Dear friend, comrade and supporter,
After a long cold winter, spring is finally here and we are very excited about it! We are planing more outside events in the coming months to be able to enjoy the nice weather and do more hands-on farming activities. The preparations for our biggest project of the year, the Food Autonomy Festival #7, have started and we can’t wait!
We continue to focus more on our Fossil Free Agriculture campaign, by trying to dismantle colonial, patriarchal, destructive food systems that destroy life! Enemy nr.1 remains, of course, YARA, Europe’s biggest nitrogen fertilizer company that is greenwashing their dirty practices more than ever.
Enjoy reading our newsletter, and we hope to see you soon at one of our upcoming events!
Love & Rage,
the ASEED team
❓ What is the Fossil Free Agriculture Campaign ❓
With this campaign, we aim to expose the corporations that profit from the industrial agriculture system. These corporations contribute substantially to the climate crisis and take a disproportionate amount of the wealth. By focusing on the use of fossil fuels in the corporate-controlled industrial food system, we aim to expand the concept of climate justice to include agricultural justice. We do this by connecting the fossil fuel-focused climate movement and the food sovereignty movements, while opening a conversation about the structural links between the agro-industry and the fossil fuel industry, and the major role they play in the escalating climate, ecological and social crises.
What role does the Netherlands play in this?
The Netherlands functions as Europe’s most important distribution centre for both fossil fuels and industrial agriculture. The largest factory of the biggest nitrogen fertilizer company in the world (YARA) is located in Sluiskil, Zeeland. To make matters worse, this country hosts a huge and ruthless industrial livestock industry and functions as a European hub for the distribution of genetically modified soy imports. On the political level, the Dutch government is enthusiastically promoting the intensification of industrial food production, harmful and undemocratic trade agreements and risky new GMO techniques. Taking action here, in our own back yard, is clearly both urgently necessary and of strategic importance
Click here to learn more about our campaign!
🌱🌱🌱 NEWS 🌱🌱🌱
Regenerative Agriculture:
An answer to Yara’s “answer to the future of farming”
– Big agrobusinesses are co-opting regenerative agriculture, distorting it to fit a business-as-usual agenda as a greenwashing tactic.
– True regenerative agriculture originates from and is led by BIPOC, peasant, and Majority World farmers and food workers, not large agrochemical companies from the Global North.
– Agrochemical companies like Yara strive to control every aspect of nature to maximise yields and increase profits.
– Dependence on continuous chemical input is not regenerative!
Click here to read more!
‘Spring Is Coming’ project
For many in Europe, it’s a dark and cold winter as energy prices, food prices, rents and mortgages are rising even as inflation makes our paychecks worth less. The cost of living crisis is making it harder for four out of every five Europeans to make ends meet. In response, governments and businesses are proposing new rounds of austerity, evictions, credit collapse, unemployment and cuts to public services, while those who created the conditions for this crisis – fossil fuel companies – doubled their profits in 2022. Now, the fossil fuel industry is lobbying Europe to respond to this crisis by deepening its addiction to imported fossil fuels and the geopolitical volatility they bring.
But there is a better idea…
Let’s not just stop this crisis, let’s prevent the next one. Lets build permanent solutions not just to the symptoms of this crisis, but to its cause. Lets stop rising temperatures and rising costs of living by building an economy powered by local, renewable and democratic energy.
Our comrades from the Gastivists have put together this platform in collaboration with many allies from across different movements.
Click here to learn more!
‘The Old Story Behind New GMOs’
An article from the ‘NON GMO Project‘ that we found interesting:
As a new wave of GMOs enters the market, the Non-GMO Project has over 15 years of experience and expert guidance under our belt, a head start we didn’t have when the Project was newly formed back in 2007.
This time around, we’re well positioned to shine a spotlight on the potential downsides of new GMOs before they gain a foothold in the market…
Click here to read the full article!
🌱🌱🌱 LOOKING BACK 🌱🌱🌱
💥 Power to the People Conference in Vienna 💥
Last week we had the chance to participate at the Power to the People Conference in Vienna organized by an alliance of grassroots groups fighting for climate and social justice. Hundreds of people from different movements across the globe came together as part of actions against the European Gas Conference; learning, sharing experiences, knowledge and discussing alternatives about transforming the world.
The program highlighted a diversity of topics and struggles:
– Activists from Don’t Gas Africa shared their struggles and wins against gas development and Colonialism.
– Learnings and inspiration from the feminist movements in Iran, Afghanistan and Kurdistan.
– Experts exposed false solutions such as gas and hydrogen and their connection to the cost of living crisis.
– A green and just transition as a way to end capitalism.
The Counter-Summit was followed by days of actions where grassroots activists took a stand and blocked the Fossil Industry!
🌱🌱🌱 UPCOMING 🌱🌱🌱
ESC Positions available for the Fossil Free Agriculture Campaign – Apply Now!
Do you have an affinity with activism, grass-roots organising, or campaigning on agriculture and food issues, as well as social justice?
Are you concerned about climate change? Would you like to change our current food system towards a more fair and sustainable one?
We are looking for new ESC members (European Solidarity Corps) to join the ASEED team in Amsterdam for a period of one year, starting in September 2023. If you are between 18 and 30 years old, speak English, and would like to join us, then maybe this is something for you.
Click here to read more and apply!
🍃 Film: ‘Meer, De strijd om de laatste akkers’ 🍃
Date: 07-08/04/23
Location: Filmhallen (Hannie Dankbaarpassage 12, Amsterdam)
The Lutkemeerpolder is home to Amsterdam’s last farmland. For centuries, fields and farms were part of the city, but now only one patch remains. And that is exactly where the municipality has planned huge distribution centers.
The council defends the plans and is determined to get the business park built. Farmer Trijntje’s organic care farm Boerderij de Boterbloem has to clear the field, but is resisting with all she has.
Concerned Amsterdammers and platform Behoud Lutkemeer are taking tougher action. How did it come to this? Why is the business park being built? Are there alternatives?
Filmmaker Bart Melief followed the development of the business park and the protest against it for three years. With his film, he wants to record this historical event and erect a monument to a small polder in a big city.
Keep an eye on the website of Filmhallen for more information to come!
🌿 Reclaim the Seeds goes to Nijmegen again 🌿
Date: 08/04/23, 12:00-20:00
Location: Ecodorp Zuiderveld (Alfred Hitchcockstraat 42, Nijmegen)
On Saturday 8 April, Ecodorp Zuiderveld welcomes Reclaim the Seeds for the second time. There will be another seed market, workshops, lectures, live music and art. On the day itself you can go to all kinds of stalls to buy, exchange or get seeds. In the community center of Ecodorp Zuiderveld, workshops and lectures will be given on alternative agricultural systems, green activism and also practical do-workshops, such as picking wild and harvesting seeds. Fun for kids too! Various art installations can be admired spread across the garden and during the day there is a varied music program.
Reclaim the Seeds Nijmegen is possible thanks to the many volunteers and active participants. Do you care to help? Send an email to rtsnijmegen@riseup.net.
Click here for more information!
🌿 Mycelia van Hoop goes to
Reclaim the Seeds Nijmegen! 🌿
‘Mycelia van Hoop’ is an initiative from the Dutch Agroecology Network that aims to bring agroecological farmers, activists and allies closer together. It is sometimes difficult for agroecological farmers to leave their farms and find time for activism outside of work, and activists (as well as many others) are very likely to overwork themselves. Both could use a place and some company to regenerate. Mycelia van Hoop would like to create this place, with the goal of all going home stronger.
For this event, we are invited to join CSA Eetmeerbosch in Nijmegen. We are going to start the day with tea/coffee and getting to know each other, followed by ‘Befriend Your Local Ecology’, a nature sensory walk to ground ourselves in the place we’ll be spending the day at, given by our friend Rens Spanjaard. After a brunch break provided by the amazing cooking collective Le Sabot, we will have a tour of the CSA. We will then work on the ‘heart’ of the farm and build a relaxing space to get together where gatherings can be organised. We will end the day by having a bonfire and drinks in this collectively created space.
We want this event to be as inclusive as possible. Do you need something specific to make your participation possible/easier? Or are you missing information? Don’t hesitate and feel free to send us an email!
Click here to reserve your spot!
🍃 Reading Group #4 on Agroecology 🍃
Date: 27/04/23
[time & location tba]
Our fourth and last Reading Group meeting of this season will soon take place! Let’s grow our brains together as we discuss hot topics in our Fossil Free Agriculture Campaign. We will dive deep into the topic of Agoecology, as an alternative to fossil dependent agriculture, and we need your help to foster a rich co-learning environment!
Just like last time, we’ll provide a list of materials in different formats to look at for the session, such as articles, videos, zines, podcasts, etc., so you can engage with the topic according to your capacity and interests.
Send an email to info@aseed.net to let us know you want to join the reading group session, so we can send you a list of recommended materials to browse (approx. one week before the meeting). There are no requirements to attend, we just want to facilitate the opportunity to learn about these important topics together!
More information coming soon here!
🌱 Food Autonomy Festival #7 🌱
Have you heard? The Food Autonomy Festival #7 is on its way!
On the 9th, 10th, and 11th of June, we will come together at ADM Noord in Amsterdam to explore alternatives for a viable, just, sustainable, and fossil-free agricultural system and world. Through open discussions, workshops, panels, and cultural events we aim to find common ground where movements fighting for climate justice can meet. We will join forces and strategise for much-needed agricultural and societal change.
Amsterdam’s Food Autonomy Festival also has a younger sibling. Its name is Utrecht Food Autonomy Festival and it is about to become 3 years old! More information coming soon!
Click here to learn more!
ASEED is a grassroots and volunteer-based organisation.
Would you like to become involved as well?
Then feel very welcome to join one of our upcoming events & meetings!
If you want to help out at any of our events,
send us an email at info@aseed.net!!!
If you would like to know more or join us in the movement to protect our veggies and our planet, check out our website!
🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱
Unfortunately, revolution is not for free…
In order for ASEED to hold meetings, print flyers and posters, and organize infrastructure for the Food Autonomy Festival, we need funding. If you believe in what we do, please consider donating to support our work, any amount is highly appreciated!
