Agribusiness

From seed companies and agro-chemical suppliersto shipping firms and food processers, a handful of actors are increasing their market share and their ability to shape food systems. Consolidation across the agri-food chain is having major impacts on the way companies innovate, as well as their ability to set conditions and prices in markets. Digitization, big data and blockchain technologies are transforming all aspects of the food chain. In this context, it is crucial to ask who is currently reaping the benefits from these changes, who shouldersthe risks, and how these developments benefit different food system actors.
Publications
All publicationsAnother Perfect Storm? How the failure to reform food systems has allowed the war in Ukraine to spark a third global food price crisis in 15 years, and what can be done to prevent the next one.
A Long Food Movement: transforming food systems by 2045
Money Flows: what is holding back investment in agroecological research for Africa?
In collaboration with Biovision and IDS, IPES-Food analyses the financial flows in food system research that go to sub-Saharan Africa. Our new data shows that only a fraction of agricultural research funding in Africa is being used to move food and farming systems towards greater sustainability.
Read the Full Report ( EN )
Read the Executive Summary ( EN | FR | ES | DE )
COVID-19 and the Crisis in Food Systems
Too big to feed: Exploring the impacts of mega-mergers, consolidation and concentration of power in the agri-food sector
This report assesses the current state of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity across the food system, and identifies the risks arising from unprecedented consolidation at every node of the agri-food chain.
Read the full report ( EN )
Read the short version ( EN | ES )
Read the executive summary ( EN )
Open letter to the European Commission re. Bayer-Monsanto Merger
Open letter from IPES-Food to Commissioner Vestager concerning Bayer AG's acquisition of Monsanto (case M.8084 notified to the Commission on 30 June 2017 under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 of 20 January 2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings).
Read the letter (EN)
Too Big To Feed - Short Report
prepared by ETC Group
The 'Too Big to Feed Short Report' was developed by ETC Group, in partnership with IPES-Food. It summarizes the full report Too Big to Feed, published by IPES-Food in October 2017. The full report includes additional data and a more detailed analysis on the impact of the consolidation of the agri-food sector.
Media
All mediaOPINION | The UN’s Big Climate Summit Is Ignoring a Giant Red Flag
Mother Jones
Why many food experts don’t want a new international body for food science
Grist
OPINION | UN summit stays silent on root causes of our failing food system
Reuters
OPINION | Giant Meat and Dairy Companies Are Dominating the Plant-Based and Cellular Meat Market
Civil Eats
OPINION | The Corporate Capture of the UN Food Summit
Project Syndicate
PODCAST | Do we need an IPCC for food?
Farm Gate
INTERVIEW | Pat Mooney: “It’s More A Call To ‘Armies’ Than Arms” on ‘A Long Food Movement’
Arc2020
OPINION | Six Months to Prevent a Hostile Takeover of Food Systems, and 25 Years to Transform Them
Common Dreams
‘Big Ag has not delivered’: Food security under threat from agribusiness giants, warns report
Food Navigator
OPINION | Monopolies In the Food System Make Food More Expensive and Less Accessible
Civil Eats
OPINION | Governments must lead the charge in agroecology
Devex
EU net-zero aim 'in tatters' as lawmakers fail to shift farm rules, critics charge
REUTERS
OPINION | For sustainable agriculture in West Africa, let’s leave our echo chambers
African Arguments
L'Afrique, pionnier mondial de l'agroécologie
CommodAfrica
West Africa’s path to resilience and SDGs through agroecology
KENYA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (kbc)
US Groups Invest Billions in Industrial Ag in Africa. Experts Say It’s not Ending Hunger or Helping Farmers
Civil Eats
REGARDEZ | Agriculture en Afrique : des donateurs intéressés ?
France 24
OPINION | Need for a radical shift in Africa’s agricultural funding models
THE STAR (KENYA)
Agroecology Strengthens Farmers’ Resilience But Highly Underfunded in Africa
INTER PRESS SERVICE (IPS)
LISTEN | Why sustainable farming is losing out in Africa
Deutsche Welle
Fondation Gates : les investissements dans la recherche agricole en Afrique critiqués
Le Monde
Industrial agriculture receiving bulk of Africa’s agricultural development funding
THE STANDARD (KENYA)
Tribune | Agriculture et système alimentaire en Afrique dans un contexte post-Covid-19
RFI
Covid-19: Global food supply on a razor's edge
France 24
The food supply chain is not yet in danger— but the workers who keep us fed are
The Intercept
Empty Grocery Shelves and Rotting, Wasted Vegetables: Two Sides of a Supply Chain Problem
InsideClimate News
Op-ed by IPES-Food's Olivier De Schutter and Olivia Yambi
FOOD TANK
Olivier De Schutter comments on opaque preparations for UN Food Systems Summit
The Guardian
"Des Bauern wichtigstes Gut" – "Wenn es so wäre!"
Die Zeit | Debate between Olivier De Schutter and Helmut Schramm
L'Union européenne reste dans une approche low cost de l'alimentaire
L'Echo | Interview Olivier De Schutter
Rebooting food: Finding new ways to feed the future
Reuters | Thin Lei Win
Campaigners fear Latin America is rolling back on eco-farming promises
Reuters
Farmers squeezed as big agribusinesses get too big says expert group
Farm Online Australia | Andrew Marshall
Experts panel warns: big mergers will negatively affect our food system
Slow Food Europe
Agrifood mergers bad for farmers, experts warn
Euractiv | Paola Tamma
Food Experts’ Report Says Agri-Food Corporations Cornering Food Chains
Latin American Herald Tribune
Entre el hambre, la inteligencia de datos y el arroz
El Comercio | Xavier Basantes
Des entreprises trop grandes pour nourrir l’humanité
La Libre | Camille De Marcilly
Mega-mergers will squeeze farmers, push up food prices, experts warn
Reuter | Alex Whiting
Expertos acusan a multinacionales de querer controlar la cadena alimentaria
La Vanguardia | EFE
Hidden cost of feeding grain to farm animals to hit $1.32tn a year
The Guardian | Bibi van der Zee
Decoding Diversity in the Food System: Wheat and Bread in North America
Phil Howard
Modern agriculture cultivates climate change – we must nurture biodiversity
The Guardian | Olivier De Schutter & Emile Frison