[asia-apec 836] Workshop on TNCs: Forum on Land, Food Security and Agriculture

[PAN Asia Pacific]

HEY TNCs: YOU CAN'T FEED THE WORLD ON GREED! 
Workshop on Transnational Corporations 
November 11, Grand Olympic Hotel, 
Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia

Part of the Forum on Land, Food Security, and Agriculture 
November 11-12, Grand Olympic Hotel, 
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

And the Asia-Pacific Peoples’ Assembly (APPA)
November 10-15, Federal Hotel, Kuala  Lumpur, Malaysia

Workshop Organiser: Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific
Concept:

“Hunger is the offspring of injustice and the unequal distribution of wealth in this world”
-Fidel Castro

Today, a few transnational corporations (TNCs) dominate the world’s food system.  The 
statistics are appalling:  Cargill, a US based company, controls 77 per cent of the global 
cereal trade; 5 TNCs control between them 90 per cent of the export trade of each of 
wheat, corn, coffee, tea, pineapple, cotton, tobacco, jute, and forest products; and 
Monsanto, one of the largest and most notorious agrochemical and biotechnology 
companies, is now one of the world’s largest seed distributors.  Food and agriculture has 
become big business, and the losers far outnumber the winners.

The transformation of the food system is part of globalisation.  Globalisation, among 
other things, consolidates wealth in the hands of a few and impoverishes many.  TNCs 
are the major beneficiaries of this process, and they have well-planned strategies to 
ensure that this process continues.  This is certainly true of the food and agriculture 
industry.  TNCs are now using genetic engineering and multilateral trade bodies and 
lending institutions to protect their interests and guarantee their markets.  

The current picture is bleak, but throughout the world there is resistance.  Farmers and 
consumers in Europe are fighting against the introduction of genetically engineered 
crops and food.  In India, farmers destroyed Cargill seeds and forced the company from 
opening operations at a northern port.  In Thailand, farmers are leading a protest 
against the attempts of an American company to patent Jasmine rice.

The struggle, however, is arduous; TNCs wield resources and influence.  In order to 
succeed, we will have to understand corporate strategies and the mechanisms that they 
use to protect and promote their interests.  The workshop on TNCs will help participants 
to understand corporate control of the food system and to find the best ways to resist it.

Objectives:

1. Analysis: 
The workshop will develop an analysis of corporate strategies that highlights how TNCs 
seek to control the food system.  The analysis will give specific attention to TNC public 
relations; to the benefits of trade liberalisation and trade bodies for TNCs; and  to the 
influence of TNCs with government and trade bodies.  The analysis will also focus on the 
impacts of corporate strategies on the food system, specifically on national and 
household food security.

2. Actions:
Workshop participants will use the analysis to decide on a plan of action.  The actions 
will consider various means of resistance: monitoring at the macro and micro levels; 
direct actions by NGOs, farmers, consumers and activists; and using existing 
international mechanisms and instruments or developing new ones.

Programme:

November 11, Grand Olympic Hotel

2:00-2:15       
Introduction
Sarojeni V. Rengam (PAN-AP, Malaysia)
                 
2:15-2:45       
Overview of TNCs and the Food System,
Brewster Kneen, (Canada)

Mr. Kneen will speak specifically about the corporate strategies of Cargill and Monsanto; 
two of the world’s greediest TNCs.  Brewster will highlight the implications of their 
strategies for the global food system.  He will also share his views about how trade 
liberalisation and multilateral trade bodies promote the interests of these TNCs.  
Brewster will end his talk with suggestions for action.

2:45-3:45
Stories of Corporate Greed and the Power of Resistance

TNC Handouts: No Thanks!
Farhad Mazhar, (UBINIG, Bangladesh)

Mr. Mazhar will describe how agribusiness is using development agencies to promote its 
selfish interests.  He will share the example of how TNCs used the recent floods in 
Bangladesh to push wheat imports.  Farhad will then talk about the Naya Krishi 
movement and other ways that people in Bangladesh are resisting TNCs.

Don't Believe the Hype!
Barbara Dinham (Pesticides Trust, UK)

Ms. Dinham will speak about the public relations strategies of Pesticide and Food TNCs 
in Europe.  She will also describe the European campaigns and actions to counter these 
PR strategies.

TNCs: Get out of Asia!
Dr. Romy Quijano (PAN Philippines)

Dr. Quijano will speak about his own experiences in confronting agribusiness 
corporations.  He will also speak about TNC operations in Asia and what the future 
implications are for the Asian food system.  He will then speak about the various 
mechanism of resistance that have been used in Asia, such as the PAN Community 
Pesticide Action Kit for monitoring at the micro level.

3:45-4:00       Tea Break

4:00-5:00       Deepening of the Analysis

5:00-7:00       Action Planning

For more information please contact Devlin Kuyek at the PAN-AP offices: 
Tel: 604-657-0271  Fax: 604-657-7445  Email: panap at panap.po.my 

To register for The Forum on Land, Food Security and Agriculture please contact the 
APPA Secretariat  (email: appasec at tm.net.my)