For at least three decades since the ground-breaking work of Al Krebs, Jim Hightower and other pioneers of the original Agribusiness Accountability Project, the dangers of monopoly power in the food system have been documented by academics and experts, by farmers and workers, by environmentalists and anti-trust lawyers, by policy analysts and nutritionists, by investors and consumer groups.
Each of these constituencies has developed important public education and advocacy strategies that promise necessary systemic reform, despite the level of political and economic power wielded by industry interest groups.
Yet, as impressive as existing efforts to challenge control of the food system have been, key constituencies are sometimes unaware of each other's efforts, of ways in which their strategies could be mutually reinforcing, and of new opportunities for reform advocacy that are not currently being exploited.
AAI sees in that circumstance an opportunity to build a "whole" response to corporate power in the food system that is "greater than the sum of its parts."
AAI is thus an explicit effort to complement the work of groups around the world that have identified corporate concentration as a priority concern. AAI adds value to their work by facilitating the sharing of information and analysis, by encouraging new collaborations among groups with common interests, and by creating opportunities for identifying new campaigns and advocacy strategies.
As an advocacy project, AAI's most immediate beneficiaries are grassroots, activist and expert groups whose efforts are enhanced by improved access to networking opportunities, research, and input on cross-cutting campaigns that engage the resources of all the perspectives identified in AAI's framework.
The nature of AAI as an "open and ongoing Forum" is such that the planning and implementation of collaborative initiatives and campaigns can evolve directly from meetings and electronic interaction among participating groups and individuals.
Use the navigation bar at left to learn more about AAI, or click here for more information on how AAI is organized.
