The Commons encompass access, rights and governance of land, forests, water and other natural, social and economic wealth in South and Southeast Asia. Across the region, local populations in rural and urban areas are experiencing both erosion and capture of the commons, spurred by industrial agriculture, extractive industry, large infrastructure, property and real estate booms, urbanization, bio-piracy, replacement of indigenous seeds by genetically engineered varieties, and commodification and financialization of nature (including REDD and Blue Carbon).
Local communities, small-scale food producers and workers face increasing threats of physical displacement and dispossession of their homes, wealth, assets and livelihoods.
- In Cambodia, we are supporting local activists and communities to investigate and challenge land, water and forest grabbing through participatory action research and community mobilizing. We are also supporting garment workers to monitor workplace practices and negotiate living wages.
- In Thailand, we are linking up with peasant, fisherfolk, and urban poor networks and other land rights defenders from around the country to build solidarity and unity in support of people’s actions.
- In the Philippines, we are part of a coalition of peasant groups, agrarian reform advocates and land and water rights groups initiating fora for dialogues and discussions, helping to mobilize policy and protest actions and publishing educational materials. We engage in the Food, Land, Water and Climate Campaign and the KALAMPAG: Kampanya Laban sa Pagkagutom (Campaign Against Hunger) and engage with the youth on agrarian reform.
- In India, we have a strong and active agroecology campaign, helping to build a community and farmer-based movement for agroecology through educational forums, workshops and publications.
We also work with international social movements and networks of land, water, forest and food rights advocates, peasant and indigenous peoples’ movements, and participate in global campaigns on food sovereignty, agrarian reform, the right to food, and public services and investment. These include La Via Campesina, the World Forum of Fisher Peoples, Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform, the Global Convergence of Land and Water Struggles, the Land Research Action Network and Municipal Services Project. We are also involved in the FAO Committee on World Food Security, advocating for and drafting policies and regulations that aim to enable the progressive realization of the right to food and empower small-scale food producers and workers.
Work
- Resisting corporate/elite capture, commodification, financialization of land, food, water
- Promoting, defending peoples and community rights to resources
- Practicing, asserting food sovereignty, agroecology, agrarian reform, small farming, remunicipalization
