Bird flu crisis Small farms are the solution not the problem by GRAIN | 17 Jul 2006 Seedling - July 2006 Backyard or free-range poultry are not fuelling the current wave of bird flu outbreaks stalking large parts of the world. The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu is essentially a problem of industrial poultry practices. Its epicentre is the factory farms of China and Southeast Asia and - while wild birds can carry the disease, at least for short distances - its main vector is the transnational poultry industry, which sends the products and waste of its farms around the world through a multitude of channels. Yet small poultry farmers and the poultry biodiversity and local food security that they sustain are suffering badly from the fall-out. To make matters worse, governments and international agencies, following mistaken assumptions about how the disease spreads and amplifies, are pursuing measures to force poultry indoors and further industrialise the poultry sector. In practice, this means the end of the small-scale poultry farming that provides food and livelihoods to hundreds of millions of families across the world. Backyard or free-range poultry are not fuelling the current wave of bird flu outbreaks stalking large parts of the world. The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu is essentially a problem of industrial poultry practices. Its epicentre is the factory farms of China and Southeast Asia and - while wild birds can carry the disease, at least for short distances - its main vector is the transnational poultry industry, which sends the products and waste of its farms around the world through a multitude of channels. Yet small poultry farmers and the poultry biodiversity and local food security that they sustain are suffering badly from the fall-out. To make matters worse, governments and international agencies, following mistaken assumptions about how the disease spreads and amplifies, are pursuing measures to force poultry indoors and further industrialise the poultry sector. In practice, this means the end of the small-scale poultry farming that provides food and livelihoods to hundreds of millions of families across the world.
Joseph Keve by GRAIN | 16 Jul 2006 Seedling - July 2006 I am a farmer by choice, not by birth. Departing from the family business, on completion of my master’s degree I taught at the Uni-versity of Mumbai for a while before moving on to training bank staff and again into urban and rural development work. Finally I found what my soul was looking for: sustainable agriculture and being with nature. During the last ten years, I have focused my attention on the livelihood systems of the poor and one of its components on which I have done a lot of learning from the people and experimenting is the rearing of traditional fowls. I divide my time between working as a journalist when I am in Mumbai and looking after the farm which is located in a tribal village in Palghar Taluka of Thane district in Maharashtra. Joseph Keve I am a farmer by choice, not by birth. Departing from the family business, on completion of my master’s degree I taught at the Uni-versity of Mumbai for a while before moving on to training bank staff and again into urban and rural development work. Finally I found what my soul was looking for: sustainable agriculture and being with nature. During the last ten years, I have focused my attention on the livelihood systems of the poor and one of its components on which I have done a lot of learning from the people and experimenting is the rearing of traditional fowls. I divide my time between working as a journalist when I am in Mumbai and looking after the farm which is located in a tribal village in Palghar Taluka of Thane district in Maharashtra. Joseph Keve
Laxmamma by GRAIN | 14 Jul 2006 Seedling - July 2006 Laxmamma is woman farmer in Humnapur village in the Deccan Plateau of South India with just 2.5 acres (1 hectare) of very poor soil. Laxmamma is a leading “Seed Keeper” making great efforts to increase the number of varieties grown by herself and many other women to stop the loss of varieties. Laxmamma and her mother expanded their collection from six to 85 crop varieties in just six years. Many women have started sowing rare crops in their fields and today they have retrieved 60 varieties that might have been lost forever. Gene banks have now been established and seeds are given out to other people in neighbouring villages. Laxmamma is also very involved with the Deccan Development Society (DDS - www.ddsindia.com), both in campaigning and in video filming. Laxmamma is woman farmer in Humnapur village in the Deccan Plateau of South India with just 2.5 acres (1 hectare) of very poor soil. Laxmamma is a leading “Seed Keeper” making great efforts to increase the number of varieties grown by herself and many other women to stop the loss of varieties. Laxmamma and her mother expanded their collection from six to 85 crop varieties in just six years. Many women have started sowing rare crops in their fields and today they have retrieved 60 varieties that might have been lost forever. Gene banks have now been established and seeds are given out to other people in neighbouring villages. Laxmamma is also very involved with the Deccan Development Society (DDS - www.ddsindia.com), both in campaigning and in video filming.
Seed battles intensify in Europe by GRAIN | 12 Jul 2006 Seedling - July 2006 Activists, farmers’ groups, political parties and others are edging up the fight for more sustainable food systems in Europe based on GM-free and farmer-bred seeds. Activists, farmers’ groups, political parties and others are edging up the fight for more sustainable food systems in Europe based on GM-free and farmer-bred seeds.
Towards the adoption of a national framework for biosafety in Senegal by GRAIN | 10 Jul 2006 Seedling - July 2006 Extract from the ASDEC (Senegalese Environmental and Consumer Protection Association) submission to the Regional Seminar on capacity building in relation to food security and biotechnologies in Africa: the need for an effective regulatory framework. Organised by the African Delegation of Consumers International, 15-18 October 2005, Accra (Ghana). Extract from the ASDEC (Senegalese Environmental and Consumer Protection Association) submission to the Regional Seminar on capacity building in relation to food security and biotechnologies in Africa: the need for an effective regulatory framework. Organised by the African Delegation of Consumers International, 15-18 October 2005, Accra (Ghana).
Sustainable monocultures? No thanks! by GRAIN | 25 Jun 2006 This report takes a critical look at corporate initiatives to promote sustainable monocultures. The report draws attention to a disturbing new trend where NGOS and farmers groups are participating in this industry greenwashing. This report takes a critical look at corporate initiatives to promote sustainable monocultures. The report draws attention to a disturbing new trend where NGOS and farmers groups are participating in this industry greenwashing.
Amending the TRIPS Agreement to introduce an obligation to disclose the origin of genetic resources and traditional knowledge in patent applications by Norway | 14 Jun 2006
Doha work programme: the outstanding implementation issue on the relationship between the TRIPS Agreement and the CBD (developing countries proposed Article 29bis) by Brazil, India, Pakistan, Peru, Thailand, Tanzania and others | 31 May 2006