for the land that feeds us

The report presents a series of case studies from FOE member groups in Nigeria, Uganda, Indonesia, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the United States, Guatemala, and Switzerland. It highlights the conflict between industrial agricultural models—characterized by monocultures, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and land grabbing—and community-led efforts to maintain agroecological practices, preserve native seeds, and secure land rights. The document argues that food sovereignty is inextricably linked to the protection of forests and biodiversity, and it showcases various strategies for resistance, including community-based conservation, the creation of alternative markets, and legal initiatives to prevent urban sprawl and industrial land use.

• In Nigeria, the acquisition of over 3,500 hectares of the Iguobazuwa forest reserve by the French company Michelin for rubber plantations led to increased hunger, malnutrition, and forced migration.
• The BIDCO oil palm plantation on Bugala island in Uganda caused extensive deforestation and water depletion, resulting in the loss of clean water and traditional forest products for local communities.
• Indonesia has experienced massive tropical forest loss, with 72% of its natural forest gone by the start of the 21st century, while government conservation efforts are criticized for treating natural goods as static resources and excluding indigenous management.
• In Argentina's Misiones Province, industrial monocultures of tobacco and pine have driven deforestation and displaced peasant and indigenous communities, leading to a decline in food sovereignty.
• The Agrovida association in Colombia's García Rovira Province has revitalized the cultivation of over 100 varieties of potato, 40 varieties of broad bean, and 30 varieties of kidney bean to resist the homogenization of tastes caused by conventional markets.
• In Costa Rica, the Sonafluca settlement serves as a successful model of community forest management, protecting the Dendrobates Biological Reserve and integrating agroforestry systems for family consumption and national markets.
• The Los Cuzcatlecos group in El Salvador protects 'criolla' seeds in biodiversity sanctuaries to resist the introduction of transgenics and the influence of agribusiness corporations like Monsanto.
• US agriculture is characterized by extreme concentration, with the top four seed companies controlling 43% of the seed market and Monsanto controlling 60% of corn and 62.5% of soybean seeds and traits.
• In Guatemala, the 'Por Venir' ranch demonstrates the impact of diversifying parcels with organic compost and traditional seeds to ensure food sovereignty and soil protection.
• FOE Switzerland has launched a 'people's initiative' to combat urban sprawl and preserve agricultural land exclusively for food production, noting that Switzerland's food self-sufficiency is just over 50%.

APA

Dey, A. (2011). for the land that feeds us. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/for-the-land-that-feed-us.pdf

Chicago

Dey, Abhijith. for the land that feeds us. Friends of the Earth International, 2011. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/for-the-land-that-feed-us.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dey |first1=Abhijith |title=for the land that feeds us |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=July 2011 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/for-the-land-that-feed-us.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dey2011land, author = {Dey, Abhijith}, title = {{for the land that feeds us}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2011}, month = jul, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/for-the-land-that-feed-us.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }