With vigor of the youth, intensify the struggle for land and life! by PAN Asia Pacific (PANAP), the Asian Peasant Coalition and People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty and grassroots movements | 29 Mar 2018 land grabbing | actions We mark the Day of the Landless this year amid ever pervasive landlessness and land grabbing, driven by the competition of global powers and local elites to control the world’s resources at the expense of small food producers and the food sovereignty of poor countries. This is accompanied by rising militarism and violent repression of rural communities. Among those worst affected by deepening poverty and hunger as well as increasing human rights violations are the rural youth. We mark the Day of the Landless this year amid ever pervasive landlessness and land grabbing, driven by the competition of global powers and local elites to control the world’s resources at the expense of small food producers and the food sovereignty of poor countries. This is accompanied by rising militarism and violent repression of rural communities. Among those worst affected by deepening poverty and hunger as well as increasing human rights violations are the rural youth.
Declaration of the 6th West African Peasant Seed Fair by West African Peasant Seed Committee (COASP) | 27 Mar 2018 Senegal | seeds & biodiversity We, members of the West African Peasant Seed Committee COASP, peasants, representatives of peasant organizations, civil society, national and international research institutes from eight West African countries and three European countries, gathered from 5-7 March 2018 for the 6th West African Peasant Seed Fair of Djimini. We, members of the West African Peasant Seed Committee COASP, peasants, representatives of peasant organizations, civil society, national and international research institutes from eight West African countries and three European countries, gathered from 5-7 March 2018 for the 6th West African Peasant Seed Fair of Djimini.
"Seeds in resistance" video animation by ANAFAE, REDSAG, Red de Biodiversidad, Grupo Semillas, Acción Ecológica, Articulación Nacional de Agroecología, Acción por la Biodiversidad and GRAIN | 26 Mar 2018 Seeds | Multimedia "Seeds in resistance" is an animation developed in connection with the documentary "Seeds: commons or corporate property?", produced in 2017 by a collective of Latin American organisations from all across the continent that are working to defend native seeds as the basis of peoples' food sovereignty. "Seeds in resistance" is an animation developed in connection with the documentary "Seeds: commons or corporate property?", produced in 2017 by a collective of Latin American organisations from all across the continent that are working to defend native seeds as the basis of peoples' food sovereignty.
Public alarmed as Health Canada’s approval of Golden Rice will lead to clinical feeding trials among children in Asia by Stop Golden Rice! Network | 23 Mar 2018 Canada | seeds & biodiversity | Bangladesh | Philippines
Under the cover of philanthropy: A monopoly machine at work by Pavan Kulkarni | 23 Mar 2018 corporations | technologies | intellectual property rights A good summary of the concerns about the role of philantropy pushing corporate agendas into health and agriculture programmes in the Global South. A good summary of the concerns about the role of philantropy pushing corporate agendas into health and agriculture programmes in the Global South.
The World Bank’s land program in the State of Piauí, Brazil, is a license for land grabbing by Campanha Nacional em Defesa do Cerrado | 21 Mar 2018 Brazil | land grabbing The World Bank is financing a land titling, or “regularization” program in the Brazilian State of Piauí, where large areas of land have been grabbed from local communities and illegally occupied by agribusiness. Local communities, including communities of descendants of runaway slaves (quilombolas) as well as indigenous peoples, are being violently displaced from their traditional lands and face contamination of water and soils, increasing violence against community leaders, deforestation and loss of biodiversity. The World Bank is financing a land titling, or “regularization” program in the Brazilian State of Piauí, where large areas of land have been grabbed from local communities and illegally occupied by agribusiness. Local communities, including communities of descendants of runaway slaves (quilombolas) as well as indigenous peoples, are being violently displaced from their traditional lands and face contamination of water and soils, increasing violence against community leaders, deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
Health Canada approves GM “Golden Rice” not intended for sale in Canada by Canadian Biotechnology Action Network | 20 Mar 2018 Canada | seeds & biodiversity March 20, 2018. Ottawa – Health Canada has announced its approval of the genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) Vitamin A enhanced “Golden Rice” even though it is not intended for sale in Canada and has not yet been approved by regulators in the intended markets. March 20, 2018. Ottawa – Health Canada has announced its approval of the genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) Vitamin A enhanced “Golden Rice” even though it is not intended for sale in Canada and has not yet been approved by regulators in the intended markets.
Mexico: The dangers of industrial corn and its processed edible products by GRAIN | 20 Mar 2018 Seeds In August 2017, a Mexican research team composed of members from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM) published a study showing the presence of transgenes and the herbicide glyphosate in processed foods and tortillas made from industrial maize (corn) throughout Mexico. In August 2017, a Mexican research team composed of members from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM) published a study showing the presence of transgenes and the herbicide glyphosate in processed foods and tortillas made from industrial maize (corn) throughout Mexico.
“Ghana’s plant breeders bill lacks legitimacy! It must be revised!” – CSOs tell Parliament by Food Sovereignty Ghana | 14 Mar 2018 Ghana | seeds & biodiversity The representatives included Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG), Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), General Agricultural Workers Union – GAWU of TUC Ghana, Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. The representatives included Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG), Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), General Agricultural Workers Union – GAWU of TUC Ghana, Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.
Press release: Women demand that oil palm companies stop violence and give back community land by Civil society organisations | 8 Mar 2018 Cameroon | Congo | Congo, the Democratic Republic of the | Gabon | Guinea | Liberia | Sierra Leone | land grabbing On 8 March, International Women’s Day, hundreds of organizations and individuals demand an end to the violence against women living in and around large-scale oil palm plantations expansion. On 8 March, International Women’s Day, hundreds of organizations and individuals demand an end to the violence against women living in and around large-scale oil palm plantations expansion.
"Trade agreements impact Kenyan farmers" an interview with Justus Lavi by Zahra Moloo | 22 Feb 2018 Kenya | corporations | seeds & biodiversity An interview with Justus Lavi Mwololo, National General Secretary of Kenya Small Scale Farmers’ Forum (KESSFF). An interview with Justus Lavi Mwololo, National General Secretary of Kenya Small Scale Farmers’ Forum (KESSFF).
Civil society decries FSANZ approval of Golden Rice by Stop Golden Rice! Network and GRAIN | 22 Feb 2018 Seeds The recent release of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) approval report of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) application for a Golden Rice ‘safety stamp’ and trade liability clearance have garnered negative reactions and widespread critique. The recent release of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) approval report of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) application for a Golden Rice ‘safety stamp’ and trade liability clearance have garnered negative reactions and widespread critique.
Agritech in Africa promoted in Davos by Catherine Morand | 14 Feb 2018 corporations | technologies Bill Gates, at the World Economic Forum (WEF), which opens today in Davos, Switzerland, alongside agrobusiness multinationals in corpore, pursues a strategy of predation and transformation in continental African agriculture. In the name of world hunger and climate change. Bill Gates, at the World Economic Forum (WEF), which opens today in Davos, Switzerland, alongside agrobusiness multinationals in corpore, pursues a strategy of predation and transformation in continental African agriculture. In the name of world hunger and climate change.
A couple of mega-companies are about to take over your food supply by Tom Philpott | 1 Feb 2018 Brazil | United States | corporations A rumored marriage between two ag behemoths, ADM and Bunge, could make life tough for farmers in a whole new way. A rumored marriage between two ag behemoths, ADM and Bunge, could make life tough for farmers in a whole new way.
The Latin American Seeds Collective presents the documentary "Seeds: commons or corporate property?" by ANAFAE, REDSAG, Red de Biodiversidad, Grupo Semillas, Acción Ecológica, Articulación Nacional de Agroecología, Acción por la Biodiversidad and GRAIN | 29 Jan 2018 Seeds | Multimedia Jointly produced by eight Latin American organisations and edited by Radio Mundo Real, the documentary "Seeds: commons or corporate property?" draws on the experiences and struggles of social movements for the defence of indigenous and native seeds in Ecuador, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina, Colombia, and Guatemala. Jointly produced by eight Latin American organisations and edited by Radio Mundo Real, the documentary "Seeds: commons or corporate property?" draws on the experiences and struggles of social movements for the defence of indigenous and native seeds in Ecuador, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina, Colombia, and Guatemala.