Agriculture

Full Tanks at the Cost of Empty Stomachs: The Expansion of the Sugarcane Industry in Latin America

27 March, 2007
(see signatories)
We, representatives of organizations and social movements of Brasil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, gathered at a forum on the expansion of the sugarcane industry in Latin America, declare that:

G33 Ministers reiterate commitment to SP, agree on revised indicators

26 March, 2007
Hira Jhamtani and Lutfiyah Hanim, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
The Group of 33 (G33) developing countries concluded their Ministerial meeting here Wednesday with a communique outlining their continued commitment to Special Products and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SP/SSM) in the WTO's Doha agriculture negotiations, and agreeing on a revised list of indicators for the selection of Special Products.

Not import liberalisation, but justified protection needed for farm sector

25 March, 2007
Ashok B Sharma, Financial Express
Reduction in tariff protection in South Asian agriculture has been the primary cause of import surge, leading to fall in employment in farm activities, lowering of returns to farmers and increased levels of poverty in rural areas.

Children With Diarrhoea need Rice “Kanji”, Not Cannibal Rice

21 March, 2007
Drs. Mira and Vandana Shiva
California based Ventria Bioscience has been given preliminary approval to grow a rice containing human genes on 3000 acres in Kansas.

Open Markets ‘Impoverishing Pakistani Fishing Communities’

20 March, 2007
ActionAid UK, http://us.oneworld.net/
Hundreds of local fishing communities are being pushed into poverty in Pakistan due to over fishing by international trawlers, according to new research from ActionAid released today.

Militant Brazilian Opposition to Bush-Lula Ethanol Accords

20 March, 2007
Isabella Kenfield and Roger Burbach
During Bush

Trade: Concerns raised at WTO over EC's agriculture tariffs

19 March, 2007
Kanaga Raja, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues
Despite an increase in the exposure of farmers to world market signals due to the implementation of the 2003 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), agriculture remained protected by a complex tariff structure, high tariffs, tariff quotas (with unfilled quotas), and benefited from high levels of domestic support and export subsidies.

“Mr. Lamy, Our SP/SSM is Non-negotiable and Can Not Be Compromised”

19 March, 2007
The Institute for Global Justice
Please find IGJ statement that we addressed today in the dialog session between CSO and G-33 delegation during the lunch session from 13.00 to 14.30. Today is the SOM meeting, and tomorrow is the ministerial meeting where Lamy and Mandelsohn will come.

The FSPI’s Action on G33 Meeting:

19 March, 2007
Federasi Serikat Petani Indonesia (FSPI)
Today (20/3), hundreds of farmers, youth, and farm workers from Federasi Serikat Petani Indonesia (FSPI) march in front of Grand Melia Hotel, Jakarta to strongly urge the G33 countries to stand by the people.

Asia’s Rice Under Threat!

11 March, 2007
PAN AP
Rice faces its greatest threat yet. The region was once the centre of thousands of rice varieties developed and nurtured through the innovative wisdom and experimentation of small peasant farmers.

2007 Agricultural Outlook Forum and US views on the WTO agricultural negotiations

5 March, 2007
Jacques Berthelot, Solidarit
This paper makes some comments on the paper presented the 1st March 2007 by William R. Cline at the 2007 Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington.

Round Table Discussion on SP/SSM

1 March, 2007
KMP-APC
Last February 28, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), PUMALAG and the IBON Foundation organized a Roundtable Discussion on WTO and the SP/ SSM in the UP Hotel in Quezon City. It was a lively discussion attended by around 100 participants from peasant organizations, fisher folk groups, trade unions, peasant women organizations, religious congregations, anti-imperialist organizations, a representative in Congress and the Cuban Ambassador as well as the Charges de Affaires of Venezuela.

Round Table Discussion on SP/SSM

28 February, 2007
KMP-APC
Last February 28, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), PUMALAG and the IBON Foundation organized a Roundtable Discussion on WTO and the SP/ SSM in the UP Hotel in Quezon City. It was a lively discussion attended by around 100 participants from peasant organizations, fisher folk groups, trade unions, peasant women organizations, religious congregations, anti-imperialist organizations, a representative in Congress and the Cuban Ambassador as well as the Charges de Affaires of Venezuela.

New IATP Paper: “The Guessing Game: how will the U.S. play agriculture trade in 2007?”

27 February, 2007
IATP
In a new paper, IATP explores the internal politics of U.S. agriculture to help uncover how the U.S. will play agriculture in 2007.

Opening up of agri markets may harm developing nations

25 February, 2007
Ashok B Sharma, Financial Express
WTO director general Pascal Lamy recently admitted that US, the European Union and India are close to a compromise that would break the deadlock in WTO negotiations.

U.S. Farmers Link with Farmers Around the World on Farm Policy

21 February, 2007
Katherine Ozer
Sixty farm, faith, consumer, environmental, development and rural advocacy organizations today declared the current U.S. agricultural trade model

Southern Africa: Balance between free market and state-run food security needed

13 February, 2007
IRIN
Southern African countries have shown willingness to experiment with liberalising the agriculture sector, but food security experts feel that some form of government intervention is still required to prevent hunger in the region.

Need to reduce agri support for WTO talks to go forward

11 February, 2007
Ashok B Sharma, financialexpress.com
The prospects of forward movement in WTO talks seems bleak if developed countries do not give a clear commitment to drastically reduce their support to the farm sector.

Green Box removal may reduce US, EU exports by 40-50% (2nd of 3 articles on the Green Box)

8 February, 2007
Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Feb07/06)
Green Box agricultural subsidies have boosted the agricultural exports and output of many developed countries (especially the United States and European Union states).

UNCTAD paper reveals distortions of Green Box subsidies (Article 1 of 3 articles)

8 February, 2007
Martin Khor, TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Feb07/05)
The current efforts towards a breakthrough in the stalled Doha negotiations at the World Trade Organisation have focused firstly on getting the United States to make a new offer to put a maximum limit on its total 'trade-distorting' domestic support (TDS) in agriculture that is more acceptable than its previously announced offer.