousand-year-old practice which forms the basis of farming, is fast becoming criminalised. What can we do about this?
Infographic: Stop seed laws that criminalise farmers & defend local seeds! by La Via Campesina & GRAIN | 7 Apr 2015 Seeds Seeds are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly put limitations on what farmers can do with their seeds and with the seeds they buy. Seed saving, a thousand-year-old practice which forms the basis of farming, is fast becoming criminalised. What can we do about this? Seeds are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly put limitations on what farmers can do with their seeds and with the seeds they buy. Seed saving, a thousand-year-old practice which forms the basis of farming, is fast becoming criminalised. What can we do about this?
Seed laws that criminalise farmers: poster, map, tables and additional country cases by La Via Campesina | GRAIN | 7 Apr 2015 Seeds Seeds are the basis of productive, social and cultural processes that give rural people the ability to maintain a degree of autonomy and to refuse to be completely controlled by big business and big money. For the corporate interests that are striving to take control of land, farming, food and the huge market that these represent, this independence is an obstacle. Seeds are the basis of productive, social and cultural processes that give rural people the ability to maintain a degree of autonomy and to refuse to be completely controlled by big business and big money. For the corporate interests that are striving to take control of land, farming, food and the huge market that these represent, this independence is an obstacle.