The Right Livelihood Award ceremony - some videos by GRAIN | 6 Dec 2011 Multimedia Some videos of GRAIN receiving the Right Livelihood Award in the Swedish Parliament on 5 December 2011 Some videos of GRAIN receiving the Right Livelihood Award in the Swedish Parliament on 5 December 2011
The dark side of "sustainable" investments by Brot für alle | 3 Dec 2011 Sierra Leone | land grabbing Groups that are interested and organising to stop land grabs from the "home base" of the land grabbers might want to look at this very well done report from Brot für Alle, about what the Swiss energy giant Addax is doing in Sierra Leone. Groups that are interested and organising to stop land grabs from the "home base" of the land grabbers might want to look at this very well done report from Brot für Alle, about what the Swiss energy giant Addax is doing in Sierra Leone.
Farmers mobilise to find solutions against land grabbing by Via Campesina | 17 Nov 2011 Mali | land grabbing | actions More than 250 participants, mainly representatives of farmers’ organisations, from thirty different countries gathered in Nyéléni Village, a centre for agro-ecology training built in a rural area near Sélingué, in Mali, to participate into the first International farmers’ conference to stop land grabbing. More than 250 participants, mainly representatives of farmers’ organisations, from thirty different countries gathered in Nyéléni Village, a centre for agro-ecology training built in a rural area near Sélingué, in Mali, to participate into the first International farmers’ conference to stop land grabbing.
On seeds: controlling the first link in the food-chain by Nidhi Tandon | 15 Nov 2011 United States | technologies | seeds & biodiversity Thanks to the US’s 2009 Global Food Security Act, food aid policy for the first time mandates the use of genetic modification technologies. Nidhi Tandon looks at how this legislation helps biotechnology companies monopolise the seed industry at the expense of farmers, and explores some of the dubious links between these corporations, the Gates Foundation and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. Good update and overview article Thanks to the US’s 2009 Global Food Security Act, food aid policy for the first time mandates the use of genetic modification technologies. Nidhi Tandon looks at how this legislation helps biotechnology companies monopolise the seed industry at the expense of farmers, and explores some of the dubious links between these corporations, the Gates Foundation and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. Good update and overview article
"We can no longer wait" by Via Campesina, Ibrahim Coulibaly | 28 Oct 2011 Mali | food crisis "I want to encourage each of you when we sit in front our plates of food this lunchtime, to meditate and recall that human beings are dying of hunger and malnutrition at this very moment because costly meetings are organized around their fate but without the actions that could save them being carried out. We can no longer wait." Splendid intervention of Via Campesina's Ibrahim Coulibaly at the October meeting of the FAO Committee on World Food Security "I want to encourage each of you when we sit in front our plates of food this lunchtime, to meditate and recall that human beings are dying of hunger and malnutrition at this very moment because costly meetings are organized around their fate but without the actions that could save them being carried out. We can no longer wait." Splendid intervention of Via Campesina's Ibrahim Coulibaly at the October meeting of the FAO Committee on World Food Security
Grabbing Gambela by ASO/EJOLT/GRAIN | 21 Oct 2011 Ethiopia | land grabbing Grabbing Gambela is a short video documentary about a massive takeover of agricultural lands in the Gambela Region of Ethiopia. Since 2008, the Ethiopian government has signed deals with investors from India, Saudi Arabia, China and other countries for large-scale agricultural projects in the region. The deals give foreign investors control of half of Gambela's arable land. In this documentary, local people affected by the land deals speak about their experiences. Grabbing Gambela is a short video documentary about a massive takeover of agricultural lands in the Gambela Region of Ethiopia. Since 2008, the Ethiopian government has signed deals with investors from India, Saudi Arabia, China and other countries for large-scale agricultural projects in the region. The deals give foreign investors control of half of Gambela's arable land. In this documentary, local people affected by the land deals speak about their experiences.
Honduran police burn community to the ground by Real News Network | 14 Oct 2011 Honduras | land grabbing This video report by Canadian media activist Jesse Freeston vividly illustrates the courageous struggle for land and food sovereignty that peasants in Honduras are waging against the ruthless combined force of agribusiness and national and foreign governments. This video report by Canadian media activist Jesse Freeston vividly illustrates the courageous struggle for land and food sovereignty that peasants in Honduras are waging against the ruthless combined force of agribusiness and national and foreign governments.
Why the food movement should occupy Wall Street by Siena Chrisman | 13 Oct 2011 United States | land grabbing | food crisis | actions Food activists joined the "Occupy Wall Street" march. Here they explain why. Food activists joined the "Occupy Wall Street" march. Here they explain why.
Food voices: Stories of the food sovereignty movement by Andrianna Natsoulas | 11 Oct 2011 Brazil | Ecuador | United States | Venezuela A new site and book where farmers, fisherfolk and pastoralists from the Americas talk about their struggles, their triumphs and their take on food sovereignty. By Andrianna Natsoulas. Worth a visit! A new site and book where farmers, fisherfolk and pastoralists from the Americas talk about their struggles, their triumphs and their take on food sovereignty. By Andrianna Natsoulas. Worth a visit!
Let’s liberate diversity 2012 by | 5 Oct 2011 seeds & biodiversity | actions The next Let’s Liberate Diversity forum will take place in the Scottish Highlands from 9-11 March 2012. The next Let’s Liberate Diversity forum will take place in the Scottish Highlands from 9-11 March 2012.
Thank you! by GRAIN | 4 Oct 2011 ...for all the feedback, congratulations and messages of support. On 29 September, it was announced that GRAIN has been selected as one of four recipients of the 2011 Right Livelihood Award, more commonly known as "the alternative Nobel prize". ...for all the feedback, congratulations and messages of support. On 29 September, it was announced that GRAIN has been selected as one of four recipients of the 2011 Right Livelihood Award, more commonly known as "the alternative Nobel prize".
"We are not landowners," Cargill CEO tells BBC by GRAIN | 3 Oct 2011 India | land grabbing | corporations ....but the company's hedge fund has 50,000 hectares of land in South America and is spending $400 million on factory dairy farms in Asia. ....but the company's hedge fund has 50,000 hectares of land in South America and is spending $400 million on factory dairy farms in Asia.
Food and climate change: the forgotten link by GRAIN | 28 Sep 2011 Climate Food is a key driver of climate change. How our food gets produced and how it ends up on our tables accounts for around half of all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions. A new food system could be key driver of solutions to climate change. We don’t need carbon markets or techno-fixes. If measures are taken to restructure agriculture and the larger food system around food sovereignty, small scale farming, agro-ecology and local markets, we could cut global emissions in half within a few decades. Food is a key driver of climate change. How our food gets produced and how it ends up on our tables accounts for around half of all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions. A new food system could be key driver of solutions to climate change. We don’t need carbon markets or techno-fixes. If measures are taken to restructure agriculture and the larger food system around food sovereignty, small scale farming, agro-ecology and local markets, we could cut global emissions in half within a few decades.
China scrambles against mutant bird flu by Marwaan Macan-Markar, IPS | 26 Sep 2011 China | Viet Nam | food safety Detection of a "mutant strain" of the deadly virus among poultry in China and Vietnam has proved existing vaccines ineffective. Detection of a "mutant strain" of the deadly virus among poultry in China and Vietnam has proved existing vaccines ineffective.
UN special rapporteur on the right to food calls for a new Green Revolution based on agroecology by Olivier De Schutter and Gaëtan Vanloqueren | 20 Sep 2011 food crisis | climate crisis The combined effects of climate change, energy scarcity, and water paucity require that we radically rethink our agricultural systems. Countries can and must reorient their agricultural systems toward modes of production that are not only highly productive, but also highly sustainable. The combined effects of climate change, energy scarcity, and water paucity require that we radically rethink our agricultural systems. Countries can and must reorient their agricultural systems toward modes of production that are not only highly productive, but also highly sustainable.