Volver

MISSION STATEMENT AND REQUEST FOR SUPPORT

DEFENDING PEOPLES’ LIVELIHOODS FROM THE CORPORATE GREENWASH OF THE SOY INDUSTRY

I- At the present time, South America is witnessing the creation of a Corporate Round Table on “Sustainable Soy”.  This is a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) initiative which is using the pretext of conserving Ecoregions of high biodiversity value to legitimise the expansion of large-scale monoculture farming of genetically modified soya, and the introduction of intensive methods of meat and dairy production through so-called ‘feedlots’ or fattening pens. The objective of this “green” capitalism is to satisfy the increasing demand of the European and Chinese markets, and so keep paying the country’s immoral external debt to international financial institutions, whilst ignoring local food demand.

III- This export-oriented model of industrial agriculture, determines the fate of agriculture on a global scale. For importing countries it means the disappearance of local, diverse agriculture, based on the food culture of the people who are able to exercise freedom of choice.  It also means that peasant life becomes increasingly precarious. The expansion of the agribusiness based on industrial agriculture and genetic engineering endangers people’s health, and brings with it risks of irreparable genetic contamination of the environment through intensive use of agrochemicals, the loss of soil fertility, deforestation and climate change. 

IV- The WWF initiative seeks to co-opt environmental NGOs and civil society groups with the objective of legitimising the expansion of industrial agriculture. This strategy also highlights a current debate of the decade. What is the role of the NGOs? Should they try to establish a dialogue with multinationals to soften the impacts of their activities? Or should their main goal be supporting the struggles of local communities?

V- We now propose a process of debate and alliance-building between grassroots groups representing peasants, urban populations, indigenous people, unions and ecologists. We want to formulate a response to the INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURAL MODEL BASED ON MONOCULTURES AND GENETIC ENGINEERING which is risking not just our own lives, but also those of future generations. We can only develop alternatives from the ground upward to halt the social and ecological crisis that we are experiencing today, and which is growing with every day that passes. We need alternatives, based on the traditional ways of rural communities, combined with sustainable technologies accessible to all. We call for a participatory process of reflection on and the construction of new policies on mixed farming which will lead to agrarian reform and food sovereignty.

We represent the social organisations that have signed below, and by doing so express our total opposition to the “Sustainable Soy” initiative taken by WWF, which follows a neoliberal model and favours global capitalism. We declare our intention to denounce the fraud which is being planned and to co-ordinate actions in defence of natural resources, biodiversity against our common enemy.

Activities will range from public denunciation and the dissemination of information, to the organisation of activities which will take place at the same date as the first meeting of the Business Round Table on “Sustainable Soy”.  These activities include the Counterconference of Iguazú from 16^th till 18^th of March.

Our intention is to create real mechanisms for integration, solidarity and fraternity between all the women and men of this country.

GRR- Rural Reflection Group- Argentina

MOCASE- Peasant Movement of Santiago del Estero – Argentina

CLOC- Coordinadora Latinoamericana de Organizaciones Campesinas