News
2013-01-29 | permalink
EU Commission fails to ban bee-killing pesticides
Pesticides pose a risk to honey bees (Photo: Mamboman1)
The European Commission announced on Monday that, in response to a report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) identifying risks posed to bees by ‘neonicotinoid’ pesticides, it will start to take some protective measures. However the Commission did not go far enough to placate environmentalists who, along with the EFSA itself, had called for a complete ban of neonicotinoid pesticides. According to the EFSA report, these widely-used insecticides affect the central nervous system of insects, causing paralysis and death. Recognising this concern, Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Tonio Borg said the Commission “will propose a series of ambitious but proportionate legislative measures”. However, he was criticised for stressing that “a total ban would not be justified.” Last week, in a debate in the European Parliament's environment committee, other opinions were voiced. Green MEP Bart Staes said: “While scientists and beekeepers have been sounding the alarm for almost two decades, there is now a wide and growing body of evidence on the devastating impact of neonicotinoids on bee populations. The only responsible course of action is to immediately push ahead with an EU-wide moratorium on neonicotinoids.” On 31 January, EU officials will discuss neonicotinoids further, and plan to announce an action plan following the discussions. It is generally accepted that the decline of bee populations poses a serious threat to agriculture. Two thirds of crops humans use for food production depend on pollination by insects such as bees. According to a UN report, the work of bees and other pollinators is worth 153 billion euros per year to the global economy.
2013-01-24 | permalink
CAP Reform: Greening proposals watered down
The Committee’s vote disregards the call of EU citizens for a greener CAP
On Wednesday and Thursday, the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development adopted its position in a vote on the reform of EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In terms of direct payments to farmers, the result of the vote was a watering down of the Commission’s proposal on ‘Greening’ – linking payments to a set of measures that would improve the environmental performance of farms. ARC2020 – a coalition of 167 civil society organisations – reacted with disappointment: “A majority of members of the Committee have bowed to the pressures of the European agro-industry, which is taking farmers hostage for monocultures and factory farming,” said Benedikt Haerlin of ARC2020. The European Commission’s original proposal required three greening measures as a pre-requisite for receiving direct payments: crop diversification, the preservation of permanent pasture and management of 7% of every farms arable land as ‘ecological focus areas’ (EFAs). The Agricultural Committee’s position allows farmers to ‘opt out’ of these minimum requirements and still get at least 70% of the direct payments. In addition, it allows exceptions and loopholes to these measures. Crop diversification would be reduced to two different crops for farms between 10 and 30 hectares, with the proposed minimum of three crops now only applying to larger farms. The Committee also watered down the limits for the EFAs, proposing a minimum of only 3% of the farm area, which should then rise to 5% from 2016. The Commission had proposed 7%. In March, the draft adopted by the Committee will be examined and put to a plenary vote by all Members of the European Parliament. “The European Parliament must fulfil its responsibility towards European citizens who want to see green and fair farming that provides healthy food from wildlife-rich farms and diverse landscapes”, said Stanka Becheva, Food and Agriculture Campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe.
2013-01-22 | permalink
Deutsche Bank: Speculating with Food “in the interest of clients”
Deutsche Bank to keep dealing in agricultural-based financial products (Foto: Hedrowilson)
On Saturday, Deutsche Bank - Europe’s largest bank in terms of assets - announced it would continue trading in agricultural-based financial products, products which food campaigners blame for rising food prices. In a panel discussion at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin, Deutsche Bank Co-Chief Executive Jürgen Fitschen said an internal review had found no convincing proof that food-based financial instruments led to greater food price volatility. “Deutsche Bank has therefore decided in the interest of its clients that it will continue to offer financial instruments linked to agricultural products,” Fitschen said. With this move, the bank lifted the moratorium on trading new commodities products introduced by former Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann in March 2012. The announcement drew fierce criticism from non-governmental organisations. “The biggest losers will be the poorest people on low income. They will be facing even more volatile and higher food prices”, said Heidi Chow, a campaigner with World Development Movement (WDM), a British anti-poverty group. WDM research found that total assets of financial speculators in commodity markets increased from 65 billion US dollars in 2006 to 126 billion in 2011, leading to soaring food prices and pushing 44 million people into extreme poverty in the last six months of 2010 alone. Thilo Bode, director of the German consumer group Foodwatch, described the bank’s decision as highly irresponsible. “There are sufficient scientific findings and practical evidence that the financial products Deutsche Bank is selling lead to speculative price bubbles on the future market for agricultural raw materials and therefore can cause famines,” Bode told Reuters.
2012-12-20 | permalink
Cameroon: Palm Oil Plantation threatens Local Livelihoods
Oil palm nursery in Cameroon (Photo: Jan Stok/Greenpeace)
Campaigners will continue their protest against a large palm oil plantation which is threatening a rainforest in southwest Cameroon, as well as the livelihoods of thousands of people living in the area. This is the announcement made by Nasako Besingi, director of the local NGO ‘Struggle to Economize the Future’, in an interview published today by Inter Press Service. In 2009, SG Sustainable Oils Cameroon (SGSOC) - a subsidary of the US-based agricultural company Herakles Farms - signed a 99-year lease contract with the Cameroonian Government over 73,000 hectares of land in the Korup National Park; an area rich in biodiversity. Without presidential approval and prior to an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment as required by law, SGSOC pressed ahead with the project, clearing forests and developing oil palm nurseries. “The plantation will economically displace approximately 25,000 people and put at risk many others who depend on that land for small-scale food production, hunting, and non-timber forest products”, Nasako Besingi warned. Local farmers cultivate millet, cocoa and cassava in the region. SGSOC promised the creation of jobs but campaigners fear that the social and environmental consequences will outweigh potential benefits. Brendan Schwartz, Programme Coordinator of Réseau de Lutte contre la Faim, a network of Cameroonian NGOs, criticised the government’s role: “While peasant farmers have numerous obstacles to titling their land and securing access to other natural resources on which they depend, multinational companies can fly into Yaoundé and sign deals to secure huge tracts of land with little regard for the communities in these areas.” An investigation published by the Oakland Institute and Greenpeace in September has denounced the human rights violations commited by SGSOC and warned against the irreversible negative impacts on the people living in the area and on the environment.
- IRIN Africa: Cameroon: Campaigners oppose industrial palm oil plantation
- Inter Press Service: Fighting to Save Africa's Richest Rainforest
- Massive Deforestation Portrayed as Sustainable Investment: The Deceit of Herakles Farms
- Action Alert: Stop Palm Oil Plantations from Destroying Africa's Ancient Rainforests
2012-12-18 | permalink
Boosting Local Food Production by Linking Producers and Consumers
Locally grown vegetables from Western Washington (Photo: MaestroBen/flickr)
A new study published on Friday examines the state of local food production in western Washington and identifies ways to develop a food supply that is more local. The report ‘Planting the Seeds’ summarises the findings of the Western Washington Foodshed Study, a project carried out by the American Farmland Trust and the University of Washington from 2011-2012. According to the study, only 25% of the food consumed in western Washington is grown locally, with the rest coming predominantly from the Midwest and overseas. The study suggests that it could be possible to increase this amount to over 60% if four strategies were adopted: bringing land back into food production; increasing yields on active farmland (e.g. by applying improved practices for sustainable agriculture); cutting food waste; and changing people’s diets. The report also highlights several approaches to increase the availability of local food, such as reconnecting food producers and consumers through simpler supply chains. “Farmers markets and community-supported agriculture are a good start, as are grocery chains that specialise in local food sources,” said Dennis Canty, Pacific Northwest Director of American Farmland Trust. The authors also recommend eating more food which is grown seasonally. Local food systems support the economic viability of farmers and rural communities, avoid urban sprawl and guarantee a regular supply of delicious and healthy food, the study concludes.
2012-12-13 | permalink
Multinationals to benefit from unified EU Patent Scheme, NGOs warn
No patents on broccoli! (Photo: h-bomb/flickr)
On Tuesday, the European Parliament approved a unified European patent scheme, which is intended to accelerate the granting of patents within the EU and make it less expensive for companies to file patents. Ahead of the vote, a coalition of civil society organisations - ‘No Patents on Seeds’ called for the rejection of the proposal. “Multinational companies like Monsanto are the most likely to profit from the Unitary Patent as a 'one stop shop' to gain fast track monopolies within the EU” said Christoph Then from the coordination of the coalition, warning that the adoption of the EU Unitary Patent would put the interests of the industry above those of consumers, farmers and traditional breeders. Up to now, it was necessary for companies to register their patents separately in each EU Member State at a cost of 36,000 euros, whereas patents under the new scheme will cost just 5,000 euros, according to the EU Commission. The new patent legislation also approved the establishment of a Unified Patent Court – another cause for concern for ‘No Patents on Seeds’. The legislation excludes the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) from taking final decisions, meaning there will be no possibility of appealing to the ECJ against decisions taken by the Unified Patent Court. Furthermore, in comparison to procedures at the European Patent Office, the new court will mean higher litigation costs for NGOs who want to lodge an appeal in the public interest, for example against patents on life warned Christoph Then.
2012-12-10 | permalink
Doha: Impact of Climate Change on Food Security neglected
Doha neglects impact of climate change on food supply and prices (Photo: R.C./Oxfam)
As the United Nations Conference on Climate Change came to a close on Saturday, NGOs criticised the lack of commitment to address the disastrous impacts of climate change, especially with regard to food security. Michiel Schaeffer, a scientist at Climate Analytics, expressed surprise that very little emphasis had been placed on food security at the event: “There is no question climate change poses a major risk to our ability to produce food”, Schaeffer told IPS. He stressed that the current rise in the Earth's average temperature by 0.8 degrees Celsius had already led to droughts, flooding and extreme weather events linked to climate change. Celine Charveriat, Director of Campaigns and Advocacy at Oxfam International shared his concerns: “This year droughts in the Sahel, the US and Russia saw food prices rise and hunger spread, but rather than rising to the challenges posed by climate change, we saw a drought of climate action from rich countries in Doha.” The two-week round of talks ended with a final marathon session in which states extended the Kyoto Protocol to 2020. However, this will only apply to 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions as countries such as the US, Canada and Russia opted out. A roadmap for a new global climate treaty was also agreed. Set to come into force in 2020, it will require both developed and developing countries to cut their emissions. Critics were further disappointed by the lack of funding pledges. Developed countries had promised $100 billion per year from 2020 to help poor countries adapt to climate change. However, no funding was granted for the seven-year interim period. Only a few European countries made individual pledges. “Poor countries came to Doha facing a climate ‘fiscal cliff’, and at the end of these talks they are now left hanging by their fingertips off the edge”, Oxfam said.
2012-12-06 | permalink
Declining Food Prices, Tight Cereal Stocks
Modest decline in wheat prices (Photo: compscigrad)
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), global food prices decreased by 1.5% between October and November, and were on average 3% lower than in the same month in 2011. The FAO Food Price Index, published today, measures the monthly change in price of commodities such as cereals, dairy products and oilseed, using a point system. In November, food prices averaged 211 points. This is below the previous price peaks in June 2008 and February 2011, and the lowest figure since June 2012 when prices started to climb due to droughts in the US and the Black Sea region. In general, however, food prices remain at a high level, especially for grain: The FAO Cereal Price Index went down slightly to 256 points – but is still up 12% compared to November last year, and only 18 points below the record high of 274 points in April 2008. These figures largely match up with the World Bank’s Food Price Watch report which was published last week. “A new norm of high prices seems to be consolidating. Although we haven’t seen a food crisis such as the one of 2008, food security should remain a priority”, said Otaviano Canuto, the Bank’s Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management. The FAO also announced today that world cereal production is expected to decrease by 2.8% from last year’s record crop to an estimated 2282 million tonnes. These figures are lower than the forecasts published last month due to new estimates on maize harvests in the Ukraine and Russia, and reduced wheat prospects in Australia and Brazil. World cereal stocks could decline to 495 million tonnes, posing the danger of more volatile food prices. With lower stocks, any unexpected developments create more variability in the prices than would otherwise, Abdolreza Abbassian, a senior FAO economist told Reuters.
2012-12-03 | permalink
Investors Encouraging Land Grabbing, NGOs warn
Land grab in Uganda initially funded by the World Bank (Photo: FoEI/ATI - Jason Taylor)
Ahead of a global farmland investment conference opening today in London, civil society organisations have called on major agricultural investors to stop facilitating the practice of land grabbing. In a joint press release, Friends of the Earth Europe, together with Anywaa Survival Organisation, GRAIN and Re: Common, urge the banks and pension funds attending the conference to ensure they do not invest in projects which threaten the food sovereignty of the local population. “Communities around the world are struggling to deal with the increasing land grabs. Many small-scale land holders have lost their sole source of income and the consequences for the environment are often disastrous. Yet, investors are gearing up to accelerate the grab of the world’s most fertile farmlands”, said Anne van Schaik, Accountable Finance Campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe. At the Global AgInvesting Europe 2012 conference, taking place from 3 - 5 December, financial investors and pension funds will gather to explore investment opportunities in agriculture in Africa, Latin America and Russia. The event, attended and sponsored by agribusiness giants such as Bunge and Monsanto, brings together funds with more than USD3 trillion in assets. Earlier this year, Friends of the Earth Europe published the report ‘Farming Money’, which investigated the agricultural investment activities of 29 European banks and pension funds, including Deutsche Bank, Barclays and Allianz: It revealed their contribution to food speculation, as well as the direct or indirect financing of land grabs. Due to ongoing critique, some banks have recently removed agricultural products from their portfolios and committed to refraining from speculating on food prices.
2012-11-29 | permalink
EU approves disputed Sustainable Palm Oil Scheme
Deforestation for oil palm plantations (Photo: CIFOR/flickr)
The European Commission has decided to recognise a certification scheme which will see biofuels produced from palm oil labelled as sustainable. The decision, made last Friday, comes despite recent studies by the Commission itself that have proved that the carbon footprint of palm oil biofuels is worse than that of conventional diesel. The approval of the scheme, proposed by the controversial multi-stakeholder initiative of palm oil producers, distributors and some NGOs – The Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), means that palm oil suppliers will not be required to provide further evidence of compliance with EU sustainability criteria, and can qualify for subsidies. Greenpeace Forest Campaigner Sini Harkki has objected to the decision stating that “The Commission’s decision is disgraceful and smacks of hypocrisy. One day palm oil biodiesel is dirtier than normal diesel and the next day, after a little poking by the industry, the Commission swallows its own words”. Studies commissioned by the EU, including an impact assessment published in October, found that biofuel production can lead to a net increase in carbon dioxide emissions when indirect land use changes (ILUC) are considered. ILUC occur if forests are cleared or peatland is dried to meet the growing demand for biofuels, leading to the release of greenhouse gases. Palm oil biodiesel has the highest ILUC emissions of common biofuels. “Palm oil is driving deforestation, wildlife loss, community conflicts, and accelerating climate change. Instead of greenwashing palm oil, the EU should outright ban its use as a biofuel”, said Robbie Blake, biofuels campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE). Greenpeace and FoEE have called on the Commission to suspend the authorisation of the scheme until ILUC emissions are truly accounted for by law. Last month, the Commission proposed a reporting obligation on greenhouse gas emissions from ILUC. However, these factors carry no legal weight when determining whether biofuels meet EU green transport targets.
