We will not be silenced by Bolloré's SLAPP lawsuits! by Civil society organisations, media outlets, journalists and NGOs | 24 Jan 2018 France | corporations | actions This Thursday 25 January, a lawsuit was opened against three newspapers (Mediapart, L’Obs and Le Point) and two NGOs (Sherpa and ReAct), who are accused of defamation by the Luxembourgian holding Socfin and its Cameroonian subsidiary Socapalm, for articles reporting on the mobilisation of villagers and farmers in West Africa who live near farms managed by these two companies. These companies have strong links to the Bolloré group, and Vincent Bolloré himself serves on their board of directors. This Thursday 25 January, a lawsuit was opened against three newspapers (Mediapart, L’Obs and Le Point) and two NGOs (Sherpa and ReAct), who are accused of defamation by the Luxembourgian holding Socfin and its Cameroonian subsidiary Socapalm, for articles reporting on the mobilisation of villagers and farmers in West Africa who live near farms managed by these two companies. These companies have strong links to the Bolloré group, and Vincent Bolloré himself serves on their board of directors.
A sign-on statement to stop the poisoning of the people and the planet by Pan-Asia Pacific (PANAP) | 24 Jan 2018 corporations | food sovereignty | India | actions Thirty-three years ago today, the horrendous Bhopal gas tragedy at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in India immediately killed 3,000 people and 15,000 more subsequently. Survivors, exposed to the deadly gas and their children, continue to suffer from the world’s worst industrial disaster. Thousands of tons of hazardous wastes remain buried underground and the area remains contaminated. Meanwhile, Union Carbide, which became a subsidiary of Dow-Chemical Co. in 2001, has yet to fully account for the tragedy. Thirty-three years ago today, the horrendous Bhopal gas tragedy at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in India immediately killed 3,000 people and 15,000 more subsequently. Survivors, exposed to the deadly gas and their children, continue to suffer from the world’s worst industrial disaster. Thousands of tons of hazardous wastes remain buried underground and the area remains contaminated. Meanwhile, Union Carbide, which became a subsidiary of Dow-Chemical Co. in 2001, has yet to fully account for the tragedy.
Farming for a small planet by Frances Moore Lappé | 12 Jan 2018 corporations | climate crisis | food sovereignty An excellent, and well documented, summary article by Frances Moore Lappé explaining why the industrial food system can't feed the world, and agroecology can. An excellent, and well documented, summary article by Frances Moore Lappé explaining why the industrial food system can't feed the world, and agroecology can.
Anuak condemn attempts to delay Karuturi’s exit from Ethiopia by Anywaa Survival Organisation et al | 15 Dec 2017 Ethiopia | land grabbing Anuak organisations, with the strong support of international civil society, call on the governments of Ethiopia and India to cease negotiations with Karuturi Global Ltd and to ensure that the company fully exits Gambela and other parts of Ethiopia. Anuak organisations, with the strong support of international civil society, call on the governments of Ethiopia and India to cease negotiations with Karuturi Global Ltd and to ensure that the company fully exits Gambela and other parts of Ethiopia.
Land conflict in Côte d'Ivoire: local communities defend their rights against SIAT and the state by IDEF, Eburnie Today, JVE Côte d’Ivoire, GRAIN | 12 Dec 2017 Land It all started one morning in August 2011 when three village communities in eastern-central Côte d’Ivoire learned that a Belgian corporation called SIAT was about to move onto their land. Not long afterward, an agribusiness firm started putting in a rubber monoculture on 11,000 ha that the communities had neither sold nor ceded and that SIAT was not entitled to exploit. It all started one morning in August 2011 when three village communities in eastern-central Côte d’Ivoire learned that a Belgian corporation called SIAT was about to move onto their land. Not long afterward, an agribusiness firm started putting in a rubber monoculture on 11,000 ha that the communities had neither sold nor ceded and that SIAT was not entitled to exploit.
A land grab for pulp: Environmental Paper Network exposes problems with a new pulp project in Mozambique by Environmental Paper Network | 29 Nov 2017 Mozambique | Norway | land grabbing A report released by the Environmental Paper Network (EPN) today highlights the environmental and social impacts of a new pulp mill project in Mozambique. Portucel Moçambique (a Mozambican company controlled by The Navigator Company, previously known as Portucel Soporcel) will build a pulp mill in Zambézia, Mozambique. The mill will have a production capacity of 1,500,000 tonnes per year and a biomass power generation plant.The new mill, located onthe shore of the Indian Ocean, will mostly provide pulp to the Asian paper industry. A report released by the Environmental Paper Network (EPN) today highlights the environmental and social impacts of a new pulp mill project in Mozambique. Portucel Moçambique (a Mozambican company controlled by The Navigator Company, previously known as Portucel Soporcel) will build a pulp mill in Zambézia, Mozambique. The mill will have a production capacity of 1,500,000 tonnes per year and a biomass power generation plant.The new mill, located onthe shore of the Indian Ocean, will mostly provide pulp to the Asian paper industry.
Supermarkets, transnational supply chains and labour rights’ abuses by GRAIN | 27 Nov 2017 Corporations | Supermarket Watch According to different sources, transnational supply chains currently account for 30 to 60 per cent of all global trade, and depend on the work of over 100 million workers globally. On average, companies relying on transnational supply chains only directly hire 6 per cent of the labour force they actually employ. The rest is “outsourced”, often scattered across several countries and amongst thousands of suppliers. According to different sources, transnational supply chains currently account for 30 to 60 per cent of all global trade, and depend on the work of over 100 million workers globally. On average, companies relying on transnational supply chains only directly hire 6 per cent of the labour force they actually employ. The rest is “outsourced”, often scattered across several countries and amongst thousands of suppliers.
Trade agreements that impact seed laws in Africa by GRAIN | 20 Nov 2017 Seeds The autonomy of African states on seed policy is limited by trade deals, such as free trade agreements or investment treaties, signed by States. Certainly, in principle, each country has sovereignty to sign or not sign these agreements. But they are very often forced to conclude them for financial, geopolitical, security or other reasons. GRAIN published a baseline study of these agreements, either signed or in the process of being negotiated, in June 2016 (see “Trade agreements that privatise biodiversity outside the WTO, Annex 1”). Today, what is the situation? The autonomy of African states on seed policy is limited by trade deals, such as free trade agreements or investment treaties, signed by States. Certainly, in principle, each country has sovereignty to sign or not sign these agreements. But they are very often forced to conclude them for financial, geopolitical, security or other reasons. GRAIN published a baseline study of these agreements, either signed or in the process of being negotiated, in June 2016 (see “Trade agreements that privatise biodiversity outside the WTO, Annex 1”). Today, what is the situation?
Territories of solidarity: letter from Quebec (Canada) by Civil society organisations | 20 Nov 2017 Brazil | Canada | land grabbing On this November 20, when Brazil celebrates the Day of Black Consciousness, the institutions and organizations that sign this letter come to express their solidarity with the social movements of Brazil, especially the peoples and communities of the country, waters and forests. On this November 20, when Brazil celebrates the Day of Black Consciousness, the institutions and organizations that sign this letter come to express their solidarity with the social movements of Brazil, especially the peoples and communities of the country, waters and forests.
How corporate giants are automating the farm by Jim Thomas | 19 Nov 2017 United States | corporations | technologies Self-driving tractors and the internet of cows – welcome to the world of precision agriculture. Jim Thomas of the ETC Group lays out the vision driving corporate giants into a merger frenzy Self-driving tractors and the internet of cows – welcome to the world of precision agriculture. Jim Thomas of the ETC Group lays out the vision driving corporate giants into a merger frenzy
Dalit women : we’re fighting RCEP by bilaterals.org | 9 Nov 2017 India | food sovereignty Fatima Burnad is a member of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) and she advocates for women farmers’ rights. She and other Dalit women in India are concerned that Dalit women will be the most affected by RCEP and that land grabbing for corporate agriculture will impact food sovereignty, rights over land and seed preservation. But they will resist. Fatima Burnad is a member of the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) and she advocates for women farmers’ rights. She and other Dalit women in India are concerned that Dalit women will be the most affected by RCEP and that land grabbing for corporate agriculture will impact food sovereignty, rights over land and seed preservation. But they will resist.
Farmer groups hit PhilRice for renewed push to field and feed test Golden Rice by MASIPAG | 8 Nov 2017 Philippines | seeds & biodiversity Farmer-scientist group Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura or MASIPAG hit PhilRice for its renewed push to open field test and feed test Golden Rice. Farmer-scientist group Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura or MASIPAG hit PhilRice for its renewed push to open field test and feed test Golden Rice.
Syrian seeds shake up Europe’s plant patent regime by By Mark Schapiro | 8 Nov 2017 Italy | Syrian Arab Republic | seeds & biodiversity Salvatore Ceccarelli knew he was engaging in a subversive act when, in 2010, he took two 20 kilo sacks of bread and durum wheat seeds from a seed bank outside of Aleppo, Syria and brought them to Italy during a visit back to his home country. Now, seven years later, those seeds from the Fertile Crescent, the birthplace of domesticated agriculture, with thousands of years of evolution behind them, are poised to challenge the system of plant patenting in Europe, and, soon enough perhaps, the United States. Salvatore Ceccarelli knew he was engaging in a subversive act when, in 2010, he took two 20 kilo sacks of bread and durum wheat seeds from a seed bank outside of Aleppo, Syria and brought them to Italy during a visit back to his home country. Now, seven years later, those seeds from the Fertile Crescent, the birthplace of domesticated agriculture, with thousands of years of evolution behind them, are poised to challenge the system of plant patenting in Europe, and, soon enough perhaps, the United States.
Big meat and dairy’s supersized climate footprint by GRAIN, IATP and Heinrich Böll Foundation | 7 Nov 2017 Climate Three meat companies - JBS, Cargill and Tyson - emitted more greenhouse gases last year than all of France and nearly as much as some of the biggest oil companies like Exxon, BP and Shell. Few meat and dairy companies calculate or publish their climate emissions. So for the first time ever, we have estimated corporate emissions from livestock, using the most comprehensive methodology created to date by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). And before the meat and dairy industries descend upon COP23 to broadcast their “feed the world” narrative, let’s set the story straight: their emissions could lead us to a point of no return. Three meat companies - JBS, Cargill and Tyson - emitted more greenhouse gases last year than all of France and nearly as much as some of the biggest oil companies like Exxon, BP and Shell. Few meat and dairy companies calculate or publish their climate emissions. So for the first time ever, we have estimated corporate emissions from livestock, using the most comprehensive methodology created to date by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). And before the meat and dairy industries descend upon COP23 to broadcast their “feed the world” narrative, let’s set the story straight: their emissions could lead us to a point of no return.
Africans demand real climate action by No-REDD Africa, No Vox Togo, Oilwatch Africa and GRAIN | 6 Nov 2017 Climate Morocco will hand the presidency over to Fiji at the Conference of Parties (COP23) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change taking place in Bonn, Germany. Morocco will hand the presidency over to Fiji at the Conference of Parties (COP23) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change taking place in Bonn, Germany.