F.a: Regional campaign against commercializing and privatizing nature

General

The project consists of campaigning against commercializing and privatizing of nature, as well as supporting more sustainable alternatives born in local communities in seven Latin American countries. The project is implemented by the national Friends of th e Earth groups in Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina. Local communities’ work on small scale farming, native seeds, community forestry and mangrove forests is supported through training, networking and communication materials. Awareness-raising of the wider public and advocacy aimed at political decision-makers is implemented by producing leaflets, radio programmes and analysis. Advocacy work is also related to the drafting and implementation of laws on seeds, harmful impacts of agro chemicals and protection of forests and wetlands. REDES is a Uruguayan NGO founded by students and social activists in 1988. It campaigns on social and environmental themes aiming at increasing general public’s awareness and influencing on political decision-making. Together with universities and social movements it does studies, communication work and training on the same themes. In addition, it drafts proposals on alternative public policies and supports local level actors in implementi ng them. Lately REDES has focused on food sovereignty (seeds, land rights, agro chemicals, land grabbing, agribusiness). REDES has 40 members and approximately 900 collaborators. It is Uruguay’s Friends of the Earth. www.redes.org.uy