2025 | January Newswrap: Updates from LVC members worldwide

The year began with a significant but long-delayed ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas over Gaza. La Via Campesina welcomed this development, acknowledging that it provides crucial relief to millions of Palestinians after more than 467 days of devastating conflict. However, the organization stresses that a ceasefire alone does not deliver justice. As a global movement advocating for food sovereignty, La Via Campesina calls for a permanent ceasefire, peace, and justice, particularly in the West Bank, which has seen an increase in violence and land seizures by Israeli settlers.
In January, La Via Campesina also condemned the massacre at the Olga Benário settlement in Tremembé, São Paulo, Brazil. The movement expressed outrage, highlighting that territories gained through agrarian reform struggles are now central to conflicts involving agribusiness and financial speculation.
Similarly, Colombia faced a surge of violence in mid-January, leading to over 100 deaths and displacing at least 51, 938 people, the largest population displacement in the South American country in the last 28 years, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In the latest Peasant Alert episode, La Via Campesina members from Brazil and Colombia discussed the ongoing crises in their regions, emphasizing the need for comprehensive agrarian reform to put an end to violence.
La Via Campesina also made its mark at two major global events in January. At the 17th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin, the organization called for addressing inequalities between the Global North and South and critiqued the bioeconomy narrative, which often promotes land grabbing under the guise of nature-based solutions. Land rights, trade justice, and generational renewal were key topics at the Oxford Real Farming Conference 2025, where the Peasant Youth Table gathered to discuss these vital issues.
For more updates on these events and La Via Campesina’s ongoing workfrom January, please visit our website. On social media, member organizations continue to share critical updates on peasant struggles and efforts to promote food sovereignty.
ASIA
On January 14, South Korean peasant organizations, alongside progressive National Assembly members, held a press conference to oppose the government’s “Rice Cultivation Area Adjustment Policy,” which aims to reduce rice cultivation by 80,000 hectares to address oversupply. Critics argue the policy undermines peasants’ rights and food sovereignty. The Korean Peasant League emphasized that the oversupply is due to imported rice, not domestic production, and called for the policy’s halt.
In Thailand, on January 29, 2025, the Assembly of the Poor’s Committee on Labour Issues met with the Ministry of Labour Affairs to review labour laws. The committee requested government funds to support workers unlawfully dismissed without severance pay and finalized a work plan to address labour issues. Unpaid severance cases, including employees from General Motors, C.T. Petro & Trans, and Global Circuit, were discussed. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for late April 2025.
The Bangladesh Agricultural Farm Labourers’ Federation (BAFLF) recently hosted a national dialogue on developing labour laws that also address the millions of farmworkers in the country. BAFLF presented its recommendations to Farida Akhtar, Advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, emphasizing the need to address pesticide-related health impacts on farmworkers, particularly women, and the effects of farm modernization.
In January, members of the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee participated in mobilizations in Sahiwal, Pakistan, calling for a “red line” against the rule of billionaires ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The resolutions demanded land rights for landless families and better civic services in Punjab. A World Bank report showed that 40% of Pakistan’s population has fallen below the poverty line, with 93% of the country’s income going to debt payments, limiting development.
AFRICA
In Uganda, ESAFF Uganda is raising awareness and promoting neglected and underutilized species (NUS). These species, which are resistant to pests, diseases, and drought, provide valuable food, fodder, and medicine. ESAFF Uganda advocates for NUS as a strategy to address hunger, poverty, and malnutrition, particularly in rural communities. To support this effort, the organization has created a recipe book.
In Mozambique, the peasants’ union União Nacional de Camponeses (UNAC) has initiated a project to rescue and multiply local seeds in the Manjacaze district of Gaza province. This initiative promotes food sovereignty and the social and political engagement of peasant families. Seeds of local varieties such as Nhabubo (Nhemba beans), Gangassola, and Munhaça (cassava) are being cultivated by members of the Morning Star Agricultural Association and Malene Bible Association “A”. UNAC aims to enhance farmers’ productivity and strengthen food sovereignty through conservation agriculture and agroecology, focusing on the use of local seeds.
In Togo, the Coordination Togolaise des Organisations Paysannes et de Producteurs Agricoles (CTOP) hosted the 2nd edition of the mini farmers’ market on December 27-28, 2024. The event promoted local agricultural products and fostered direct connections between peasant farmers and urban consumers. It also aimed to strengthen relationships between farmers and traders, highlight local knowledge, and enhance regional exchanges to support peasant farmers.
In Senegal, the Conseil national de concertation et de coopération des ruraux (CNCR) held consultations in Dakar on January 13-14, 2025, to address issues for peasant farmers, livestock keepers, and fisherfolk. Discussions focused on concerns to be addressed in the new agro-sylvo-pastoral law, including the promotion of locally produced agricultural equipment, fair compensation for land expropriations, and social protection for agricultural workers.
ARNA
In December 2024, farmers in Mauritania’s Amourj district were preparing to plant vegetables as the rainy season ended. They face severe water shortages, lack of resources, seeds, and support, while agriculture remains their main livelihood. Despite the fertile lands of the region, the state’s neglect and lack of assistance hinder efforts, especially for women farmers.
In Tunisia, women agricultural workers continue their fight for rights and justice. In Jebniana, Sfax, the Million Rural Women and the Landless branch joined a mobilization demanding the implementation of the Social Protection Fund for women workers, as outlined in the 2025 Finance Law. This is part of the ongoing struggle for labor rights and social justice in rural Tunisia.
NORTH AMERICA
In Canada, the National Farmers Union and other agricultural organizations have condemned the significant impact on farmers caused by the approval of the grain exporter Viterra’s acquisition by Bunge. This deal essentially eliminates competition in the country’s agricultural commodity sector, giving Bunge control over 40% of the grain market.
The Farmworker Association of Florida, in response to the harsh migration policies imposed by the new Trump administration, launched several campaigns in January to raise awareness about migrant rights and defend food sovereignty.
CARIBBEAN
In Haiti, from January 8 to 10, the educational section of the Mouvement Paysan Papaye (MPP) conducted a training session for youth. The focus was on organizing strategies and methods for farmers. The goal was to train students from the Charlemagne Peralte Political Training School (LFPCP) to continue the work of popular education and establish new MPP groups in all departments of the Centre region.
In Cuba, the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST) of Brazil was awarded a special recognition for its contributions to urban agriculture on the island. During a ceremony in Sancti Spíritus province, Cuban authorities praised MST’s role in the Urban, Suburban, and Family Agriculture Program (AUSUF), which celebrated its 37th anniversary this year.
CENTRAL AMERICA
In Guatemala, from January 24 to 26, the Coordinadora Nacional de Viudas (CONAVIGUA) hosted the 4th International Symposium of Indigenous Women on Environmental Violence. Delegates from over 15 countries gathered to discuss the root causes of violence in all its forms and to acknowledge the experiences and contributions of indigenous women worldwide. The symposium highlighted issues such as contamination from agrochemicals, mining projects, forced evictions, fires, and land invasions by corporations, as well as the criminalization of land defenders. Participants committed to continuing their fight for the rights of women as guardians and caretakers of life.
In Honduras, the National Agrarian Institute (INA) has allocated 285 acres of land to rural women’s groups as part of their #RightToLand initiative. This effort provides stability for women and their families in rural areas, enabling them to produce, sell their products, secure proper housing, and achieve food sovereignty. Additionally, the project includes the establishment of the “Margarita Murillo” Rural Training School, aimed at teaching agroecological farming practices to both men and women in rural Honduras.
SOUTH AMERICA
In Colombia, the Coordinador Nacional Agraria extended solidarity to the campesinos of Catatumbo, supporting their call for respect for non-combatant populations and those not involved in the social and political movement’s extermination plan. They issued a statement denouncing this plan as an initiative led by foreign powers and carried out by the Colombian right-wing. The group urged the National Government to address the root causes of the social conflict that has escalated into an armed conflict in the country.
In Chile, the National Association of Rural and Indigenous Women (ANAMURI) gathered at La Orilla de Auquinco for their 2025 Expanded Council meeting. During the event, they called for justice for Julia Chuñil Catricura, a Mapuche woman missing for over 80 days after receiving threats from businessmen attempting to exploit her land. They reaffirmed their commitment to protecting women fighting for land and human rights, while organizing a live program to reflect on the struggles of women defenders of the land.
EUROPE
In France, on December 5th, 2024, the Confédération paysanne staged a protest at the inauguration of the European Commodities Exchange at the Grand Palais, denouncing speculation and unfair trade deals. Holding a banner reading “Save farmers, eat a trader!”, the protest was met with violent police response, resulting in the arrest of five farmers. Two of them will stand trial on February 14th, 2025. The union is calling for a solidarity rally outside Paris’ court, demanding justice and the right to protest. This act highlights the damaging system undermining farmers’ livelihoods.
In January 2025, hundreds of beekeepers from Spain, France, and Portugal gathered in Madrid to protest the influx of counterfeit honey into European markets. They urged the EU Commission and the Spanish government to enhance border controls and reject harmful trade deals like Mercosur, which they claim undermine local production. They stressed the importance of protecting pollinators and ensuring fair competition by enforcing honey quality standards and traceability.

We wrap up this months edition here. If there are any important updates we have missed, please send the links to communications@viacampesina.org so that we can include them in the next edition. We only include updates from La Via Campesina members. Previous editions of our news wrap are also available on our website, and condensed versions are accessible as a podcast on Spotify.