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What happened
Ange-David Baïmey, the Africa program coordinator for GRAIN, spoke at COP30 about the critical need for food sovereignty in African communities. He highlighted how climate change is making it harder for farmers to access land, water, and resilient seeds. Multinational corporations are pushing farmers towards dependency on commercial seeds and synthetic inputs, undermining traditional agricultural practices. GRAIN's focus is on empowering communities to grow their own food and resist corporate control. Baïmey criticized formal U.N. negotiations as ineffective, preferring the People’s COP for meaningful dialogue on climate justice. He believes a victory at COP30 would involve rejecting carbon markets that facilitate land grabbing and threaten food security.
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Key insights
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1
Climate Justice Defined
GRAIN sees climate justice as empowering affected communities to control their food systems.
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2
Impact of Climate Change
Farmers face inconsistent growing seasons and increased dependency on corporate seeds.
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3
Critique of COP Negotiations
Formal U.N. negotiations are viewed as ineffective for addressing grassroots needs.
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Vision for COP30
A victory would mean rejecting harmful carbon markets that threaten food sovereignty.
Takeaways
GRAIN's advocacy at COP30 highlights the urgent need for African communities to reclaim control over their food systems in the face of climate change and corporate pressures. Their focus on food sovereignty and agroecology is essential for ensuring sustainable agricultural practices and food security.