Media release: Asia's agrarian reform in reverse by GRAIN | 30 Apr 2015 Media releases Legislative changes now sweeping across Asia threaten to displace millions of peasant families, undermine local food systems and increase violent conflicts over land. Legislative changes now sweeping across Asia threaten to displace millions of peasant families, undermine local food systems and increase violent conflicts over land.
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.
Media release: Global resistance to land grabs by Bolloré and Socfin by ReAct | 22 Apr 2015 Media releases "These lands were stolen from us. We come now to take them back and occupy them until an agreement is reached with Bolloré and Socfin." Along with Michel Essonga, 6,000 Cameroonian peasants have had their forests destroyed and seen 40,000 ha of their land appropriated by Socapalm, a plantation controlled by Socfin. "These lands were stolen from us. We come now to take them back and occupy them until an agreement is reached with Bolloré and Socfin." Along with Michel Essonga, 6,000 Cameroonian peasants have had their forests destroyed and seen 40,000 ha of their land appropriated by Socapalm, a plantation controlled by Socfin.
Media release: Seed laws that criminalise farmers by La Via Campesina & GRAIN | 8 Apr 2015 Media releases Peasant seeds – the pillar of food production – are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly limit what farmers can do with their seeds. Seed saving, which has been the basis of farming for thousands of years, is quickly being criminalised. Peasant seeds – the pillar of food production – are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly limit what farmers can do with their seeds. Seed saving, which has been the basis of farming for thousands of years, is quickly being criminalised.
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.
Seed laws that criminalise farmers: additional country experiences by La Via Campesina | GRAIN | 7 Apr 2015 Seeds Peasant seeds – the pillar of food production – are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly limit what farmers can do with their seeds. These additional country experiences further illustrate the attacks on seeds – and popular resistance – around the world as described in the booklet, "Seed laws that criminalise farmers: resistance and fightback". Peasant seeds – the pillar of food production – are under attack everywhere. Under corporate pressure, laws in many countries increasingly limit what farmers can do with their seeds. These additional country experiences further illustrate the attacks on seeds – and popular resistance – around the world as described in the booklet, "Seed laws that criminalise farmers: resistance and fightback".
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.
Free trade and Mexico’s junk food epidemic by GRAIN | 2 Mar 2015 Corporations Transnational food companies are taking over traditional distribution channels in the South and replacing local foods with cheap, processed junk food, often with the direct support of governments. Free trade and investment agreements have been critical to their success. The case of Mexico provides a stark picture of the consequences for the world's poorest people. Transnational food companies are taking over traditional distribution channels in the South and replacing local foods with cheap, processed junk food, often with the direct support of governments. Free trade and investment agreements have been critical to their success. The case of Mexico provides a stark picture of the consequences for the world's poorest people.
Infographic: Seed laws around the world by GRAIN | 23 Feb 2015 Seeds are under attack everywhere. This map and database provide a picture of of laws that are limiting farmers' rights to their seeds. Seeds are under attack everywhere. This map and database provide a picture of of laws that are limiting farmers' rights to their seeds.
Media release: Colonial plantations are making a comeback in Mozambique by UNAC | GRAIN | 19 Feb 2015 Media releases There is a colonial-style scramble for Africa's farm lands, and Mozambique's peasants are on the front lines. A new survey of land deals in Mozambique shows that since 2006 there have been at least 35 land deals with foreign investors for the production of food crops, covering over half a million ha. There is a colonial-style scramble for Africa's farm lands, and Mozambique's peasants are on the front lines. A new survey of land deals in Mozambique shows that since 2006 there have been at least 35 land deals with foreign investors for the production of food crops, covering over half a million ha.
The land grabbers of the Nacala Corridor by UNAC | GRAIN | 19 Feb 2015 Land A new report by Mozambique's National Farmers' Union (UNAC) and GRAIN shows there is a colonial-style scramble for Africa's farm lands under way. Politically-connected companies based in offshore tax havens have grabbed hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland from peasants in Mozambique. A new report by Mozambique's National Farmers' Union (UNAC) and GRAIN shows there is a colonial-style scramble for Africa's farm lands under way. Politically-connected companies based in offshore tax havens have grabbed hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland from peasants in Mozambique.
Structural reforms, free trade agreements and the war on subsistence by GRAIN | 10 Feb 2015 Corporations During twenty workshops, five pre-hearings, a final hearing and a complementary hearing of the Permanent People's Tribunal in Mexico, various communities and organisations exposed the vast and systematic character of the attack against the peasantry and independent food production. The purpose of this text is to present the Mexican case as a mirror in which other countries may see the first hand effects of the subordination implicit in free trade agreements. During twenty workshops, five pre-hearings, a final hearing and a complementary hearing of the Permanent People's Tribunal in Mexico, various communities and organisations exposed the vast and systematic character of the attack against the peasantry and independent food production. The purpose of this text is to present the Mexican case as a mirror in which other countries may see the first hand effects of the subordination implicit in free trade agreements.
EU-US trade deal threatens food safety by GRAIN, FOEE, IATP, and others | 5 Feb 2015 The trade agreement being negotiated between the US and EU threatens public health, consumer rights and animal welfare standards. This is documented in a new report co-published by FOEE, IATP, Centre for Food Safety, Compassion in Wolrd Farming, and GRAIN. The criticisms come as negotiators from both sides of the Atlantic meet behind closed doors in Brussels, Belgium this week to start writing new food safety rules for the trade deal and as hundreds of people demonstrated against the ‘Trojan Horse Treaty’. The trade agreement being negotiated between the US and EU threatens public health, consumer rights and animal welfare standards. This is documented in a new report co-published by FOEE, IATP, Centre for Food Safety, Compassion in Wolrd Farming, and GRAIN. The criticisms come as negotiators from both sides of the Atlantic meet behind closed doors in Brussels, Belgium this week to start writing new food safety rules for the trade deal and as hundreds of people demonstrated against the ‘Trojan Horse Treaty’.