Monoculture

Request for Solidarity and Call for Action to the Governor of Paraná: Hon. Sr. Roberto Richa

MST LogoDear Friends and Supporters of the MST: We received the following urgent request from the MST's Human Rights Sector asking supporters throughout the world to contact the Governor of Paraná to begin an investigation into the murder of a landless family, lending their support to a land occupation. Below is the request. We've included documents and sample email letters. Please take the time to write the governor.

 

 

Dear Friends of MST,

Seven Sins of Agribusiness

Whoever thinksagrotoxicos mata of agribusiness and imagines large estates producing food for Brazil’s refrigerators is gravely mistaken. What the television doesn’t tell us is that agribusiness is a form of agricultural production in which food isn’t actually produced. It doesn’t tell us that agribusiness depends on large amounts of agritoxins, and that what is produced is, in the end, exported abroad – even if public resources are used. Even worse, most land is in the hands of foreign businesses and international banks. Check out below what the real consequences of agribusiness are.

The soils are poisoned

Thanks to agribusiness, Brazil has been the world’s largest consumer of agritoxins since 2009. According to official figures more than a billion litres of poison have been thrown onto crops. These agritoxins

"2013 is the worst year for Agrarian Reform,” says João Paulo Rodrigues Chaves

Joao Paulo Rodriques ChavesThe year 2013 won’t be missed by the Landless throughout the country. Regarding the struggle for land, the balance is positive, due to the demonstrations, marches and occupations of land and public buildings that occurred almost throughout the year.

But when referring to Agrarian Reform policy, almost nothing has been done, and in many cases the government walked backwards. This is the assessment of João Paulo Rodrigues Chaves, from the national coordination of the MST, on the agrarian policy stimulated by the federal government during all of this year.

As Rodrigues stated, something that has always been bad in this government became even worse. “So far, only 159 families were settled around the country. It's a shame. There were 10 properties expropriated by the Dilma government. Worse than the last military government of General Figueiredo, when 152 properties were expropriated," he says.

Check out the interview:

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