Over 200 organizations released a joint statement late last month, condemning the Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS).

Made up of representatives from ADM, Bunge, Cargill, Shell, ABN Amro and the WWF, among others, the RTRS is currently gathered in Buenos Aries to develop policies that encourage “responsible soy,” a prospect they consider while ignoring “the very nature by which soy monoculture is produced, taking up vast swaths of land throughout South America, using massive amounts of water resources, depending upon chemical and synthetic fertilizers and pesticide inputs, and leaving a trail of contaminated and/or …

Produced by Wholesome Goodness, FED UP! is an open source documentary film that sets out to inform people about Genetic Engineering, Industrial Agriculture and Sustainable Alternatives. Below you can find the first of four 20 minute segments to Fed Up! and a link to download a high quality version of the film.

From the Producer’s website: “About 70% of the food we eat contains genetically modified ingredients and is not labeled. The biotechnology industry is spending $50 million a year to convince us that this technology is our only hope for feeding the world and saving the environment. Family farmers …

On Sunday, Via Campesina peacefully occupied an experimental GMO field of the Swiss company Syngenta in the state of Parana, Brazil, when it was attacked by an armed militia that killed one and critically injured 6 others.

Via Campesina issued a statement following the attack, demanding a full investigation into what they describe as the execution of Keno, a local MST leader who was shot twice at point-blank range. They are also calling for Syngenta to be held accountable because they hired the militia in the first …

The following video is part one of ‘the Dying fields,’ a documentary that focuses on the ongoing agrarian crisis in Vidarbha, India.

Located in the middle of India, Vidarbha is historically referred to as ‘India’s Cotton Belt;’ but in recent years it’s taken on a very different name. Home to 3.2 million farmers, Vidarbha’s now commonly referred to as ‘India’s Suicide Belt.’

There’s been a long history of struggle for farmers in India, but over the past 15 years the Government has removed all its support structures for farmers while …

Last month, thousands of People from four continents, representing 140 organisations from 56 different countries gathered together for the Via Campesina Gathering—an event that’s held every four years “to discuss and plan work and strategies according to the most important aspects of country life (goods, sovereignty, food, agricultural reform, sustainable commerce, biodiversity, human rights, emigrants and rural workers).” This year’s gathering was in Zapatista territory.

From Narco News - In a world of such rich culture, so many languages, so many ecosystems, so many skin colours, campesinos of the …

The Future of Food is a documentary film that delves deep into the globalized food industry, particularly focusing on gmos, or the so-called gene revolution.

Synopsis from Wikipedia - The film decries the cost of a globalised food industry on human lives around the world, and highlights how international companies are gradually driving farmers off the land in many countries. Potential global dependence of the human race on a limited number of global food corporations is discussed, as is the increased risk of ecological disasters (such as the Irish Potato Famine (1845–1849)) resulting from the reduction of biological diversity due …

On Working Toward Peace
essay by Ingrid Washinawatok el-Issa
from the architects of peace website

The roots of war and violence go deep, into the earth herself. As an indigenous woman, I wish to simply state that until we make peace with earth, there will be no peace in the human community. Please allow me to explain.

As native peoples of the hemisphere, we have historically been the victims of violence and continue to be plagued by injustice and inequality. In our history we have had to go to war to protect our lands, as peace would simply mean our enslavement and extermination. …

Paraguayan Women Fight to Change Agriculture and Patriarchy
By April Howard, http://towardfreedom.com
Tuesday, 13 March 2007

The state of Alto Paraná, Paraguay, sits on the triple frontier with Argentina and Brazil, an area which some Paraguayans know as the soy frontier. In the past 30 years, what was once jungle and small farms has become a vast sea of industrial soy plantations. On February 12, I spoke with three women who are working with ASAGRAPA to fight these corporations and the spread of industrial monoculture in Paraguay.

Companies such as Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland and Bunge have literally invaded eastern Paraguay, buying up …

Food sovereignty is the peoples, Countries or State Unions RIGHT to define their agricultural and food policy, without any dumping vis-a-vis third countries. Food sovereignty includes :

prioritizing local agricultural production in order to feed the people, access of peasants and landless people to land, water, seeds, and credit. Hence the need for land reforms, for fighting against GMOs ((Genetically Modified Organisms), for free access to seeds, and for safeguarding water as a public good to be sustainably distributed.

the right of farmers, peasants to produce food and the right of consumers to be able to decide what they consume, and …