According to the final declaration and the action plan approved by the participants of the International Conference « Stop land grabbing » which took place in Nyeleni in Mali from 14 to 17 November 2011, La Via Campesina and the Coordination Nationale des Organisations Paysannes in Mali are in the process of setting up the small-scale farmers’ Alliance « Stop land grabbing » based on the Dakar Appeal

There was a unanimous agreement at the Conference that small-scale farmers must be the driving force behind this Alliance ‘ Stop land grabbing ‘. In this way the Alliance will be comprised of farmers’ organisations and local small-scale farmers’ groups who are directly involved in the struggle against land grabbing.

NGOs and other organisations are invited to show their support by signing the Dakar Appeal and, depending on their capacity, provide physical, moral, material and/or financial support to the actions and strategies which respond to the concerns and projects of small-scale farmers’ communities and organisations involved in the hands on struggle. They can also help to make the fight visible and create, for example, a link from their website to the Alliance’s blog (www.stopauxaccaparementsdesterres.over-blog.com) etc.

The small-scale farmers’ Alliance ‘Stop land grabbing’ is therefore the physical network, a collection of groups and organisations involved in the hands on struggle, the objective of which is:

➢ To make the hands-on struggle led by small-scale farmers’ organisations and/or local groups, supported by other organisations, partners, allies, visible.
➢ To mobilise, communicate and establish a balance of power from a local to an international level by means of actions, events, legal proceedings, etc
➢ To strengthen awareness within organisations, on the part of policy makers and of public opinion.
➢ To generate support for these struggles.

It was also declared at the International Conference at Nyeleni that the theme of 17 April 2012 would be land grabbing. This will be a good opportunity to take action together and consolidate the Alliance ‘Stop land grabbing’.

In order to achieve this we feel it is important to organise a strong synergy of communication and actions as well as to share information and inform one another of how our struggles are progressing. For this there is a common poster, an appeal, the final declaration and action plan of the Conference, a blog stopauxaccaparementsdesterres by means of which you will be able to share your actions and results with press releases, photos, etc, naturally in liaison with La Via Campesina web site.

It’s time to activate relationships with partners, local organisations etc, to invite them to join in this day of action and to take part in our projects, strategies, perspectives, etc.

Let’s make this day into a strong common front to say « Stop land grabbing » and build the small-scale farmers’ Alliance.

Appeal to organisations and small-scale farmers’ groups: Send information of your actions against land grabbing to [email][email protected] so they can be published on the Alliance’s blog!

Globalise the struggle, globalise hope !

For more information :
➢ The address of the small-scale farmers’ Alliance’s blog :www.stopauxaccaparementsdesterres.over-blog.com
➢ www.viacampesina.org

Contacts :

Chantal Jacovetti: [email][email protected]
Boaventura Monjane: [email][email protected]