The color of food: stories of race, resilience, and farming in the United States by Natasha Bowens | 28 May 2015 United States | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity A collection of portraits and stories of Black, Native, Asian and Latina farmers in the United States, digging into critical issues at the intersection of race and food to challenge the status quo of agrarian identity. A collection of portraits and stories of Black, Native, Asian and Latina farmers in the United States, digging into critical issues at the intersection of race and food to challenge the status quo of agrarian identity.
Press release: Monsanto, out of China! by Save Green Association | 23 May 2015 China | corporations | GMOs Chinese food safety activists stated that Monsanto not only hid the information from the Chinese government and people, but also defrauded them with fake reports in order to obtain a safety license. Covering up Roundup’s carcinogenicity and the risks posed to human health by Roundup-tolerant GM soybeans and corn, Monsanto misled China to massively import and produce its products. After demanded to make public the report submitted by Monsanto for securing the safety certificate for its Roundup to enter Chinese market last year. This year during Global Day against Monsanto on May 23, a network of concern Chinese citizen launch ‘Monsanto out of China!’ website to showcases protests by people in China against Monsanto. Chinese food safety activists stated that Monsanto not only hid the information from the Chinese government and people, but also defrauded them with fake reports in order to obtain a safety license. Covering up Roundup’s carcinogenicity and the risks posed to human health by Roundup-tolerant GM soybeans and corn, Monsanto misled China to massively import and produce its products. After demanded to make public the report submitted by Monsanto for securing the safety certificate for its Roundup to enter Chinese market last year. This year during Global Day against Monsanto on May 23, a network of concern Chinese citizen launch ‘Monsanto out of China!’ website to showcases protests by people in China against Monsanto.
GRAIN in 2014: highlights of our activities by GRAIN | 18 May 2015 Activity reports Corporations; people's control over seeds; land grabbing; and agriculture and the climate crisis – these are the interconnected themes of GRAIN's work. In partnership with allies across the world, we document the ways in which the industrial food system damages lives, livelihoods and ecologies, and support the fight for alternatives. Corporations; people's control over seeds; land grabbing; and agriculture and the climate crisis – these are the interconnected themes of GRAIN's work. In partnership with allies across the world, we document the ways in which the industrial food system damages lives, livelihoods and ecologies, and support the fight for alternatives.
Agroecology: putting food sovereignty into action by WhyHunger | 15 May 2015 Brazil | Guatemala | Haiti | India | Mali | United States | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity Agroecology is an agricultural method based on the traditional knowledge of those who cultivate the land and a way of life. WhyHunger release its first agroecology publication that shares the knowledge and perspectives of social movement leaders that are working to “scale up” agroecology around the world. Agroecology is an agricultural method based on the traditional knowledge of those who cultivate the land and a way of life. WhyHunger release its first agroecology publication that shares the knowledge and perspectives of social movement leaders that are working to “scale up” agroecology around the world.
Mozambique's Council of Ministers must say ‘no’ to resettlement of 100,000 in the Nacala Corridor by ADECRU | GRAIN | 11 May 2015 Land More than half a million people living in communities along the banks of the Lúrio River in northern Mozambique will be severely affected if the country's Council of Ministers approves the Lúrio River Valley Development Project (DVRL) in the controversial Nacala Corridor. More than half a million people living in communities along the banks of the Lúrio River in northern Mozambique will be severely affected if the country's Council of Ministers approves the Lúrio River Valley Development Project (DVRL) in the controversial Nacala Corridor.
Asia's agrarian reform in reverse: laws taking land out of small farmers' hands by GRAIN | 30 Apr 2015 Land Asia is a land of small farmers. But across the continent, governments are introducing changes to land laws that threaten to displace millions of peasants and undermine local food systems. The region is witnessing an agrarian reform in reverse. Asia is a land of small farmers. But across the continent, governments are introducing changes to land laws that threaten to displace millions of peasants and undermine local food systems. The region is witnessing an agrarian reform in reverse.
Food, farming and climate change: it's bigger than everything else by Ryan Zinn | 30 Apr 2015 climate crisis When we think of climate change and global warming, visions of coal-fired power plants and solar panels come to mind. Policy discussions and personal action usually revolve around hybrid cars, energy-efficient homes and debates about the latest technological solutions. However, the global agriculture system is at the heart of both the problem and the solution. When we think of climate change and global warming, visions of coal-fired power plants and solar panels come to mind. Policy discussions and personal action usually revolve around hybrid cars, energy-efficient homes and debates about the latest technological solutions. However, the global agriculture system is at the heart of both the problem and the solution.
Farmers make more money with ecological farming by Mark Curtis & Greenpeace | 22 Apr 2015 Kenya | Malawi | technologies | food sovereignty | seeds & biodiversity More money for small scale farmers with ecological farming – this is the message contained in a Greenpeace Africa report released in Nairobi today. The report – based on research in Kenya and Malawi – shows that ecological farming provides substantial financial benefits to small-scale farmers when compared to those farmers that use agro-chemical More money for small scale farmers with ecological farming – this is the message contained in a Greenpeace Africa report released in Nairobi today. The report – based on research in Kenya and Malawi – shows that ecological farming provides substantial financial benefits to small-scale farmers when compared to those farmers that use agro-chemical
Global resistance to land grabs by Bolloré and Socfin by ReAct | 22 Apr 2015 Cambodia | Cameroon | Cote d'Ivoire | Liberia | Sierra Leone | land grabbing Peasant farmers deprived of their lands have launched a series of occupations of Socfin's plantations in Cameroon, Liberia, Cambodia and Côte d'Ivoire Peasant farmers deprived of their lands have launched a series of occupations of Socfin's plantations in Cameroon, Liberia, Cambodia and Côte d'Ivoire
Seed laws that criminalise farmers: resistance and fightback by La Via Campesina | GRAIN | 8 Apr 2015 Seeds Seeds are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly put limitations on what farmers can do with their seeds and with the seeds they buy. Seed saving, a thousand-year-old practice which forms the basis of farming, is fast becoming criminalised. What can we do about this? Seeds are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly put limitations on what farmers can do with their seeds and with the seeds they buy. Seed saving, a thousand-year-old practice which forms the basis of farming, is fast becoming criminalised. What can we do about this?
Infographic: Stop seed laws that criminalise farmers & defend local seeds! by La Via Campesina & GRAIN | 7 Apr 2015 Seeds Seeds are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly put limitations on what farmers can do with their seeds and with the seeds they buy. Seed saving, a thousand-year-old practice which forms the basis of farming, is fast becoming criminalised. What can we do about this? Seeds are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly put limitations on what farmers can do with their seeds and with the seeds they buy. Seed saving, a thousand-year-old practice which forms the basis of farming, is fast becoming criminalised. What can we do about this?
Seed laws that criminalise farmers: poster, map, tables and additional country cases by La Via Campesina | GRAIN | 7 Apr 2015 Seeds Seeds are the basis of productive, social and cultural processes that give rural people the ability to maintain a degree of autonomy and to refuse to be completely controlled by big business and big money. For the corporate interests that are striving to take control of land, farming, food and the huge market that these represent, this independence is an obstacle. Seeds are the basis of productive, social and cultural processes that give rural people the ability to maintain a degree of autonomy and to refuse to be completely controlled by big business and big money. For the corporate interests that are striving to take control of land, farming, food and the huge market that these represent, this independence is an obstacle.
World Social Forum 2015: Space of convergence of land and water struggles by CLWS | 26 Mar 2015 land grabbing | food sovereignty We, social and grassroots movements and their allies met at the African Social Forum in Dakar in October 2014, with the objective to unite all the struggles for the Land and Water and against the criminalization of activists thereof. We have developed a declaration entitled "Rights to Water and Land, A Common Struggle". We, social and grassroots movements and their allies met at the African Social Forum in Dakar in October 2014, with the objective to unite all the struggles for the Land and Water and against the criminalization of activists thereof. We have developed a declaration entitled "Rights to Water and Land, A Common Struggle".
The global biomass robbery by EJOLT | 13 Mar 2015 Ethiopia | Indonesia | Paraguay | land grabbing | corporations The latest report by EJOLT, a global alliance of environmental justice organisations, on the nature and impact of the increasing global biomass trade. The report examines the global evolution of food production and international food trade and identifies related drivers of socio-environmental conflicts. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, global trade in agricultural products grew more than three times faster than agricultural production. Nearly all the new land that had been put into production since 1986 was used to produce export crops. The authors conclude that the EU should revise the Common Agricultural Policy to strengthen small-scale farming, promote shorter production chains, support fair trade schemes, as well as to increase organic and permaculture practices. Henk Hobbelink from GRAIN said that “On this topic, the only real policy recommendation that I see is that the expansion of the commodity crops should be stopped and reversed, and land should be reverted to food production in the hand of small farmers.” The latest report by EJOLT, a global alliance of environmental justice organisations, on the nature and impact of the increasing global biomass trade. The report examines the global evolution of food production and international food trade and identifies related drivers of socio-environmental conflicts. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, global trade in agricultural products grew more than three times faster than agricultural production. Nearly all the new land that had been put into production since 1986 was used to produce export crops. The authors conclude that the EU should revise the Common Agricultural Policy to strengthen small-scale farming, promote shorter production chains, support fair trade schemes, as well as to increase organic and permaculture practices. Henk Hobbelink from GRAIN said that “On this topic, the only real policy recommendation that I see is that the expansion of the commodity crops should be stopped and reversed, and land should be reverted to food production in the hand of small farmers.”
Golden Rice is unnecessary and dangerous by STOP Golden Rice Alliance | 10 Mar 2015 Seeds With inexpensive Vitamin A abundantly available from various natural sources, it is a mistake to turn blindly to Golden Rice, a crop that the International Rice Research Institute itself admits it has not yet determined can actually improve vitamin A intake. Farmers and civil society organisations strongly denounce the Golden Rice Campaign Tour planned for the Philippines, Bangladesh, and India from 4-20 March 2015 and continue to call for the defence of traditional and farmer-bred crop varieties and the prohibition of the commercialisation of Golden Rice. With inexpensive Vitamin A abundantly available from various natural sources, it is a mistake to turn blindly to Golden Rice, a crop that the International Rice Research Institute itself admits it has not yet determined can actually improve vitamin A intake. Farmers and civil society organisations strongly denounce the Golden Rice Campaign Tour planned for the Philippines, Bangladesh, and India from 4-20 March 2015 and continue to call for the defence of traditional and farmer-bred crop varieties and the prohibition of the commercialisation of Golden Rice.