Matters Arising: A keg of Dangerous Gun Powder

As one of the follow-up activities arising from our land-grab conference in Nairobi, the AEFJN recently partnered with other faith-based organizations and NGOs to co-organize a national conference in Nigeria to raise awareness on the potential consequences of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) on the food sovereignty of the country. The conference drew attention to the monumental negative impact that GMOs will have on sustainable agriculture, environment, safe food, bio-security and the ripple effect on the rest of Africa. It was also an occasion to raise awareness on the gaps in the recently passed bio-safety law in Nigeria and its implications both for Nigeria and the rest of Africa. Read more

FROM THE AEFJN DESK

Why the EU Transparency Directive Does not do Tax Justice to Africa

Every year Africa loses a great amount of income through tax avoidance and illicit money outflows. Tax justice could ensure that Africa retains the economic value that is created on the continent, increase the resource base of African governments, allowing for more investments in education and infrastructure as well to process natural resources at home. In other words, these large amounts of revenue, if properly registered and fairly taxed, could enable the development of Africa and diminish the dependence of certain regions to donor countries.Read more

Gender Equality in Nigeria 

Inheritance in Nigeria is complex, often male preference is given, and therefore, only male kin are able to inherit any properties of deceased persons. This custom is perpetuated by Nigeria’s patriarchal system, thus juxtaposing a gender equal society.  The article will give a basic understanding of the patriarchal systems which have engendered the alienation of women in society, particularly providing a basic insight into the Bini people of South-western Nigeria and the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria. Read more

ALSO IN THE NEWS

MEPs call G7 New Alliance Food Security and Nutrition a mistake

The MEPs call on the New Alliance to rectify the issues related to land, seeds and GMOs, in absence of such rectification the EU should withdraw its support all together.  Furthermore MEPs spoke out against the focus on intensive agriculture in the program of the G7. AEFJN and several partners have brought the flaws of the NASAN to the attention of the MEPs in spring 2016. AEFJN welcomes the bold stance of the European Parliament on the matter. Read More

AFRICA

Just Governance: The Nigerian Biosafety Acts, and GMOs – Implications for Nigerians and Africa

AEFJN recently co-organized a national conference on Just Governance: The Nigerian Biosafety Acts, and GMOs – Implications for Nigerians and Africa in Nigeria. It is a follow up activity of the Land grab conference held at Nairobi in 2015. The conference was the initiative of Friends of the Earth Nigeria/ Environmental Right Action who participated at the Nairobi conference. It aimed at developing national advocacy strategies to repeal the recently passed Nigerian biosafety law and to resist the release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the country because it is perceived that its negative impact on the Nigerian ecosystem and her food sovereignty, and the ripple effect on the rest of Africa would be monumental. The other members of the coalition are Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, ATAN Justice, Development and Peace Centre, Nigeria. The conference brought the Church and the Civil Society together for joint advocacy actions. The report of the conference, joint action plan, Presentation materials, and some photos are found here.Read more

Madagascar: Study on Jatropha exploitation

Our focus here is the investment by a local subsidiary of British company, Fuelstock International. It invested in the cultivation of 2000 hectares of jatropha, for biofuel, in the villages of Miadanasoa and Manjarisoa but results fell well below the expectations of the villagers. The arrival of the company did not enable them to significantly improve their income or living conditions. Indeed, the salary received by daily labourers is below the national poverty line and agricultural minimum wage. These salaries do not even meet the food needs of their households. Because of this low remuneration and delays of at least 15 days in payment of wages, workers are forced to borrow to meet their daily food needs, often from Fuelstock’s grocery which charges higher prices than the markets. Read more

In Namibia, the gods have really gone crazy

In 1990, in the cradle of South Africa’s independence, Namibia then had many enviable trump cards: 2.5 million inhabitants spread out over 825,000 km², no debts, diamonds, uranium, copper, fish, meat, excellent road infrastructure, electricity, well established institutions to serve as a legal framework, superb landscapes, etc.  There were however a few clouds in the sky: unemployment between 20 and 40%, but, above all, ideology-based promises made by SWAPO, the party in power, to China whose aid at that time (1960-65) had been very modest, an ideological ‘debt’ that is now weighing heavily on the country. Today, 26 years on, we must recognize a certain erosion of power due to the external vultures of corporate globalization that accelerates social inequalities and some multinationals that are dismembering Namibia in large and small bites.      Read more

ADVOCACY

Conference on European Trade Policies and Africa

The AEFJN Trade policy officer, Jose Luis Gutierrez Aranda had a workshop session on “The European Trade Policies and Africa” with a group from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria (Germany), who visited Brussels on 13^th June, 2016.  The participants were interested in politics, development and European policies. The session primarily focused on trade policies of the EU, especially free trade agreements (EPAs, TTIP, CETA, and ISDS) and the consequences that all these economic treaties will have for the population, especially in Africa. Read more

Videos

What is the true impact of palm oil?

The government of Liberia has given concessions to palm oil companies with plantations covering almost ten per cent of the land.

Edward Loure acceptance speech, 2016 Goldman Prize ceremony

Edward Loure led a grassroots organization that pioneered land titling for indigenous communities.

Oxfam au Burkina : la femme et la terre   (in French)

L’accès sécurisé à la terre pour les femmes à Cassou au Burkina Faso.

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