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A3. Agroecology
Peasant Alert #4: Violence in Rural Areas – Massacres in Colombia and Brazil
In the latest episode of Peasant Alert, Márcio Santos from MST (Brazil) and Eliana Zafra from CPDH (Colombia) analyse the ongoing crises in their respective territories and emphasize the critical need for international solidarity.
The post Peasant Alert #4: Violence in Rural Areas – Massacres in Colombia and Brazil appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
UAWC Issues Emergency Alert for the West Bank: ‘Escalation of Israeli Aggression and Oppression’
The West Bank Protection Consortium (WBPC) reports over 2,274 recorded incidents of settler violence, including physical assaults, arson, and property destruction.
The post UAWC Issues Emergency Alert for the West Bank: ‘Escalation of Israeli Aggression and Oppression’ appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
EU-Mexico Free Trade Negotiations Sparks Outcry Among European Small-Scale Farmers
ECVC warns that this trade model encourages EU farmers to specialize in production for export rather than promoting the sustainable diversification needed to meet biodiversity and climate goals.
The post EU-Mexico Free Trade Negotiations Sparks Outcry Among European Small-Scale Farmers appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
La Via Campesina Delegation Visited Palestine in December 2024: Notes from their Daily Diaries [Part – 2]
Today has been incredibly emotional. We’ve truly come to understand the impossible situation Palestinians in the West Bank are living in. We saw how quickly settlements are being established, stealing farmers’ land, taking over space, seizing power, and trampling on the rights of the residents
The post La Via Campesina Delegation Visited Palestine in December 2024: Notes from their Daily Diaries [Part – 2] appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Canada: Bunge-Viterra merger approval highlights myth of competition and need for effective regulation, says NFU
When the merger is finalized, ADM, Bunge, Cargill, and Louis-Dreyfus, will continue to dominate internationally, with Bunge now in first place. Together these four giants control 70% of the world's grain trade.
The post Canada: Bunge-Viterra merger approval highlights myth of competition and need for effective regulation, says NFU appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Women farmers resisting agribusinesses in Morocco
In Morocco, women constitute the majority of the people working in the agricultural sector and also suffer the worst working conditions. The women of the FNSA are thus promoting activities to raise awareness of the labor rights of Moroccan peasant women to curb such labour injustices and to resist the agribusinesses.
The post Women farmers resisting agribusinesses in Morocco appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
India: On Price Support for Farmers, Mainstream Economic Opinion Shifts from ‘Why’ to ‘How’
The mass mobilization of millions of smallholder farmers has shifted the discourse from questioning the necessity of MSP to discussing how to implement it effectively. This shift represents a significant achievement and underscores the power of social movements to transform public opinion.
The post India: On Price Support for Farmers, Mainstream Economic Opinion Shifts from ‘Why’ to ‘How’ appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Call for submissions on the use and application of the CFS framework for action in protracted crises (CFS-FFA)
In line with the 2024–2027 Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPoW), the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) will host a Global Thematic Event (GTE) during its October 2025 Plenary Session. This event, part of the Collaborative Governance for Coordinated Policy workstream, will provide a platform for sharing insights, experiences, and best practices related to the use and application of the CFS Framework for Action for Food Security and Nutrition in Protracted Crises (CFS-FFA).
For this reason, the CFS opens a call for submissions regarding experiences and successful practices in utilising the CFS-FFA to inform discussions at CFS 53.
About the CFS-FFAEndorsed by CFS 42 in October 2015, the CFS-FFA aims to improve food security and nutrition for populations affected by protracted crises by addressing critical issues and enhancing resilience. It strives to strengthen policy coherence in line with the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security, by fostering the coordination of policies and actions taken in the fields of humanitarian assistance, development, and human rights.
The implementation of the CFS-FFA is primarily the responsibility of governments with contribution from other actors. Regular monitoring and review of its implementation including sharing of lessons learned, will inform policies and actions aimed at preventing, mitigating, and responding to protracted crises and promoting early recovery from food insecurity and malnutrition in protracted crises. In 2021, the CSIPM published a monitoring report on challenges to its implementation, as well as on experiences and recommendations from civil society and Indigenous Peoples to improve its implementation. Read the 2021 Monitoring report.
The call for submissions is open until 15 April 2025.Participants are encouraged to share their inputs by completing the Template for submissions. The inputs received from this call will contribute to monitoring progress on the use and application of the CFS-FFA, both from a qualitative and quantitative perspective. All inputs will be compiled in a document made available for delegates at the 53 CFS Plenary Session will be held from 20 to 24 October 2025 in Rome, Italy.
More information is available here.
The post Call for submissions on the use and application of the CFS framework for action in protracted crises (CFS-FFA) appeared first on CSIPM.
La Via Campesina at the 17th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin
La Vía Campesina (LVC) made its presence felt at the 17th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), held in Berlin from January 15 to 18, 2025, by actively engaging in the Young Farmers Forum, key side events, as well as in events, actions and demonstrations outside to amplify the voices of small-scale food producers.
The post La Via Campesina at the 17th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
La Via Campesina Calls for a Permanent Ceasefire, Peace and Justice in Gaza
La Via Campesina is calling for a permanent ceasefire, peace and justice in Gaza following the recent announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. This deal, despite being temporary, brings much needed relief and respite for millions of Palestinians but does not end the tragedy suffered nor erase the devastation experienced in Gaza since October 2023. Sadly, the West Bank, which has seen a sharp increase in escalation of attacks and land grabbing by the Israel settlers, is not included in the deal.
The post La Via Campesina Calls for a Permanent Ceasefire, Peace and Justice in Gaza appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
CFS Advisory Group and Bureau meeting | 28 January 2025
The CFS Advisory Group and Bureau will meet on 28 January to address the CFS 53 provisional agenda and side events criteria, CFS 2025 workstreams and their work plans, as well as the High-Level Forums on climate and the right to food, and on financing for food security and nutrition.
Background documents
- Provisional agenda
- CFS 53 draft provisional agenda
- CFS 53 side events: process and criteria for selection
- MYPoW mid-term review and workplan
- Collaborative governance concept note
- Uptake workplan
- HLPF request
- HLF “Tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation through the Right to Food”
- HLF finance concept note
- CFS 53 communications update
- Workstream updates
The post CFS Advisory Group and Bureau meeting | 28 January 2025 appeared first on CSIPM.
Brazil: La Via Campesina denounces massacre at Olga Benário settlement in Tremembé, São Paulo
From La Vía Campesina, we express our deepest rejection and indignation...
The post Brazil: La Via Campesina denounces massacre at Olga Benário settlement in Tremembé, São Paulo appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
“A ceasefire alone is not justice.” UAWC reacts to the Ceasefire deal
In a press release published late afternoon on the 16th of January, La Via Campesina's Palestinian member organization, the Union of Agricultural Workers' Committees (UAWC), stated that the ceasefire announcement is a necessity in alleviating our people’s suffering. However, it does not end the tragedy they endured, nor does it erase the devastation left in the wake of this war.
The post “A ceasefire alone is not justice.” UAWC reacts to the Ceasefire deal appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Interim Rule on Biofuel Feedstocks is a Win for Family Farmers
WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union (NFU) commends the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for publishing an interim rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks. “Any […]
The post Interim Rule on Biofuel Feedstocks is a Win for Family Farmers first appeared on National Farmers Union.
World Food Prize and Nobel Laureates Demand ‘Moonshot’ Solutions for Global Hunger Crisis
More than 150 World Food Prize and Nobel laureates are calling for financial backing to develop the necessary technology to address the global hunger crisis. On January 16, 2025 the World Food Prize Foundation and the U.S. Department State will co-host an international launch to amplify the message.
The open letter, coordinated by 2024 World Food Prize recipient Cary Fowler, states that the world is “not on track to meet future food needs. Not even close.” It argues that agricultural research and development is “hampered” by a lack of investment and regulatory barriers.
The latest report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World finds that more than 700 million people remain food insecure around the world. And 60 million children under the age of five are stunted due to nutritional deficiencies. By 2050, it is estimated there will be 10 billion people on the planet to nourish.
The laureates demand bold action in the form of “moonshot” efforts to help humanity. “We must be prepared to pursue high risk, high reward, scientific research with the goal of transforming our food systems to meet the nutritional needs of everyone sustainably,” they write.
The virtual event will be held at 10:00AM ET. Learn more by clicking HERE.
Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.
Photo courtesy of Melissa Kumaresan, Unsplash
The post World Food Prize and Nobel Laureates Demand ‘Moonshot’ Solutions for Global Hunger Crisis appeared first on Food Tank.
Land Rights, Trade Justice, and Generational Renewal Among the Key Issues Peasant Youth Table at the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2025
This year, the Land Workers’ Alliance (our member in the UK) and a small group of peasant youth from La Via Campesina participated in various onsite and online panels. These sessions addressed topics such as agrarian reform, food production in contexts of displacement, agroecology, and trade justice.
The post Land Rights, Trade Justice, and Generational Renewal Among the Key Issues Peasant Youth Table at the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2025 appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
FDA Bans Red Dye No. 3 in Food and Drinks
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is banning Red No. 3 in food, drinks, and ingested drugs, citing evidence that links the additive to cancer in animals.
Red No. 3 is a synthetic food dye added to food and beverages to give them a vibrant, cherry-red color. According to the FDA, it is primarily used in food products such as candy, cakes and cupcakes, cookies, frozen desserts, and frostings and icings.
“Evidence shows cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No.3,” says Jim Jones, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the FDA. But he adds that “the way that FD&C Red No. 3 causes cancer in male rats does not occur in humans.”
Food companies that use Red No. 3 will have until January 15, 2027 to phase out the ingredient and reformulate their products.
More than 30 years ago, the FDA banned the use of the dye in cosmetics and topical drugs after researchers discovered that the chemical could induce cancer. But no immediate action was taken to revoke authorization in consumable goods.
In 2022, advocacy groups led by Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) filed a color additive petition calling for the FDA, which prompted the FDA’s latest announcement.
Thomas Galligan, CSPI’s Principal Scientist for Additives and Supplements calls the removal of the dye from the food supply a “critical step for protecting consumers.” But the organization believes that more progress is still needed, cautioning eaters to avoid synthetic dyes including Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3.
Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.
Photo courtesy of Skylar Kang, Pexels
The post FDA Bans Red Dye No. 3 in Food and Drinks appeared first on Food Tank.
National Farmers Union Applauds USDA’s Protection of Poultry Growers
WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union (NFU) commends the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for finalizing the Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems rule, an essential step toward ensuring […]
The post National Farmers Union Applauds USDA’s Protection of Poultry Growers first appeared on National Farmers Union.
National Farmers Union Secures Government Action Against John Deere’s Monopoly Power
WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union (NFU) proudly supports the lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the attorneys general of Minnesota and Illinois against John Deere & Co., […]
The post National Farmers Union Secures Government Action Against John Deere’s Monopoly Power first appeared on National Farmers Union.
A New Path to Sustainable Farming: An Agrarian Commons Model
Agrarian Trust, a national nonprofit in the United States, is taking a commons-based approach to help ensure that a new generation of farmers can access farm land. The organization is working within communities to facilitate local land access and support strong local food systems.
According to Agrarian Trust, more than 40 percent of U.S. farmland will change hands over the next 15 years.
The average age of the country’s farmers is 58 years old, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. “A lot of folks are retiring,” Jean Theron Willoughby, Executive Director at Agrarian Trust, tells Food Tank. This, she says, presents an opportunity for worker and community ownership, “rather than just selling to the highest bidder on the speculative market.”
Agrarian Trust supports community-led endeavors to steward this farmland in ways that are sustainable and equitable by partnering with local organizations.
Farmland is most at-risk of being transitioned into a non-agricultural use when it is sold, according to American Farmland Trust. “Farmland is really a national treasure, but it’s not protected that way in the U.S.,” Willoughby tells Food Tank.
Agrarian Trust believes that local farmers can be great stewards of land, which is why they work with local Agrarian Commons to fundraise money to purchase land. The land is then held by the trust, and leased to local farmers at affordable rates.
Cameron Terry of Garden Variety Harvests is one farmer who faced difficulty in finding farmland. He started his business in Roanoke, VA by farming on borrowed spaces of land in other people’s yards.
“I wanted an opportunity to operate a business just like anybody who wants to open up a bakery or a coffee shop or a law firm. You lease a place and run the business there. And that opportunity just does not exist for someone who wants to run a farming business,” Terry tells Food Tank.
A survey from the National Young Farmer Coalition finds that land access is the greatest challenge facing the next generation of farmers. But for the health of our food system, it’s critical that newer farmers can access land, Willoughby explains. “It’s an important time to be involved in building soil, building a farm, to have access when you have the ability to do it,” she says.
Owning a farm and making the investments into the land seemed like an unlikely opportunity for Terry. “I had a few thousand dollars in savings, but nothing where I was going to be able to go buy land to farm…anywhere,” he tells Food Tank.
Terry says he also has “real misgivings” about the concept of private land ownership. “I think maybe a different path could have been taken that would have yielded much better for our society than the way we deal with private land and exclusion of people now,” he adds.
An elder farmer approached Terry with the idea of passing along his Roanoke property, Lick Run Farms, to another farmer. “It was really hard to nail down what that relationship [would look like]. We didn’t know the shape of the thing we were looking for,” Terry says.
Agrarian Trust was the intermediary that both parties were looking for. Using the national connections of Agrarian Trust, the Southwest Virginia Agrarian Commons –Terry’s local “commons”–raised the money to buy Lick Run Farms. Agrarian Trust is now the deed holder, and will take rent payments from Terry. “[The lease] is basically infinite, and inheritable to whoever I chose to leave it to,” he tells Food Tank.
Terry plans to continue his current level of production, and use his farm to educate others. “I’m going to spend a lot of time sharing what I know, what I’ve learned about how to grow food, to anybody in Roanoke and the nearby region who will listen. And we’ll keep growing our little one-acre market garden,” Terry says.
While other farmers may find themselves in a similar position to Terry, Willoughby believes every case is unique and that the ultimate goal is to “de-commodify” land. “We want to be working together, learning from each other and exploring what the commons can look like,” she says.
Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.
Photo courtesy of Garden Variety Harvests
The post A New Path to Sustainable Farming: An Agrarian Commons Model appeared first on Food Tank.
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