Carbon trading and REDD+ in Mozambique: farmers ‘grow’ carbon for the benefit of polluters by Via Campesina Africa | 20 Jun 2012 Mozambique | corporations | climate crisis | food sovereignty With the Rio+20 conference about to open, we would like to share with you a real life story from Mozambique on the problems that rural communities get themselves into with carbon trading projects. When farmers start growing carbon instead of food. Written and documented by Via Campsina Africa. With the Rio+20 conference about to open, we would like to share with you a real life story from Mozambique on the problems that rural communities get themselves into with carbon trading projects. When farmers start growing carbon instead of food. Written and documented by Via Campsina Africa.
Mexican rural organisations block Monsanto law to privatize seeds and plants by occupymonsanto360.org | 14 Jun 2012 Mexico | seeds and biodiversity | intellectual property rights | food sovereignty Progressive small farmer organizations in Mexico scored a victory over transnational corporations that seek to monopolize seed and food patents. When the corporations pushed their bill to modify the Federal Law on Plant Varieties through the Committee on Agriculture and Livestock of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies on March 14, organizations of farmers from across the country sounded the alarm. By organizing quickly, they joined together to pressure legislators and achieved an agreement with the legislative committee to remove the bill from the floor. Progressive small farmer organizations in Mexico scored a victory over transnational corporations that seek to monopolize seed and food patents. When the corporations pushed their bill to modify the Federal Law on Plant Varieties through the Committee on Agriculture and Livestock of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies on March 14, organizations of farmers from across the country sounded the alarm. By organizing quickly, they joined together to pressure legislators and achieved an agreement with the legislative committee to remove the bill from the floor.
The reasons of maize by Red en Defensa del Maíz, GRAIN, ETC Group, Vía Campesina North America, el Colectivo Oaxaqueño en Defensa de los Territorios, and more than a thousand communities that appeal to the Peoples Permanent Tribunal-Mexico | 14 Jun 2012 Mexico | food sovereignty | seeds and biodiversity Being Mexico the centre of origin of maize, one of the four most crucial crops for humanity, any attack on maize and to the peoples that grow it are attacks against the oldest and most potential strategies of humanity. This is a powerful and beautiful text, presented on October 21st in front of the peoples permanent Tribunal that will session in Mexico from now to 2014. Being Mexico the centre of origin of maize, one of the four most crucial crops for humanity, any attack on maize and to the peoples that grow it are attacks against the oldest and most potential strategies of humanity. This is a powerful and beautiful text, presented on October 21st in front of the peoples permanent Tribunal that will session in Mexico from now to 2014.
Seeds of freedom - the movie by Gaia, ABN | 13 Jun 2012 Ethiopia | India | United States | corporations | seeds & biodiversity Seeds of Freedom charts the story of seed from its roots at the heart of traditional, diversity rich farming systems across the world, to being transformed into a powerful commodity, used to monopolise the global food system. Worth to see! Seeds of Freedom charts the story of seed from its roots at the heart of traditional, diversity rich farming systems across the world, to being transformed into a powerful commodity, used to monopolise the global food system. Worth to see!
Squeezing Africa dry: behind every land grab is a water grab by GRAIN | 11 Jun 2012 Land Food cannot be grown without water. In Africa, one in three people endure water scarcity and climate change will make things worse. Building on Africa’s highly sophisticated indigenous water management systems could help resolve this growing crisis, but these very systems are being destroyed by large-scale land grabs amidst claims that Africa's water is abundant, under-utilised and ready to be harnessed for export-oriented agriculture. GRAIN looks behind the current scramble for land in Africa to reveal a global struggle for what is increasingly seen as a commodity more precious than gold or oil: water. Food cannot be grown without water. In Africa, one in three people endure water scarcity and climate change will make things worse. Building on Africa’s highly sophisticated indigenous water management systems could help resolve this growing crisis, but these very systems are being destroyed by large-scale land grabs amidst claims that Africa's water is abundant, under-utilised and ready to be harnessed for export-oriented agriculture. GRAIN looks behind the current scramble for land in Africa to reveal a global struggle for what is increasingly seen as a commodity more precious than gold or oil: water.
The people of the world confront the advance of capitalism: Rio +20 and beyond by Via Campesina | 6 Jun 2012 corporations | food crisis | climate crisis | food sovereignty Via Campesina's take on the 'Green Economy' and other business plans being prepared for the Rio+20 Summit. A good summary. Via Campesina's take on the 'Green Economy' and other business plans being prepared for the Rio+20 Summit. A good summary.
Nestlé becomes latest foreign corporation building mega dairy farms in China by GRAIN | 23 May 2012 China | corporations The Swiss multinational corporation has signed an agreement with a local government in north China's Inner Mongolia region to build a 2,000 cow dairy farm in the area. Meanwhile New Zealand's Fonterra, a major supplier of powdered milk to Nestlé, says it will supply 1 billion litres of milk per year from its own farms in China by 2012. The Swiss multinational corporation has signed an agreement with a local government in north China's Inner Mongolia region to build a 2,000 cow dairy farm in the area. Meanwhile New Zealand's Fonterra, a major supplier of powdered milk to Nestlé, says it will supply 1 billion litres of milk per year from its own farms in China by 2012.
Letter from African Civil Society Critical of Foreign Investment in African Agriculture at G8 Summit by Mamadou Cissokho | 23 May 2012 corporations | food crisis | food sovereignty In the lead up to the May 2012 G8 summit in the USA, a meeting was organised to give agribusiness a platform to explain their views and initiatives to acieve food security in Africa. The G8 also dealt with the issue. Here is what the African farmers have to say about it. In the lead up to the May 2012 G8 summit in the USA, a meeting was organised to give agribusiness a platform to explain their views and initiatives to acieve food security in Africa. The G8 also dealt with the issue. Here is what the African farmers have to say about it.
TetraPak goes "Deeper in the Pyramid" by GRAIN | 15 May 2012 Sweden | corporations TetraPak says the world's 2.7 billion low-income people are the next big growth opportunity for the dairy industry. Those people are currently served fresh milk and dairy products by small farmers and local markets. TetraPak wants them buying packaged "alternatives to whole milk" produced by corporations. TetraPak says the world's 2.7 billion low-income people are the next big growth opportunity for the dairy industry. Those people are currently served fresh milk and dairy products by small farmers and local markets. TetraPak wants them buying packaged "alternatives to whole milk" produced by corporations.
Land grabs menace food security in Latin America despite FAO claims by GRAIN | 11 May 2012 Land Land grabbing emerged as one of the most important barriers to the advancement of food sovereignty in Latin America & the Caribbean at a recent meeting of social movement organisations. In advance of a United Nations conference in Buenos Aires addressing food security for the region, a new UN Food and Agriculture Organisation report claiming that land grabbing is restricted to only two major countries, drew condemnation from social movements concerned about the scale of the grabs and their the impact on the lives of millions of peasants, people of Afro-communities, indigenous peoples, family farmers, and fisherfolk. Land grabbing emerged as one of the most important barriers to the advancement of food sovereignty in Latin America & the Caribbean at a recent meeting of social movement organisations. In advance of a United Nations conference in Buenos Aires addressing food security for the region, a new UN Food and Agriculture Organisation report claiming that land grabbing is restricted to only two major countries, drew condemnation from social movements concerned about the scale of the grabs and their the impact on the lives of millions of peasants, people of Afro-communities, indigenous peoples, family farmers, and fisherfolk.
"The great food robbery", a new book from GRAIN by GRAIN | 4 May 2012 GRAIN is happy to announce its new book "The great food robbery: how corporations control food, grab land and destroy the climate", just published with Fahamu Books and Pambazuka Press. The book looks at the forces driving the world into the food crisis. It focuses on corporations and the ways they organise and control food production and distribution and how this destroys local food systems. It provides information and analysis that will enable and inspire people to take the food system back from corporations and put it in the hands of local communities. GRAIN is happy to announce its new book "The great food robbery: how corporations control food, grab land and destroy the climate", just published with Fahamu Books and Pambazuka Press. The book looks at the forces driving the world into the food crisis. It focuses on corporations and the ways they organise and control food production and distribution and how this destroys local food systems. It provides information and analysis that will enable and inspire people to take the food system back from corporations and put it in the hands of local communities.
Civil society open letter to EU institutions for a better seed legislation by Pierre Sultana | 29 Apr 2012 EU | seeds & biodiversity | actions The European Commission (DG SANCO) is presently working on a review of EU legislation on the Marketing of Seed and Propagating Material. Arche Noah invites you to join an open letter demanding positive change in favour of biodiversity, small farmers, seed savers and consumers. The European Commission (DG SANCO) is presently working on a review of EU legislation on the Marketing of Seed and Propagating Material. Arche Noah invites you to join an open letter demanding positive change in favour of biodiversity, small farmers, seed savers and consumers.
With a corporate culture built on bribery, Walmart was running with plenty to hide by Wade Rathke, Acorn International | 25 Apr 2012 India | Mexico | corporations A recent New York Times article exposed how Walmart paid at least $24 million in bribes to facilitate its expansion in Mexico. Wade Rathke of Acorn International wonders whether the same system has been active in Walmart's work to expand and find a foothold in India where their efforts and others to modify the restrictions on foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail have been huge political issues in recent months, bringing government to a standstill at some points. A recent New York Times article exposed how Walmart paid at least $24 million in bribes to facilitate its expansion in Mexico. Wade Rathke of Acorn International wonders whether the same system has been active in Walmart's work to expand and find a foothold in India where their efforts and others to modify the restrictions on foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail have been huge political issues in recent months, bringing government to a standstill at some points.
Gulf states outsourcing basmati in the Philippines, while Philippines does the same with hybrid rice in Cambodia by GRAIN | 25 Apr 2012 Philippines | food crisis | hybrid rice The Philippines' Agriculture Secretary announces his government is going ahead with a large-scale evaluation of three Basmati rice varieties for export to Kuwait and Qatar, while, at the same time, he says they are pursuing the outsourcing of hybrid rice production in Cambodia. The Philippines' Agriculture Secretary announces his government is going ahead with a large-scale evaluation of three Basmati rice varieties for export to Kuwait and Qatar, while, at the same time, he says they are pursuing the outsourcing of hybrid rice production in Cambodia.
Farmers demand the World Bank and Wall Street stop grabbing their lands at opening of the Bank’s annual conference in Washington, DC. by | 23 Apr 2012 The World Bank’s policies for land privatisation and concentration have paved the way for corporations from Wall Street to Singapore to take upwards of 80 million hectares of land from rural communities across the world in the past few years, say farmers' movements and their international allies in a collective statement released today at the opening of the World Bank’s Conference on Land and Poverty in Washington DC. The World Bank’s policies for land privatisation and concentration have paved the way for corporations from Wall Street to Singapore to take upwards of 80 million hectares of land from rural communities across the world in the past few years, say farmers' movements and their international allies in a collective statement released today at the opening of the World Bank’s Conference on Land and Poverty in Washington DC.