Land grabbing for biofuels must stop by GRAIN | 21 Feb 2013 Biofuels production has pushed farming and forest communities off their land from Colombia to Sierra Leone to Indonesia, threatening livelihoods and food security. Meanwhile, biofuels are failing to achieve promised reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, with some found to have a worse carbon footprint than conventional fossil fuel. Diverting precious farmland to the production of fuel for cars is plainly irresponsible. All the more so since these lands are often home to the very rural communities whose food systems provide the world with the models needed to reverse the environmental crisis that fossil fuels have provoked. EU biofuels mandates have already prompted companies to grab 17 million hectares of land around the world, a figure that could rise to over 40 million hectares by 2020. Biofuels production has pushed farming and forest communities off their land from Colombia to Sierra Leone to Indonesia, threatening livelihoods and food security. Meanwhile, biofuels are failing to achieve promised reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, with some found to have a worse carbon footprint than conventional fossil fuel. Diverting precious farmland to the production of fuel for cars is plainly irresponsible. All the more so since these lands are often home to the very rural communities whose food systems provide the world with the models needed to reverse the environmental crisis that fossil fuels have provoked. EU biofuels mandates have already prompted companies to grab 17 million hectares of land around the world, a figure that could rise to over 40 million hectares by 2020.
And now.... GM potatoes in Peru? by Associacion ANDES | 1 Feb 2013 Peru | corporations | seeds & biodiversity After the Mexican government shocked the world last December with its plans to allow for the planting of GM maize in the heart of this crops center of diversity, now the same tragedy seems to be going to be allowed in Peru, the centre of patato diversity. Indigenous people raise the alarm. After the Mexican government shocked the world last December with its plans to allow for the planting of GM maize in the heart of this crops center of diversity, now the same tragedy seems to be going to be allowed in Peru, the centre of patato diversity. Indigenous people raise the alarm.
Watergrabbing..... and waste! by GRAIN | 15 Jan 2013 United Kingdom | corporations | food crisis A new report calculates that up to half of the food produced in the world never makes it to any dinner table, and finds that enormous amounts of water are being squandered in the process. Another report tried to calculate the amount of water to be used by those now grabbing land in poor countries to produce food and fuel for the export market. A new report calculates that up to half of the food produced in the world never makes it to any dinner table, and finds that enormous amounts of water are being squandered in the process. Another report tried to calculate the amount of water to be used by those now grabbing land in poor countries to produce food and fuel for the export market.
PFU calls for February 9th boycott of Israeli agribusiness by Palestinian Farmers Union | 9 Jan 2013 Israel | Palestinian Territory, Occupied | actions Palestinian Farmers Union invites social movements, nongovernmental organisations, trade unions and human rights campaigners to take creative and effective action on February 9th in support of Palestinian farmers defending their land and natural resources. Palestinian Farmers Union invites social movements, nongovernmental organisations, trade unions and human rights campaigners to take creative and effective action on February 9th in support of Palestinian farmers defending their land and natural resources.
Interview with GRAIN on the ProSavana project by EJOLT | 14 Dec 2012 Imagine 14 million hectares – bigger than Switzerland and Austria combined – home to millions of Mozambican farming families practicing shifting cultivation. Now imagine a foreign consultant saying that all of this is empty land. A foreign company saying it will come to farm all of it. Yet another foreign company saying it will ship everything produced out of there. And the country's president agreeing to all of this, selling all 14 million hectares for a dollar per hectare. Imagine 14 million hectares – bigger than Switzerland and Austria combined – home to millions of Mozambican farming families practicing shifting cultivation. Now imagine a foreign consultant saying that all of this is empty land. A foreign company saying it will come to farm all of it. Yet another foreign company saying it will ship everything produced out of there. And the country's president agreeing to all of this, selling all 14 million hectares for a dollar per hectare.
Agricultural Growth Corridors: the latest idea for Africa? by EcoNexus, War on Want | 13 Dec 2012 Mozambique | Tanzania | United Kingdom | land grabbing | corporations Agricultural Growth Corridors' increasingly pop up in the promotion literature of donors, corporations and multilateral agencies alike. The latest idea to 'develop' Africa and help it's small farmers, they claim. What's this all about? Two new reports give some background. Agricultural Growth Corridors' increasingly pop up in the promotion literature of donors, corporations and multilateral agencies alike. The latest idea to 'develop' Africa and help it's small farmers, they claim. What's this all about? Two new reports give some background.
Brazilian megaproject in Mozambique set to displace millions of peasants by UNAC, Via Campesina Africa, GRAIN | 29 Nov 2012 The Brazilian government and private sector are collaborating with Japan to push a large-scale agribusiness project in Northern Mozambique. The project, called ProSavana, will make 14 million hectares of land available to Brazilian agribusiness companies for the production of soybeans, maize and other commodity crops that will be exported by Japanese multinationals. This area of Mozambique, known as the Nacala Corridor, is home to millions of farming families who are at risk of losing their lands in the process. The Brazilian government and private sector are collaborating with Japan to push a large-scale agribusiness project in Northern Mozambique. The project, called ProSavana, will make 14 million hectares of land available to Brazilian agribusiness companies for the production of soybeans, maize and other commodity crops that will be exported by Japanese multinationals. This area of Mozambique, known as the Nacala Corridor, is home to millions of farming families who are at risk of losing their lands in the process.
GM maize in Mexico: An irreversible path by UCCS, TWN, GRAIN, INES, ENS | 23 Nov 2012 The Mexican government is considering allowing the planting of 2.4 million hectares of genetically engineered maize, as requested by agribusiness giants Monsanto, DuPont, Dow and others. The Mexican Unión de Científicos Comprotmetidos con la Sociedad (UCCS), together with several international organisations including GRAIN, put out a report addressed to the Mexican government to stop this totally irresponsible act in the heart of the world's centre of diversity of this crop. You can download it here (pdf). The Mexican government is considering allowing the planting of 2.4 million hectares of genetically engineered maize, as requested by agribusiness giants Monsanto, DuPont, Dow and others. The Mexican Unión de Científicos Comprotmetidos con la Sociedad (UCCS), together with several international organisations including GRAIN, put out a report addressed to the Mexican government to stop this totally irresponsible act in the heart of the world's centre of diversity of this crop. You can download it here (pdf).
Red alert! GMO avalanche in Mexico by GRAIN | 21 Nov 2012 Seeds Mexico is the world centre of origin and diversification of maize, one of four crucial food crops in world agriculture. Now the future of this crop is being put at grave risk by the impending approval of commercial planting of genetically engineered (GE) maize on 2.4 million ha in Mexico. What is being prepared is nothing less than a frontal attack on a crop that is vital to the survival of humanity and on the peoples who have stewarded it for millennia. This report discusses the situation and it connections to ongoing struggles in Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay. Mexico is the world centre of origin and diversification of maize, one of four crucial food crops in world agriculture. Now the future of this crop is being put at grave risk by the impending approval of commercial planting of genetically engineered (GE) maize on 2.4 million ha in Mexico. What is being prepared is nothing less than a frontal attack on a crop that is vital to the survival of humanity and on the peoples who have stewarded it for millennia. This report discusses the situation and it connections to ongoing struggles in Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay.
We will not share Monsanto's risk - Open letter to the EBRD by BankWatch | 19 Nov 2012 actions More than 150 organisations, including GRAIN, have called on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to not further consider USD 40 million unfunded risk participation in Monsanto's portfolio in Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. More than 150 organisations, including GRAIN, have called on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to not further consider USD 40 million unfunded risk participation in Monsanto's portfolio in Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
India: GMOs on their way out? by Nature.com | 24 Oct 2012 India | technologies A Technical Expert Committee appointed by the Indian Supreme Court wants all open GMO field trials stopped and calls for a re-examination of biosafety data on all GM crops already in the field and a whole series of limitations to planting GM crops in the country. Here is a note from Nature.com that gives a summary. A Technical Expert Committee appointed by the Indian Supreme Court wants all open GMO field trials stopped and calls for a re-examination of biosafety data on all GM crops already in the field and a whole series of limitations to planting GM crops in the country. Here is a note from Nature.com that gives a summary.
Slideshow: Who's behind the land grabs? by GRAIN | 16 Oct 2012 A small number of people are taking over more and more of the world's farmlands, and the water that goes with it, leaving everyone else with less, or none at all. As the world plunges deeper into a food crisis, these new farmland lords will hold sway over who gets to eat and who doesn't and who profits and who perishes within the food system. To help pull back the curtain on the land grabbers, GRAIN has pieced together a slide show that tells a little about some of those who have been most actively pursuing or supporting farmland grabs. A small number of people are taking over more and more of the world's farmlands, and the water that goes with it, leaving everyone else with less, or none at all. As the world plunges deeper into a food crisis, these new farmland lords will hold sway over who gets to eat and who doesn't and who profits and who perishes within the food system. To help pull back the curtain on the land grabbers, GRAIN has pieced together a slide show that tells a little about some of those who have been most actively pursuing or supporting farmland grabs.
A reflection on “the idea of a town” and on the reality of cities in an uncertain time by Jean Robert | 12 Oct 2012 More people in cities than on the countryside? Three years ago, it was announced that the inhabitants of the world’s cities had outnumbered the inhabitants of the countryside. In its 2007 report, the UN Fund stated that 3 billion 300 million persons lived by then in urban milieus. One billion of them dwell in what is called slums. The same report forecasts that, if present tendencies continue, in 2030, 5 billion will be urbanites, 80% of them in so-called “developing countries” and adds “many of these urbanites will be poor”. When the UN says “poor”, it means miserable. More people in cities than on the countryside? Three years ago, it was announced that the inhabitants of the world’s cities had outnumbered the inhabitants of the countryside. In its 2007 report, the UN Fund stated that 3 billion 300 million persons lived by then in urban milieus. One billion of them dwell in what is called slums. The same report forecasts that, if present tendencies continue, in 2030, 5 billion will be urbanites, 80% of them in so-called “developing countries” and adds “many of these urbanites will be poor”. When the UN says “poor”, it means miserable.
Cargill's profits quadruple as world food crisis deepens by GRAIN | 11 Oct 2012 corporations The world's largest grain trader made US$1 billion in profits from June to August, as people across the world struggled with rising prices for grains. The world's largest grain trader made US$1 billion in profits from June to August, as people across the world struggled with rising prices for grains.
Nyéléni newsletter # 11 - Food and Cities by Organisations of the Food Sovereignty Movement | 9 Oct 2012 land grabbing | food crisis | food sovereignty | food safety Nearly a quarter of the world’s fresh food is supplied by approximately one billion people who produce fruits and vegetables on urban and peri-urban farms and gardens. While most of this food is consumed by the producers themselves, a substantial part goes directly into urban markets at affordable prices. Given that over half of the world’s economically poor population now live in cities, and given the dangerous volatility of global food markets, this locally-produced food is becoming increasingly important to urban food security. Nearly a quarter of the world’s fresh food is supplied by approximately one billion people who produce fruits and vegetables on urban and peri-urban farms and gardens. While most of this food is consumed by the producers themselves, a substantial part goes directly into urban markets at affordable prices. Given that over half of the world’s economically poor population now live in cities, and given the dangerous volatility of global food markets, this locally-produced food is becoming increasingly important to urban food security.