Cracking some hard nuts by GRAIN | 5 Oct 2007 Seedling - October 2007 Behind the scenes, and together with others, GRAIN has been involved in two projects this year which are now drawing to a close - an external evaluation and a study on whether and how it could be possible to set up a special funding mechanism. Behind the scenes, and together with others, GRAIN has been involved in two projects this year which are now drawing to a close - an external evaluation and a study on whether and how it could be possible to set up a special funding mechanism.
Japan digs its claws into biodiversity through FTAs by GRAIN | 27 Aug 2007 Seeds Japan is increasingly using free trade agreements (FTAs) to tighten corporate control over seeds and other forms of biodiversity that are crucial to food, agriculture and medicine. Two such deals, sealed this month with the Chilean and Indonesian governments, put Japan in the big league of nations using bilateral trade deals to make seed-saving on the farm a thing of the past. Japan is increasingly using free trade agreements (FTAs) to tighten corporate control over seeds and other forms of biodiversity that are crucial to food, agriculture and medicine. Two such deals, sealed this month with the Chilean and Indonesian governments, put Japan in the big league of nations using bilateral trade deals to make seed-saving on the farm a thing of the past.
In this special agrofuels issue... by GRAIN | 28 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 We are devoting almost all of this edition to a single topic – the rapid expansion of biofuels across much of the globe. Read the editorial. We are devoting almost all of this edition to a single topic – the rapid expansion of biofuels across much of the globe. Read the editorial.
Stop the agrofuel craze! by GRAIN | 26 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 An introductory article that, among other things, looks at the mind-boggling numbers that are being bandied around: the Indian government is talking of planting 14 million hectares of land with jatropha; the Inter-American Development Bank says that Brazil has 120 million hectares that could be cultivated with agrofuel crops; and an agrofuel lobby is speaking of 379 million hectares being available in 15 African countries. An introductory article that, among other things, looks at the mind-boggling numbers that are being bandied around: the Indian government is talking of planting 14 million hectares of land with jatropha; the Inter-American Development Bank says that Brazil has 120 million hectares that could be cultivated with agrofuel crops; and an agrofuel lobby is speaking of 379 million hectares being available in 15 African countries.
Corporate power: Agrofuels and the expansion of agribusiness by GRAIN | 24 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 Corporate interest in agrofuels has gone from a casual trot to a full-on stampede over the last few years. For business and politicians alike, agrofuels are certainly one of the more palatable “renewable” forms of energy because they fit easily into the existing petroleum-based economy. But they also present opportunities for profit that the new order of “green” business has wasted no time in capturing. Big money is now flowing into agrofuel projects across the world – with big consequences. Corporate interest in agrofuels has gone from a casual trot to a full-on stampede over the last few years. For business and politicians alike, agrofuels are certainly one of the more palatable “renewable” forms of energy because they fit easily into the existing petroleum-based economy. But they also present opportunities for profit that the new order of “green” business has wasted no time in capturing. Big money is now flowing into agrofuel projects across the world – with big consequences.