Oil palm in Latin America: monoculture and violence by GRAIN | 26 Mar 2024 Land Oil palm plantations in Latin America have quadrupled. Demand is driven by the relatively low price of palm oil and its multiple uses. This crop is creating constant conflicts on peasant, indigenous and Afro-descendant lands. Oil palm plantations in Latin America have quadrupled. Demand is driven by the relatively low price of palm oil and its multiple uses. This crop is creating constant conflicts on peasant, indigenous and Afro-descendant lands.
Plastic waste in the food system: corporations continue to binge on single-use plastic while local shops and hawkers find alternatives by GRAIN | 27 Feb 2024 Supermarket Watch Asia In this edition we see how in India and China, local markets and street food vendors in Asia that operate outside the corporate system are already finding creative ways to reduce their plastic waste and develop solutions that support people's livelihoods and food needs. In this edition we see how in India and China, local markets and street food vendors in Asia that operate outside the corporate system are already finding creative ways to reduce their plastic waste and develop solutions that support people's livelihoods and food needs.
The Davos-isation of the climate COP by GRAIN | 15 Feb 2024 Climate UN climate talks are increasingly being used to cut carbon deals, not emissions. This is the Davos-isation of COP. In this article, GRAIN looks at how this corporate capture played out in the area of food and agriculture, the source of one-third of global emissions. UN climate talks are increasingly being used to cut carbon deals, not emissions. This is the Davos-isation of COP. In this article, GRAIN looks at how this corporate capture played out in the area of food and agriculture, the source of one-third of global emissions.
A new wave of land grabs strikes Tanzania by GRAIN and La Via Campesina Southern and Eastern Africa | 2 Feb 2024 Land Tanzania’s experience in the global land grab post-2008 led to shattered hopes, land conflicts & misery for small farmers. Yet, the current govt risks repeating history. A new report looks at this critical moment for Tanzania's small farmers & pastoralists. Tanzania’s experience in the global land grab post-2008 led to shattered hopes, land conflicts & misery for small farmers. Yet, the current govt risks repeating history. A new report looks at this critical moment for Tanzania's small farmers & pastoralists.
Expanding markets, undermining food sovereignty: 10 years of China’s Belt and Road by GRAIN | 25 Jan 2024 Corporations Ten years into the Belt and Road Initiative projects, the expansion of corporate investments in the global agri-food system has reached new heights. As evidenced in this GRAIN report, it is hard to find anything “green” or small-scale about the BRI's plans in agriculture, fisheries and e-commerce. Ten years into the Belt and Road Initiative projects, the expansion of corporate investments in the global agri-food system has reached new heights. As evidenced in this GRAIN report, it is hard to find anything “green” or small-scale about the BRI's plans in agriculture, fisheries and e-commerce.
Challenging e-commerce monopolisation in food distribution by GRAIN | 29 Nov 2023 Supermarket Watch Asia E-commerce continues to expand rapidly into food distribution and retail across Asia, speeding up corporate control. These digital platforms increase the pricing power corporations have over farmers and enable them to bring workers in the food system under the control of invisible command centers. E-commerce continues to expand rapidly into food distribution and retail across Asia, speeding up corporate control. These digital platforms increase the pricing power corporations have over farmers and enable them to bring workers in the food system under the control of invisible command centers.
Tackling the climate crisis by addressing food consumption by GRAIN | 16 Nov 2023 Climate It is now common knowledge that we have to transform both how we produce and how we use energy to disrupt the current trajectory of climate change. Simply switching from “polluting” energy sources to “clean” ones will not work. We actually have to produce and use less energy altogether if we are to keep our planet liveable while fighting for justice and equity in terms of who can access and consume energy. It is now common knowledge that we have to transform both how we produce and how we use energy to disrupt the current trajectory of climate change. Simply switching from “polluting” energy sources to “clean” ones will not work. We actually have to produce and use less energy altogether if we are to keep our planet liveable while fighting for justice and equity in terms of who can access and consume energy.
Squeezing communities dry: water grabbing by the global food industry by GRAIN | 21 Sep 2023 Land Pension fund managers, private equity firms and other financial players are moving aggressively to snatch up lands around the world with access to water for irrigation. Their strategy is to pump as much water as they can and as fast as they can into the production of crops, like fruits and nuts, that reap high prices in export markets. Pension fund managers, private equity firms and other financial players are moving aggressively to snatch up lands around the world with access to water for irrigation. Their strategy is to pump as much water as they can and as fast as they can into the production of crops, like fruits and nuts, that reap high prices in export markets.
Social protection for market traders and street vendors in an era of pension fund capitalism by GRAIN | 31 Aug 2023 Supermarket Watch Asia Following the work of many others who have been organising and working with market traders and street vendors, two important issues come to the forefront: one is the fight against harassments and evictions of small food traders; the other is the fight for social protection such as access to health services and income security. Following the work of many others who have been organising and working with market traders and street vendors, two important issues come to the forefront: one is the fight against harassments and evictions of small food traders; the other is the fight for social protection such as access to health services and income security.
The AfDB strategy to agro-industrialise Africa by GRAIN | 31 Jul 2023 Corporations One of the main objectives of the African Development Bank is to transform African agriculture by moving towards "agro-industrialisation". Who are the actors who benefit the most? What are the implications for the peasantry? One of the main objectives of the African Development Bank is to transform African agriculture by moving towards "agro-industrialisation". Who are the actors who benefit the most? What are the implications for the peasantry?
The corn conflict between Mexico and the USA: smoke and mirrors by GRAIN | 18 Jul 2023 Seeds A months-old conflict is pitting Mexico against the USA over the acceptance or rejection of biotech imports. Mexico wants to ban GM corn imports for direct human consumption. The USA is threatening sanctions. A months-old conflict is pitting Mexico against the USA over the acceptance or rejection of biotech imports. Mexico wants to ban GM corn imports for direct human consumption. The USA is threatening sanctions.
Beyond the ‘informal economy’ of food distribution by GRAIN | 29 May 2023 Supermarket Watch Asia Some have adopted terms like “solidarity economy” or “people’s sector” to more accurately convey the important role that the workers of the so-called "informal sector" play in the local economy and their key contribution in providing food to everyone. In this edition of the bulletin, we share stories of resilient Palestinian women farmers producing food boxes and of farmers in Laos using strategies to market their products in the face of a fuel price spike. Some have adopted terms like “solidarity economy” or “people’s sector” to more accurately convey the important role that the workers of the so-called "informal sector" play in the local economy and their key contribution in providing food to everyone. In this edition of the bulletin, we share stories of resilient Palestinian women farmers producing food boxes and of farmers in Laos using strategies to market their products in the face of a fuel price spike.
The avocados of wrath by GRAIN & Colectivo por la Autonomía | 4 May 2023 Land Avocados are the world’s third-largest fruit commodity. Their production is taking up an ever-growing area and continually expanding into new countries. What are the implications? What forces are driving it? How does this model, working on both global and local scales, manage to keep prices high? Avocados are the world’s third-largest fruit commodity. Their production is taking up an ever-growing area and continually expanding into new countries. What are the implications? What forces are driving it? How does this model, working on both global and local scales, manage to keep prices high?
Will more sovereign wealth funds mean less food sovereignty? by GRAIN | 6 Apr 2023 Corporations A handful of actors form the centre of gravity of global agricultural investing by sovereign wealth funds. Find out what “sovereign wealth funds” are and how they go against people’s struggles for foodsovereignty. A handful of actors form the centre of gravity of global agricultural investing by sovereign wealth funds. Find out what “sovereign wealth funds” are and how they go against people’s struggles for foodsovereignty.
Insights into the evolution of China's agri-food system by GRAIN | 29 Mar 2023 Climate China’s globalised food strategies have led the country into a “contradiction” between self-sufficiency and food imports. In this interview, GRAIN assesses the impacts of the now corporate-based food system over the last four decades. China’s globalised food strategies have led the country into a “contradiction” between self-sufficiency and food imports. In this interview, GRAIN assesses the impacts of the now corporate-based food system over the last four decades.