By viewsnow | January 25, 2026
NEW DELHI — In a provocative new analysis titled “The Great Dispossession and the Battle for the Future of Food,” researcher Colin Todhunter warns that India has become the primary laboratory for a radical global experiment in corporate dispossession.
Todhunter’s report depicts an agrarian landscape in crisis, where the "modernization" of food systems is masking a systematic transfer of power from the people to predatory capital. As the world watches, India’s battle over land, seeds, and sovereignty is being framed as a bellwether for the global future of food.
The Architecture of Dispossession
Todhunter argues that under the banner of "market confidence" and "technological progress," India’s indigenous agrarian systems are being dismantled. This transformation is driven by several key factors:
The Debt Engine: Small-scale farmers are being funneled into high-cost industrial models. Forced to rely on expensive corporate seeds and chemical inputs, many are trapped in a cycle of debt that eventually forces them to relinquish their land.
Backdoor Privatization: The report highlights an aggressive push for the corporate capture of seeds. By eroding traditional seed-saving practices and introducing patent-heavy GMOs, corporations are positioning themselves as the sole gatekeepers of life itself.
The Data Grab: The integration of "Agri-Tech" is described as a new frontier. While marketed as a tool for efficiency, Todhunter claims digital systems are used to harvest farmer data, further consolidating control over the supply chain by global agri-cartels.
Food as a Speculative Asset
Perhaps most alarming is the shift of food from a public good to a speculative corporate asset. Todhunter warns that global institutions—including the World Bank and IMF—are working in tandem with tech giants to redefine food security as "corporate security."
"What unfolds in India today may determine who controls food tomorrow—the people or predatory capital. This is not just a policy shift; it is a battle for democracy and survival."
The Global Warning
The struggle in India is not an isolated event. Todhunter identifies it as part of a "New World Order" strategy where the "Green Revolution" (now being rebranded for the digital age) acts as a mechanism for managing economic crises by colonizing the global food supply.
In contrast to the corporate model, the report advocates for Food Sovereignty—a return to localized food systems, agroecology, and the protection of biodiversity.
Key Struggles in the "Battle for Food"
| Issue | Corporate Narrative | Todhunter’s Analysis |
| Seeds | Innovation and higher yields | Monopoly control and loss of sovereignty |
| Technology | Precision farming and efficiency | Surveillance, data mining, and farmer displacement |
| Market Reforms | Connecting farmers to global markets | Price volatility and corporate price-setting |
| Land Use | Scaling up for industrial output | Mass dispossession of traditional cultivators |
A Call to Action
As India moves deeper into 2026, the friction between grassroots movements and corporate-led policies continues to intensify. Todhunter concludes that reclaiming the food system is the only way to preserve "India’s collective conscience." The choice, he suggests, is between a dystopian future of commodified survival and a democratic future of agroecological abundance.
