This edition of the newsletter is the result of a collective effort of organisations, which are part of La Via Campesina movement worldwide. To subscribe click here
La Via Campesina Message of Solidarity with Cuba, in their time of national mourning
We the men, women, and youth of La Vía Campesina, salute the people of Cuba during their time of national mourning over the death of Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz, historic leader of the Cuban Revolution and an inspiration for struggles of emancipation of poor people of the world, from imperialism and capital.
We would like to express our most heartfelt condolences and solidarity with our brothers and sisters of the Asociación Nacional de Agricultores Pequeños (ANAP) who, inspired by Comandante Fidel, have led the fight for food sovereignty and in this way feeding the people and protecting the natural resources. Just a few months ago, during their national congress, the members of ANAP celebrated the anniversary of the Agrarian Reform promulgated by Comandante Fidel 57 years ago. Read the full statement
'Not one less': No more violence against women!
La Via Campesina reaffirm its commitment to women's struggles for equal rights and human dignity
We as women carry enormous responsibilities in this world, and feed entire nations using agroecological practices, without our economic, social, legal and political rights being recognised, and without public programmes to guarantee equal social and economic participation.For this reason we are making a global call to our organisations, allies and friends to join forces to support actions, mobilisations and activities to denounce the different types of violence faced by women and to criticize the capitalist patriarchal model and the encroachment of agribusiness in our territories.
On this day of struggle we join the voices of millions of women who came together in Latin America on 19th October to shout "Not one less, we want us alive" to denounce the alarming growth in femicide[1] and male-chauvinist and misogynist violence against women. Read the full statement
NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
COP22: False solutions to the climate crisis may constitute crimes against humanity
Approximately 40 people, from Morocco and all over the world, the majority of which were youth, represented La Via Campesina at Marrakech during COP 22. Read the press release
System Change, Not Climate Change
System change is an expression of root cause analysis, which is a critical part of what Vía Campesina is doing in Morocco this week. Instead of jumping haphazardly from the problem of the climate crisis to solutions, activists are affirming that they must first get to the heart of its contention. Read More
Over 1500 police personnel unleash brutal attack on peasants in Mekar Jaya village, Indonesia
Langkat Nusantara Kepong, a Malaysian plantation company, assisted by local police officials, unleashes brutal attack on peasants in Mekar Jaya Village in Indonesia to appropriate nearly 554 hectares of land! Read More
FAO symposium on agroecology
A delegation representing La Via Campesina spoke at the FAO led symposium on Agroecology, held in Budapest from the 24-25th of November. The symposium was hosted by the Government of Hungary with support from the Government of France. Read More
"Sparks Have Turned Into Raging Fires" Karnataka farmers protest
Farmers had been on a campaign trail for a month prior, mobilizing cities and villages with a three-point demand: complete waiver of loans of farmers, farm workers and women's self-help groups; scientific compensation for crop losses; implementation of a comprehensive drought management plan. Read More
COP 22 : Our land is worth more than carbon
In its haste, COP 22, being called the "action COP" or the "agriculture COP", is in danger of adopting various misguided solutions for agriculture. Read the Civil Society Statement
"Cuando Sera" a music video dedicated to food sovereignty struggles
Colombian-Argentine music group Che Sudaka, which is based in Barcelona has released a new music video "Cuando Sera" as part of their album "Hoy" and has dedicated the song to La Via Campesina's peaceful struggle for food sovereignty and social justice. Read More
Global Dialogue on the International Year of Pulses
Elizabeth Mpfou, general coordinator of La Via Campesina and a small holder farmer who also leads the Zimbabwe Small Holder Farmers' Forum (ZIMSOFF), made a presentation at the Global Dialogue held in Rome as part of the International Year of Pulses (IYP) on the 23rd of November 2016. She is also the IYP Special Ambassador for Africa region. Read More
UPOV must respect farmers' rights: Guy Kastler
UPOV must evolve to accept this fair balance between the rights of breeders and the rights of farmers, in the interests of its own survival and, above all, of food security, writes Guy Kastler Read More
Global Solidarity pouring in for Karnataka Farmers demanding loan waiver
After, farmers from the state of Karnataka in India took to a unique protest by auctioning off a big businessman's assets in a symbolic act of resistance, global solidarity is pouring in from farms and universities. Read More
Cooling the Planet | Frontline Communities lead the struggle
Year: 2016
Summary: A new Hands on the Land publication highlights how communities of small scale food producers are increasingly confronted by the grabbing of natural resources and systematic violations of human rights.
The Field Liberation Movement takes action to demand real solutions to climate change, by resorting to a symbolic act of authorizing the felling of a field of genetically engineered poplar trees. Watch Now
Two GE poplar trees discuss VIB's false solutions. A video by The Field Liberation Movement following an action in Wetteren on 20th November 2016. Watch Now
At the III World Meeting of Popular Movements held in Rome and promoted by Pope Francis, Paul Nicholson of La Via Campesina (EHNE), from the Basque country speaks to FocusPuller explaining the need to build alliances on issues of land, housing and work.
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We as women carry enormous responsibilities in this world, and feed entire nations using agroecological practices, without our economic, social, legal and political rights being recognised, and without public programmes to guarantee equal social and economic participation.For this reason we are making a global call to our organisations, allies and friends to join forces to support actions, mobilisations and activities to denounce the different types of violence faced by women and to criticize the capitalist patriarchal model and the encroachment of agribusiness in our territories.
