How RCEP affects food and farmers
June 20, 2017: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega-regional trade deal, which if adopted, will cover half of the world’s population, including 420 million small family farms which produce 80% of the region’s food.A new infographic from GRAIN shows what this agreement will mean for food and farmers in the region, based on current leaked drafts.
land grabbing may expand
millions of small dairy farmers could lose their livelihoods
the use of farm chemicals will likely go up,
mega-food parks could proliferate and
seeds will be privatised.
Protests shaping up for RCEP talks
The next round of the RCEP is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad on July 17-28, with representatives from 16 ASEAN members and representatives from the countries that were associated with it forming into working groups to deliberate on various aspects of the partnership.
On June 15, representatives from the All-India Trade Union Congress, Indian Federation of Trade Unions, Telangana Rythu Joint Action Committee, Rythu Swarajya Vedika, Telangana Raithanga Samiti, National Alliance of Dalit Organisations and Doctors Without Borders attended the meeting to discuss the RCEP fallout.
They will hold protests and a `People's Convention on RCEP and Free Trade Agreements' in the city during the last week of July 2017.