Via-info-en

via-info-en@viacampesina.org

407 discussions

Nyéléni Newsletter 24: Forests, Foraging and the Commons
by La Vía Campesina 17 Dec '15

17 Dec '15

PUBLICATIONS NYÉLÉNI NEWSLETTER 24: FORESTS, FORAGING AND THE COMMONS Published on Thursday, 17 December 2015 23:37 THE NEW EDITION OF THE NYÉLÉNI NEWSLETTER IS NOW ONLINE! [1](Harare, December 17, 2015) About 75 percent of the world's poor live in rural areas in developing countries. Most survive on subsistence farming, artisanal fisheries and/or nomadic herding and many are landless, working as seasonal labour on farms, plantations, in fisheries and industry. Click here to download the English edition. [2] Their daily food needs are met primarily through local production, foraging, hunting and fishing - often by women - on small farms, common grazing lands and in woods, forests, streams, rivers and lakes. Reduced access to these ecosystems or decrease in the foods gathered in these environments can result in hunger and acute malnutrition. Read it directly in the website at www.nyeleni.org [3] ! For any further information, please contact info(a)nyeleni.org PLEASE CIRCULATE IT TO YOUR CONTACTS! Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/Portada%20En%20Nyeleni.png [2] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/stories/pdf/Nyeleni_Newsletter_Num_24_EN.… [3] http://www.nyeleni.org

1 0

Wolf in a sheepskin: WTO reinvents and seeks legitimacy in Africa
by La Vía Campesina 16 Dec '15

16 Dec '15

WOLF IN A SHEEPSKIN: WTO REINVENTS AND SEEKS LEGITIMACY IN AFRICA [1] [2](Nairobi, December 15, 2015) After may years of ignoring African challenges posed by global trading system, the WTO- one of the principal instruments of global economic governance- comes to the continent to seek legitimacy. The WTO is trying to reinvent itself to appear as if it cares about Africa and has solutions to a myriad of problems (increasing poverty, unemployment and underemployment, collapse of social institutions, etc). African economies most of which are agro-based were ruined by the WTO which promotes developed countries and transnational corporations. By hosting the 10th ministerial meeting, Kenya thinks it will increase its income from tourism and foreign investments in other economic sectors. It tries to hoodwink other African governments to embrace WTO. Kenyan government seems to have taken the WTO bait. Kenya and Africa should not be hoodwinked but pull out of the WTO. If they don't, the only real deal they will get is a raw deal to further kill their economies, peasants, consumers, industries and livelihoods. In Nairobi, most negotiations by African governments are market driven, not driven by urge to protect local farmers and consumers. They should learn from the African Cotton 4 (C-4) countries whose economies have been destroyed by American distorting subsidies on cotton. Their issue has been before the WTO since 2002 and nothing has been done to punish the US for trade distortion up to now. Instead the US has offered them development aid to further ruin their agriculture through forcing them to purchase toxic agro-chemicals and GMOs to increase "agricultural productivity". Such US hypocrisy must be condemned and cannot be allowed at Nairobi MC10. It undermines countries' constitutions by imposing rules which compromises their policy space, human rights and deny FOOD SOVEREIGNTY. La Via Campesina and its partners (World March of Women Kenya, Center for Constitution Implementation, Dandora Must Change and Bunge la Mwananchi) are meeting in Nairobi under the banner "#EndWTO". We call for FOOD SOVEREIGNTY as the peoples' alternative to the corporate driven free trade regime of the WTO. NO MORE WTO! FOOD SOVEREIGNTY NOW! GLOBALIZE STRUGGLE! GLOBALIZE HOPE! #EndWTO #MC10 #StopFTAs #FoodSovereignty Twitter https://twitter.com/via_campesina [3] Website http://viacampesina.org/en/ [4] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL?fref=ts [5] _FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS PLEASE CONTACT LVC SUPPORT TEAM:_ Mateus Santos (lvc.mateus(a)gmail.com) Ndabezinhle Nyoni (nyoni.ndabezinhle(a)viacampesina.org) Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/10-year… [2] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/2015-12-16-WTO21.jpg [3] https://twitter.com/via_campesina [4] http://viacampesina.org/en/ [5] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL?fref=ts

1 0

COP21: The curtain falls on a masquerade
by La Vía Campesina 13 Dec '15

13 Dec '15

COP21: THE CURTAIN FALLS ON A MASQUERADE [1] LA VIA CAMPESINA, EUROPEAN COORDINATION VIA CAMPESINA, CONFÉDÉRATION PAYSANNE PRESS RELEASE (Paris, 12th of December 2015) After two weeks of heads of states taking centre stage to salve their consciences, COP21 has come up with an agreement that many worried in advance would offer nothing good for the peoples of the world. There is nothing binding for states, national contributions lead us towards a global warming of over 3°C--and multinationals are the main beneficiaries. It was essentially a media circus. However states know how to make binding commitments when it comes to signing free trade agreements. Those agreements threaten the democratic functioning of countries by merely serving the interests of multinationals. Once more, it is clear that money dictates the law, even taking precedence over the future of humanity. "Despite multiple attempts to silence us these past few weeks, the social movements have made their voices heard today," said Antolin Huascar, a peasant leader from Peru. "The future of the planet is in the hands of the people," he added. Peasants from across the world, from member organizations of Via Campesina, came together to warn others that the agricultural sector is being severely affected. While they are the guardians of a changing climate, they stressed that industrial agriculture is threatening their disappearance. At the same time, COP21 is further opening the door to financial speculation on nature, industrialisation of agriculture, and accelerating resource grabbing. "We, the peasants of the world, will now return to our territories and farms all the more determined to continue our struggle for food sovereignty for all the peoples of the world," Huascar concluded. The masquerade may be over, but the peasant fight will only continue to gain momentum. CONTACTS : Elina Bouchet, media contact (French) : 00 33 6 95 29 80 78 Solenne Garin, media contact (English, Spanish) : 00 33 6 10 04 83 69 and solenne.garin(a)viacampesina.org MORE INFORMATION ON THAT LAST DAY OF MOBILISATION : video [2], photos [3], cartoons. [4] Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat… [2] http://tv.viacampesina.org/Movements-denounce-dangerous-deal?lang=en [3] http://tv.viacampesina.org/December-12-2015-Last-actions-of?lang=en [4] http://tv.viacampesina.org/COP-21-Coups-de-crayons-sur-les?lang=en

1 0

COP 21 : La Via Campesina action against Danone
by La Vía Campesina 11 Dec '15

11 Dec '15

COP 21 : La Via Campesina action against Danone [1] (Paris, December 9, 2015) The international peasant movement La Via Campesina and the French union Confederation Paysanne farmers protested on December 9th, 2015 outside the headquarters in Paris of the food multinational Danone, amid COP21 climate conference. WATCH THIS VIDEO PRODUCED BY ZINTV [2] This action at the headquarters of Danone denounced the role of the multinational in promoting false solutions to climate change. False solutions (including a policy of compensation and not of actual emissions reduction) endangering peasant farming. Watch many other videos [3] on what is happening at COP21 in Paris from Via CampesinaTV [4] More article about LVC delegation in Paris during COP21 : “WE HAVE NO OTHER WAY OUT THAN WINNING FOOD SOVEREIGNTY”, VIA CAMPESINA AT COP 21 [5] COP 21: MIGRANT JUSTICE ACTION: OVER 200 ACTIVISTS MARCH IN SOLIDARITY [6] COP21: SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND ALLIES CALL FOR TRANSFORMATION OF FOOD SYSTEMS [7] More photos [8] and cartoons [9]. And Follow us on twitter and facebook: @via_campesina [10] and https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL [11] Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat… [2] http://tv.viacampesina.org/COP21-action-contre-Danone?lang=en [3] http://tv.viacampesina.org/La-Via-Campesina-action-against?lang=en [4] http://tv.viacampesina.org/?lang=en [5] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat… [6] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/migrations-and… [7] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat… [8] http://tv.viacampesina.org/La-Via-Campesina-at-Climate-Action?lang=en [9] http://tv.viacampesina.org/Coups-de-crayons-a-la-Zone-action?lang=en [10] https://twitter.com/via_campesina [11] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL

1 0

Peasant agriculture-a true solution to climate crisis
by La Vía Campesina 04 Dec '15

04 Dec '15

Peasant agriculture-a true solution to climate crisis [1] Published on Friday, 04 December 2015 15:12 [2]_Peasant Agriculture and Agroecology_ Political projects from La Conf' and La Via Campesina, peasant agriculture and agroecology are approaches that address social, societal and environmental issues. They promote cultivation methods that: are in line with natural environments, preserve biodiversity, improve soil fertility, aim to achieve farm autonomy and where the number of animals correlate to the size of the farm. _Is it true?_ Of course it is! Some people would have you believe that industrial production methods release less Green House Gases because they are more concentrated. In fact, these systems consume a substantial amount of energy, (due to chemical inputs, export and import transportation, high levels of mechanisation etc.) and have a devastating effect on the climate. 50% of all Green House Gas emissions on the planet are caused by the global industrial food system. Given this, peasant agriculture and agroecology are considered economical, favouring both the environment and peasants. They promote autonomous farms, thus reducing imports significantly, which, for example, come from animal feed produced on the other side of the world. They also encourage the maintenance of meadows and pastureland, which are real carbon sinks. Finally, they advocate relocating production and marketing, thereby considerably reducing the need for both consumers and products to travel. All in all, the real solutions to stop Green House Gas emissions coming from agriculture and the food system are peasant agriculture and agroecology. While our leaders openly welcome multinational companies and their false solutions, we must urgently change the direction where agriculture is headed, to achieve a real positive approach for the climate! _"Peasant agriculture is a true solution to the climate crisis"_ More info here : "small-scale farmers cool down the earth [3]" Follow us on twitter and facebook: @via_campesina [4] and https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL [5] Also join the global movement with the hashtag: #PeasantsCoolThePlanet #FoodSovereigntyForClimateJustice #COP21 #FoodSystemChangeNotClimateChange Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat… [2] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/2015-12-04-agro-cologie%20engl.jpg [3] http://viacampesina.org/dl/click.php?id=14 [4] https://twitter.com/via_campesina [5] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL

1 0

Climate: Real problem, false solutions. No.4: Climate-Smart Agriculture
by La Vía Campesina 03 Dec '15

03 Dec '15

Climate: Real problem, false solutions. No.4: Climate-Smart Agriculture [1] Published on Thursday, 03 December 2015 22:00 TO SOLVE THE GLOBAL WARMING CRISIS, MULTINATIONALS ARE SUGGESTING FALSE SOLUTIONS. FAR FROM SOLVING THE PROBLEM THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING WITH THEIR SHARE OF DAMAGES. THIS ARTICLE IS THE 4TH IN A SERIES OF FIVE TO APPEAR THIS WEEK. _ [2]__4/Climate-Smart Agriculture_ On 23 September 2014, at the UN Climate summit convened by Ban Ki-moon in New York, the FAO and World Bank launched the Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture. This should enable agriculture output to be increased, agricultural systems' resilience to be strengthened and greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced all at the same time! So, this is what could solve three of the major challenges we are dealing with: feeding the global population, fighting climate change and guaranteeing the sustainability of agricultural systems _Really?_ Using chemicals and GMOs is allowed, as is producing industrial agrofuels. Multinational companies such as Yara (the world leader in fertilizer), Monsanto or Syngenta are indeed major stakeholders in this new international alliance. It is therefore easier for us to understand that Northern and Southern industrial agricultural systems, which are more harmful for the environment, are spared. This alliance supports the development of an agriculture that eliminates peasants by stripping them of their land, their practices and their knowledge. In short, the real objective is to continue and speed up the industrialisation and financialisation of agriculture. Climate-Smart Agriculture is a new tool from multinational companies to generate even more money out of agriculture! Corporate solutions are false solutions, and will not solve the climate crisis. Follow us on twitter and facebook: @via_campesina [3] and https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL [4] Also join the global movement with the hashtag: #PeasantsCoolThePlanet #FoodSovereigntyForClimateJustice #COP21#FoodSystemChangeNotClimateChange Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat… [2] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/2015-12-03-agriculture%20climato-intellig… [3] https://twitter.com/via_campesina [4] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL

1 0

COP 21 : Hundreds of the world’s farmers join together
by La Vía Campesina 03 Dec '15

03 Dec '15

**************************************** EN : Dear all, Please find attached the press release, the biographies of some members of our delegation, as well a the program for our activities during the COP21. Press Officer: Elina Bouchet, Communications Officer Confederation Paysanne (FR) : 06 95 29 80 78 Solenne Garin, Communications Office Via Campesina (EN, ES) : 06 10 04 83 69 solenne.garin(a)viacampesina.org or ebouchet(a)confederationpaysanne.fr

1 0

Climate: Real problem, false solutions. No.3: REDD+
by La Vía Campesina 03 Dec '15

03 Dec '15

Climate: Real problem, false solutions. No.3: REDD+ [1] Published on Wednesday, 02 December 2015 20:37 TO SOLVE THE GLOBAL WARMING CRISIS, MULTINATIONALS ARE SUGGESTING FALSE SOLUTIONS. FAR FROM SOLVING THE PROBLEM THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING WITH THEIR SHARE OF DAMAGES. THIS ARTICLE IS THE 3RD IN A SERIES OF FIVE TO APPEAR THIS WEEK. [2]_3/ REDD+_ "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation" a very worthwhile aim, and a + too which is the icing on the cake! The system is simple: the country (or local population, associations etc.) owning any substantial resources located within forests assesses the financial loss of not carrying out deforestation and the quantity of carbon that will therefore not be introduced into the atmosphere. Then industrialised countries (or collectives, NGOs, multinationals etc.) pay these forested nations to avert the destruction of their forests. In exchange for their forest saving investment, they are offered a means of offsetting their emissions and/ or carbon credits. A fair deal then! And the + is for when we're also talking about the enhancement of carbon stocks, sustainable forest management and forest conservation. _ Really?_ On closer inspection it becomes clear that REDD+ serves as little more than the means of concealing the negotiated disappearance of forests that occurs during a COP, instead of anyone posing the question of how greenhouse gases resulting from the use of fossil fuels can be effectively reduced. This covers no more than potential deforestation, and therefore nothing concrete. In contrast, the carbon credits on offer are very real indeed, and represent a license to emit greenhouse gases at will. Furthermore, peasant populations who call these forested areas home, often find themselves obliged to reduce their food production in order to plant trees, thereby reducing their food sovereignty. Conservation agreements can also result in their loss of access to areas routinely used for the harvesting of plants, hunting or shifting cultivation. Now climate negotiations are examining the possibility of making agricultural land eligible for these carbon offsetting systems and compensation. This would be an open door for land grabs by multinationals eager to secure opportunities to continue disrupting the environment without this process ever being redressed. Corporate solutions are false solutions, and will not solve the climate crisis. Link to the Grain report https://www.grain.org/article/entries/5322-how-redd-projects-undermine-peas… [3] Follow us on twitter and facebook: @via_campesina [4] and https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL [5] Also join the global movement with the hashtag: #PeasantsCoolThePlanet #FoodSovereigntyForClimateJustice #COP21 #FoodSystemChangeNotClimateChange Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat… [2] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/2015-12-02-REDD.jpg [3] https://www.grain.org/article/entries/5322-how-redd-projects-undermine-peas… [4] https://twitter.com/via_campesina [5] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL

1 0

Climate: Real problem, false solutions. 2: Agrocarburants
by La Vía Campesina 03 Dec '15

03 Dec '15

Climate: Real problem, false solutions. 2: Agrocarburants [1] Published on Wednesday, 02 December 2015 10:30 [2] TO SOLVE THE GLOBAL WARMING CRISIS, MULTINATIONALS ARE SUGGESTING FALSE SOLUTIONS. FAR FROM SOLVING THE PROBLEM THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING WITH THEIR SHARE OF DAMAGES. THIS ARTICLE IS THE SECOND IN A SERIES OF FIVE TO APPEAR THIS WEEK _ 2/ Agrofuels_ For those advocates of false solutions, they are known as "bio" fuels. The goal is to produce something that would have the very worthy benefit of reducing our dependence on oil, and in so doing lower greenhouse gas emissions, through the creation of energy derived from plants, a limitless resource by all accounts, which is certainly not the case with fossil fuels! _Really?_ The truth is that producing agrofuels involves the use of vast swathes of agricultural land at the expense of food production. Thousands of hectares of fertile land once destined to provide nourishment are repurposed, jeopardising local populations' right to food sovereignty. Furthermore, the expulsion of peasant farmers from these lands, occasionally by violent means represents a denial of people's dignity and rights. As has always been the case, land is being sought everywhere, now the decision has been made to fell the trees of the Amazon and elsewhere. The destruction of these areas, often recognised as major carbon sinks, leads to significant CO2 emissions. Add to that a means of ultra-intensive agriculture, heavily reliant on chemical input, well so much for "bio"… Lastly, the food crisis of 2007-2008 and the food riots they triggered, brought things into sharp focus: agrofuels put intense pressure on food product prices, and multinationals have wasted no time in sizing up the potential rewards. With a notably large presence in this market is the French company Sofiprotéol-Avril managed by Xavier Beulin (President of France's largest agricultural union). Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat… [2] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/2015-12-2-agro-carburants%20en.jpg

1 0

Climate: Real problem, false solutions. 1. GMOs
by La Vía Campesina 01 Dec '15

01 Dec '15

Climate : Real problem, false solutions. 1. GMOs [1] Published on Monday, 30 November 2015 23:43 TO SOLVE THE GLOBAL WARMING CRISIS, MULTINATIONALS ARE SUGGESTING FALSE SOLUTIONS. FAR FROM SOLVING THE PROBLEM THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING WITH THEIR SHARE OF DAMAGES. A BRIEF OVERVIEW FOLLOWS. THIS ARTICLE IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF FIVE TO APPEAR THIS WEEK. According to those who promote them, they are a wonderful dual-power technology. To start with, GMOs would have the ability to slow down climate change by: reducing the use of pesticides, which constitute a significant source of Green House Gases when they are produced and used; and by reducing tillage, which releases carbon emissions. What's even better is that GMOs would allow us to have plants that resist droughts and floods, which therefore adapt to climate change! REALLY? In fact, GMOs' tolerance to one (or many) herbicides or insecticides quickly develops resistance and makes plants adapt, which leads to many unwanted plants and pests appearing in fields. You therefore have to use even more pesticides to get rid of them! Regarding the issue of no-tillage, it doesn't make any sense and doesn't have an impact if it is carried out using an industrial agriculture approach; which favors systems that don't use crop rotation and where herbicides are widespread. In Argentina, no-tillage using Monsanto's Round Up Ready soya beans has destroyed hectares of meadows and forests, therefore needing carbon sinks. Adapting to climate change is the ultimate decoy. It is genetic complexity and rich natural biodiversity that allows nature to adapt, not its destruction! GMOs belong to an industrial agri-food system that patents living beings, monopolizes peasants' knowledge, halts and destroys peasant agricultural practices and the whole chain significantly releases Green House Gases and is devastating for the climate. So it is a great way to make profit off climate change whilst despising peasants! Links: ------ [1] http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-climat…

1 0

← Newer
1
...
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
...
41
Older →

Jump to page:

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

Via-info-en