Over the last few years, a new land grab in Africa has begun. Once, the expropriators were European powers creating empire. Now, the new empire builders on the block are buying up land and labour of impoverished, politically-divided parts of the continent for bargain basement prices. Will this land be used to feed people locally or will the harvests be exported? The food security and food sovereignty implications of this trend warrant monitoring and evaluation from a policy standpoint. Please click here to access the article.

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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Cocoa, not Coca, in Colombia

In a southern Colombian province, a group of more than 100 farmers cultivate cocoa in an area of coca production. In other words, they farm in the middle of an area where agressive coca eradication occurs, sometimes threatening and destroying cocoa by mistake. Despite many challenges and setbacks, a small peasant-run company continues to thrive and grow. Please click here to access the article.

 

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Friday, May 22, 2009

The Global Food Rush

Supporting loval and sustainable food production does more than just improve your community. In a modern day gold-rush, or perhaps "soil-rush", an area equalling 25 percent of European farmland has recently been acquired in Africa by foreign investors. Stephen Leahy's article explores the importance of place in food production - and exposes the real impact that this trend is having on human lives and the environment in Africa. To read the article, please click here.

 

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Friday, May 8, 2009

NGO Voices on the World Food Crisis

What are various NGOs saying about the world food crisis? Between the tanking world economy and swine flu hysteria, the media has become increasingly silent on the ripple effects of the global food crisis. Reliefweb is an electronic hub for international NGOs and the UN. It offers a global view of the crisis - with updated policy reports and research data on food prices internationally. This is an essential resource for anyone wanting to understand the big picture of our shrinking food security. Please click here to access the area dealing with the food crisis.

 

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Sunday, April 19, 2009

Urban Agriculture and Design

An important art/design/urban agriculture show winds down next week in Toronto. The Carrot City exhibit examines how the design of cities and buildings is enabling the production of food in the city. Carrot City raises many important questions about the food system and what one of the show's curators terms the "crisis of trust." The place food in the city will increasingly become a major issue for policymakers as cities deal with a myriad of environmental and economic issues. To access the article, please click here.

 

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Friday, April 10, 2009

The End of Backyard Gardens and Farmers' Markets?

Food security and conspiracy listservs have been flooded with posts on two food safety bills currently before the US House of Representatives. HR 875 and HR 759 have food activists wondering what these bills if they were passed would mean for organic farmers, backyard gardeners and even farmers' markets. To learn about these bills and to see what's at stake, please click here to access an excellent overview article from AlterNet.

 

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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Food Elitism for All!

How much does it cost to eat well and more importantly, what is it worth? Mark Winne, author of Closing the Food Gap: Resetting the Table in the Land of Plenty raises a smorgasbord of interesting questions in this article, originally printed for a Maine newspaper. Please click the link below to enjoy Mark's latest serving to Foodforethought.

Winne_March_09.pdf

 

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