The fertiliser trap: the rising cost of farming’s addiction to chemical fertilisers by GRAIN & IATP | 8 Nov 2022 Corporations 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 by GRAIN | 20 Oct 2022 Corporations | Multimedia 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? by GRAIN | 17 Oct 2022 Corporations 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.
We need a movement to take pensions out of financial markets by GRAIN, A Growing Culture and Kevin Skerrett | 2 Sep 2022 Corporations Conversations held with activists from around the world in May and June webinars of 2022 make clear the need for a movement to take pensions out of financial markets. Conversations held with activists from around the world in May and June webinars of 2022 make clear the need for a movement to take pensions out of financial markets.
A fertiliser cartel holds the global food system hostage by GRAIN | 1 Sep 2022 Corporations A new report from INKOTA shows how fertiliser companies squeeze excess profits from the food system and how we have to end the policies and programmes – like AGRA in Africa – that are behind them A new report from INKOTA shows how fertiliser companies squeeze excess profits from the food system and how we have to end the policies and programmes – like AGRA in Africa – that are behind them
Funding industrial agriculture vs agroecology: Not a simple binary by GRAIN | 4 Aug 2022 Corporations It's often said that we need to "shift funding" from industrial agriculture to agroecology in order to advance food sovereignty. While it’s true that we need to resource and strengthen agroecology, the idea that it’s matter of moving money around, or pointing institutions in a different direction, is not as straightforward as it sounds. It's often said that we need to "shift funding" from industrial agriculture to agroecology in order to advance food sovereignty. While it’s true that we need to resource and strengthen agroecology, the idea that it’s matter of moving money around, or pointing institutions in a different direction, is not as straightforward as it sounds.
Lurching from food crisis to food crisis by GRAIN | 8 Jul 2022 Corporations 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.
Resisting pension fund capitalism: a webinar series by AGC & GRAIN | 28 Apr 2022 Corporations | Multimedia Join us for an upcoming webinar series organised by GRAIN and hosted by A Growing Culture, unpacking the current impacts of pension funds and how we can start working towards a more just and equitable system. Join us for an upcoming webinar series organised by GRAIN and hosted by A Growing Culture, unpacking the current impacts of pension funds and how we can start working towards a more just and equitable system.
Peasants still feed the world, even if FAO claims otherwise by AFSA, A Growing Culture, ETC Group, GRAIN, Groundswell International, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Landworkers Alliance, The Oakland Institute | 2 Feb 2022 Corporations The FAO has bumbled into a controversy over whether peasants or agribusiness feed most of the world. Seven organisations with long experience working on food and farming issues have written to the Director General of the FAO sharply criticizing the UN agency for a 2021 report that is statistically confusing and contradicts FAO positions. The FAO has bumbled into a controversy over whether peasants or agribusiness feed most of the world. Seven organisations with long experience working on food and farming issues have written to the Director General of the FAO sharply criticizing the UN agency for a 2021 report that is statistically confusing and contradicts FAO positions.
Corporations make a killing milking Africa by GRAIN | 18 Nov 2021 Corporations Africa's vibrant dairy sector is under threat. Multinational dairy corporations see the continent as a dumping ground for their excess production and as a new frontier for their processed dairy products. They are pushing for regulations, trade measures and agribusiness projects that will undermine local dairy systems and give them monopoly control over Africa's rapidly growing urban markets. Africa's vibrant dairy sector is under threat. Multinational dairy corporations see the continent as a dumping ground for their excess production and as a new frontier for their processed dairy products. They are pushing for regulations, trade measures and agribusiness projects that will undermine local dairy systems and give them monopoly control over Africa's rapidly growing urban markets.
Governments use a pig pandemic to expand corporate power and crush small farms by GRAIN | 6 Oct 2021 Corporations A variant of African swine fever that entered Europe in 2007 has laid waste to pig farms in Eastern Europe and Asia and, now, for the first time in 40 years, ASF is back in the Americas. The corporate approach to “biosecurity” will not stop ASF, and it will only make the world more vulnerable to new diseases. A variant of African swine fever that entered Europe in 2007 has laid waste to pig farms in Eastern Europe and Asia and, now, for the first time in 40 years, ASF is back in the Americas. The corporate approach to “biosecurity” will not stop ASF, and it will only make the world more vulnerable to new diseases.
The corporate attack on Pakistan’s small dairies by GRAIN | 29 Sep 2021 Corporations Under the banner of pasteurisation and modernisation of the dairy sector, the Government of Pakistan, dairy corporations and international agencies like USAID, are on the offensive to marginalize smallholder dairies. Corporate dairies are not leaving any stone unturned to damage the reputation of fresh, local milk. Under the banner of pasteurisation and modernisation of the dairy sector, the Government of Pakistan, dairy corporations and international agencies like USAID, are on the offensive to marginalize smallholder dairies. Corporate dairies are not leaving any stone unturned to damage the reputation of fresh, local milk.
Big Food in Africa: Endangering people’s health by AFSA & GRAIN | 21 Sep 2021 Corporations | Multimedia In the following publication, we have collected examples from across the African continent that highlight the dangers of the industrial food system, but also demonstrate the pushback taking place from consumers and small producers. These food safety scandals illustrate our argument that the industrial food system does not care about nutrition or health, but of profits. In the following publication, we have collected examples from across the African continent that highlight the dangers of the industrial food system, but also demonstrate the pushback taking place from consumers and small producers. These food safety scandals illustrate our argument that the industrial food system does not care about nutrition or health, but of profits.
A label for bicycle chicken? Time to ask some questions! by COPAGEN & GRAIN | 10 Sep 2021 Corporations On July 2021, the government of Burkina Faso announced the launch of a project to provide a label for “bicycle chicken”, as local chicken is known there and in other African countries. According to the government, the aim of this label is to protect local Burkina Faso chicken from imported broiler chickens. But how can it be attributed to just one country? And if the aim is to protect a breed of chicken via the market, doesn’t creating a label run the risk of promoting its industrialisation? On July 2021, the government of Burkina Faso announced the launch of a project to provide a label for “bicycle chicken”, as local chicken is known there and in other African countries. According to the government, the aim of this label is to protect local Burkina Faso chicken from imported broiler chickens. But how can it be attributed to just one country? And if the aim is to protect a breed of chicken via the market, doesn’t creating a label run the risk of promoting its industrialisation?
How the Gates Foundation is driving the food system, in the wrong direction by GRAIN | 17 Jun 2021 Corporations | Multimedia Over the past 17 years, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has spent nearly US$6 billion on agriculture. In a new report, GRAIN analyses all the food and agriculture grants the foundation has made up until 2020, and reveals that while the Foundation allegedly prioritises African farmers, the vast majority of its funding actually goes to groups in North America and Europe. Over the past 17 years, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has spent nearly US$6 billion on agriculture. In a new report, GRAIN analyses all the food and agriculture grants the foundation has made up until 2020, and reveals that while the Foundation allegedly prioritises African farmers, the vast majority of its funding actually goes to groups in North America and Europe.