One-fifth of total food system emissions comes from global food miles

In this edition of Supermarket Asia Bulletin: One-fifth of total food system emissions comes from global food miles; Is the ‘solidarity economy’ an alternative for China’s urban food supply?; Make Amazon Pay coalition kicks off a new wave of Black Friday strikes and protests; Can Japan feed itself?...And more!

In this edition of Supermarket Asia Bulletin: One-fifth of total food system emissions comes from global food miles; Is the ‘solidarity economy’ an alternative for China’s urban food supply?; Make Amazon Pay coalition kicks off a new wave of Black Friday strikes and protests; Can Japan feed itself?...And more!

Getting out of the food-energy-climate crisis

Today’s high prices for energy and food are intimately linked. But they are also intensely connected to how corporations exercise control over consumers, decision-makers and workers. Finding a way out of this “polycrisis” requires a deep transformation in how energy and food are produced and distributed, with actions that challenge corporate control head on.

Today’s high prices for energy and food are intimately linked. But they are also intensely connected to how corporations exercise control over consumers, decision-makers and workers. Finding a way out of this “polycrisis” requires a deep transformation in how energy and food are produced and distributed, with actions that challenge corporate control head on.

The fertiliser trap: the rising cost of farming’s addiction to chemical fertilisers

The era of cheap fertilisers is over. The costs have become too much to bear— both in terms of the financial burden for farmers and public budgets, the severe environmental and health impacts, and the long-term risks to food security. But there are ways out of this apparent dead end.

The era of cheap fertilisers is over. The costs have become too much to bear— both in terms of the financial burden for farmers and public budgets, the severe environmental and health impacts, and the long-term risks to food security. But there are ways out of this apparent dead end.

Farms, arms and Israel's agro-diplomacy

Israeli agribusiness has developed out of a militarised and illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and, in recent years, its growth is closely tied to the promotion of Israel's political and economic agenda abroad. This report pulls back the curtain on the little-known Israeli companies pushing large-scale industrial agriculture projects across the global South.

Israeli agribusiness has developed out of a militarised and illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and, in recent years, its growth is closely tied to the promotion of Israel's political and economic agenda abroad. This report pulls back the curtain on the little-known Israeli companies pushing large-scale industrial agriculture projects across the global South.

Free trade agreements: Mexico. How to get out of corporate submission?

Mexicans suffered devastating impacts of NAFTA: loss of food sovereignty to cheap imports, privatisation of seeds, loss of land and livelihoods, increasing crime, labour rights abuses, and more. They learned, however, one overarching lesson.

Mexicans suffered devastating impacts of NAFTA: loss of food sovereignty to cheap imports, privatisation of seeds, loss of land and livelihoods, increasing crime, labour rights abuses, and more. They learned, however, one overarching lesson.

An agribusiness greenwashing glossary

The main contributors to the climate crisis are devising plans for the agri-food sector which will only serve to make them richer. To do this, they offer a range of “climate compatible” projects and technologies. This will lead to the expansion of the agribusiness model, bringing more destruction and dispossession. Here, we present their “Greenwashing Toolkit”.

The main contributors to the climate crisis are devising plans for the agri-food sector which will only serve to make them richer. To do this, they offer a range of “climate compatible” projects and technologies. This will lead to the expansion of the agribusiness model, bringing more destruction and dispossession. Here, we present their “Greenwashing Toolkit”.

The urgency to localise food supplies

The localising of food systems offers an important way out of the current corporate domination. World Localisation Day aims to scale back food and economic structures to the level of communities–allowing regions and locales to maintain a steady supply of food for themselves while neoliberal economic forces are kept out.

The localising of food systems offers an important way out of the current corporate domination. World Localisation Day aims to scale back food and economic structures to the level of communities–allowing regions and locales to maintain a steady supply of food for themselves while neoliberal economic forces are kept out.

GMOs in Asia : What’s happening and who’s fighting back?

Given society’s desperate need for solutions, the corporate sector hopes their GMOs can gain public support and easily dodge biosafety regulations. In Asia, where the promotion of GM plants and foods is being pushed forcefully not only by agribusiness, but also by publicly-funded institutions, this is resulting in the persistent change of laws, regulations and standards governing GMOs.

Given society’s desperate need for solutions, the corporate sector hopes their GMOs can gain public support and easily dodge biosafety regulations. In Asia, where the promotion of GM plants and foods is being pushed forcefully not only by agribusiness, but also by publicly-funded institutions, this is resulting in the persistent change of laws, regulations and standards governing GMOs.

Lurching from food crisis to food crisis

As the world faces a worsening food crisis, a lot of new data and analysis have been coming out the last few weeks which give us a better understanding of what’s going on and how we might deal with it. At GRAIN, we’ve pulled together a review of key things we’ve learned.

As the world faces a worsening food crisis, a lot of new data and analysis have been coming out the last few weeks which give us a better understanding of what’s going on and how we might deal with it. At GRAIN, we’ve pulled together a review of key things we’ve learned.

Local communities in Senegal demand the return of their land acquired by US firm

As US-based holding company African Agriculture Inc. has filed an initial public offering to fund a large-scale agribusiness project in the northern region of Saint-Louis in Senegal, local communities are demanding the company return their land stolen over a decade ago.

As US-based holding company African Agriculture Inc. has filed an initial public offering to fund a large-scale agribusiness project in the northern region of Saint-Louis in Senegal, local communities are demanding the company return their land stolen over a decade ago.

Heat waves and heavier rains: How the climate crisis affects fresh market traders and street vendors

Record high heatwaves and heavier rains across Asia and other parts of the world in the first few months of this year have led to much harsher conditions for street vendors and fresh market traders. The extreme weather has made it almost impossible to work and has spoiled fresh produce, making it useless for selling. The situation has been disastrous for the incomes of these vendors.

Record high heatwaves and heavier rains across Asia and other parts of the world in the first few months of this year have led to much harsher conditions for street vendors and fresh market traders. The extreme weather has made it almost impossible to work and has spoiled fresh produce, making it useless for selling. The situation has been disastrous for the incomes of these vendors.

Socfin/Bolloré plantations: rising profits, ongoing repression

From Sierra Leone to Nigeria, through Cameroon, Guinea and Ivory Coast, communities living near the industrial palm oil and rubber plantations of Socfin/Bolloré are fighting for their rights and against repression.

From Sierra Leone to Nigeria, through Cameroon, Guinea and Ivory Coast, communities living near the industrial palm oil and rubber plantations of Socfin/Bolloré are fighting for their rights and against repression.

GRAIN’s 2021 activity report

As GRAIN takes its annual look over the past year, the tenacity of long-standing struggles and the beginning of new ones propel us forward. GRAIN’s 2021 activity report highlights the resilience of these international movements, which are resisting corporate control of their lives and developing real alternatives towards food sovereignty.

As GRAIN takes its annual look over the past year, the tenacity of long-standing struggles and the beginning of new ones propel us forward. GRAIN’s 2021 activity report highlights the resilience of these international movements, which are resisting corporate control of their lives and developing real alternatives towards food sovereignty.

Hands off our buffel grass! Kenyan herders resist the privatisation of their biodiversity

Buffel grass is essential to Kenya’s pastoralists. It can be used as fodder, thatching & more. But an individual’s patent risks taking it away from communities, highlighting why the privatisation of biodiversity must be fiercely resisted on the continent.

Buffel grass is essential to Kenya’s pastoralists. It can be used as fodder, thatching & more. But an individual’s patent risks taking it away from communities, highlighting why the privatisation of biodiversity must be fiercely resisted on the continent.

The digitalisation of land: more data, less land

As per its nature, public and communal lands cannot be bought, sold or offered as collateral for loans, making it harder for land grabbers to extract wealth if they take over these lands. This is where new technologies come in; the digital integration of cadastres and land registries enables these lands to be reclassified. Through cadastres, rural properties can be included on registries that provide access to public policies and funding, which, in turn, can be used as a basis to issue individual property titles.

As per its nature, public and communal lands cannot be bought, sold or offered as collateral for loans, making it harder for land grabbers to extract wealth if they take over these lands. This is where new technologies come in; the digital integration of cadastres and land registries enables these lands to be reclassified. Through cadastres, rural properties can be included on registries that provide access to public policies and funding, which, in turn, can be used as a basis to issue individual property titles.