Xue Dayuan by Interview by GRAIN | 8 Jul 2009 Seedling - July 2009 Xue Dayuan is Chief Scientist for Biodiversity at the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences in China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection. He also works as a Professor and Chief Scientist at the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the Central University for Nationalities in Beijing. He played a leading role in developing the National Programme for Conservation and Use of Biological Resources and China’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Xue Dayuan is Chief Scientist for Biodiversity at the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences in China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection. He also works as a Professor and Chief Scientist at the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the Central University for Nationalities in Beijing. He played a leading role in developing the National Programme for Conservation and Use of Biological Resources and China’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
African agricultural policies and the development of family farms by JINUKUN | 6 Jul 2009 Seedling - July 2009 JINUKUN, the national network for the sustainable management of natural resources in Benin, is the country’s focal point of COPAGEN, West Africa’s coalition to protect African genetic resources. JINUKUN, the national network for the sustainable management of natural resources in Benin, is the country’s focal point of COPAGEN, West Africa’s coalition to protect African genetic resources.
Affirming Life and Diversity. Rural Images and Voices on Food Sovereignty in South India by review by GRAIN | 6 Jul 2009 Seedling - July 2009 These four DVDs, which contain 12 films with a total length of almost six hours, are a veritable treasure trove. They are the result of a seven-year collaboration between the UK-based IIED, the Deccan Development Society of Andhra Pradesh, India, and women’s sanghams (Indian village associations of the poor). These four DVDs, which contain 12 films with a total length of almost six hours, are a veritable treasure trove. They are the result of a seven-year collaboration between the UK-based IIED, the Deccan Development Society of Andhra Pradesh, India, and women’s sanghams (Indian village associations of the poor).
Seeds of information by compiled by GRAIN | 4 Jul 2009 Seedling - July 2009 Includes: Andrés Carrasco's findings on the herbicide glyphosate and it's impact on amphibians - "I expected a reaction but not such a violent one"; Ghana’s farmers are among the latest victims of trade liberalisation; Brazil has become the world’s biggest consumer of pesticides; and, in early June 2009 a Constitutional Court judgement on genetically modified organisms in South Africa brought victory to the NGO Biowatch South Africa in its nine-year struggle for constitutional justice. Includes: Andrés Carrasco's findings on the herbicide glyphosate and it's impact on amphibians - "I expected a reaction but not such a violent one"; Ghana’s farmers are among the latest victims of trade liberalisation; Brazil has become the world’s biggest consumer of pesticides; and, in early June 2009 a Constitutional Court judgement on genetically modified organisms in South Africa brought victory to the NGO Biowatch South Africa in its nine-year struggle for constitutional justice.
Update on swine flu by GRAIN | 2 Jul 2009 Seedling - July 2009 Following our report on the swine flu outbreak in April 2009, we provide a short update here (July 2009). Following our report on the swine flu outbreak in April 2009, we provide a short update here (July 2009).
Indian activists demand dissolution of NBA Expert Committee by GRAIN | 7 May 2009 BIO-IPR (1997-2009)
Seedling April 2009 by GRAIN | 30 Apr 2009 Seedling - April 2009 Read editorial & download full issue (pdf) Read editorial & download full issue (pdf)
A food system that kills - Swine flu is meat industry's latest plague by GRAIN | 28 Apr 2009 Corporations Mexico is in the midst of a hellish repeat of Asia's bird flu experience, though on a more deadly scale. Once again, the official response from public authorities has come too late and bungled in cover-ups. And once again, the global meat industry is at the centre of the story, ramping up denials as the weight of evidence about its role grows. Just five years after the start of the H5N1 bird flu crisis, and after as many years of a global strategy against influenza pandemics coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the world is now reeling from a swine flu disaster. The global strategy has failed and needs to be replaced with a public health system that the public can trust. Mexico is in the midst of a hellish repeat of Asia's bird flu experience, though on a more deadly scale. Once again, the official response from public authorities has come too late and bungled in cover-ups. And once again, the global meat industry is at the centre of the story, ramping up denials as the weight of evidence about its role grows. Just five years after the start of the H5N1 bird flu crisis, and after as many years of a global strategy against influenza pandemics coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the world is now reeling from a swine flu disaster. The global strategy has failed and needs to be replaced with a public health system that the public can trust.
Corporate candyland by GRAIN | 28 Apr 2009 Seedling - April 2009 One of the most destructive developments in agriculture over the past two decades has been the boom in soya production in the southern cone of Latin America. The corporations that led that boom are now moving aggressively into sugar cane, focusing on large tracts of land in southern countries where sugar can be produced cheaply. If these developments are not resisted, the impacts are likely to be severe: local food production will be overrun, workers and communities will face displacement and exposure to increased levels of pesticides, and foreign agribusiness will tighten its grip on sugar production. We look at the intersection between the development of genetically modified (GM) sugar cane and transformations in the global sugar industry. One of the most destructive developments in agriculture over the past two decades has been the boom in soya production in the southern cone of Latin America. The corporations that led that boom are now moving aggressively into sugar cane, focusing on large tracts of land in southern countries where sugar can be produced cheaply. If these developments are not resisted, the impacts are likely to be severe: local food production will be overrun, workers and communities will face displacement and exposure to increased levels of pesticides, and foreign agribusiness will tighten its grip on sugar production. We look at the intersection between the development of genetically modified (GM) sugar cane and transformations in the global sugar industry.
The soils of war (Seedling article version) by GRAIN | 26 Apr 2009 Seedling - April 2009 In recent decades humanitarian aid has regularly been made conditional on the adoption of neoliberal economic policies. Recently, however, there has been a troubling tendency in war-ridden countries to interweave this aid, classified as “reconstruction”, closely with the military machinery of the invading powers. Afghanistan and Iraq have been the testing grounds for this militarised aid. In both countries the distinction between the US’s civilian and military activities has been completely, and deliberately, blurred. (For a fuller version of this article, see GRAIN Briefing, “The soils of war – The real agenda behind agricultural reconstruction in Afghanistan and Iraq”, March 2009, http://www.grain.org/briefings/?id=217) In recent decades humanitarian aid has regularly been made conditional on the adoption of neoliberal economic policies. Recently, however, there has been a troubling tendency in war-ridden countries to interweave this aid, classified as “reconstruction”, closely with the military machinery of the invading powers. Afghanistan and Iraq have been the testing grounds for this militarised aid. In both countries the distinction between the US’s civilian and military activities has been completely, and deliberately, blurred. (For a fuller version of this article, see GRAIN Briefing, “The soils of war – The real agenda behind agricultural reconstruction in Afghanistan and Iraq”, March 2009, http://www.grain.org/briefings/?id=217)
Melaku Worede (Interview in English) by GRAIN | 22 Apr 2009 Seedling - April 2009 Dr Melaku Worede is an Ethiopian plant geneticist who has been a pioneer in shifting perceptions and attitudes globally towards recognising the vital importance of on-farm diversity as a strategy to increase and conserve biodiversity. He has always been one of that rare breed: a scientist who puts the farmer first. He is admired by friend and foe alike for his integrity, his deep knowledge, his vision and his humility. Dr Melaku Worede is an Ethiopian plant geneticist who has been a pioneer in shifting perceptions and attitudes globally towards recognising the vital importance of on-farm diversity as a strategy to increase and conserve biodiversity. He has always been one of that rare breed: a scientist who puts the farmer first. He is admired by friend and foe alike for his integrity, his deep knowledge, his vision and his humility.
Corporations are still making a killing from hunger by GRAIN | 20 Apr 2009 Seedling - April 2009 In April 2008 GRAIN published a short report on the huge profits that agribusiness was making from the food crisis. Another year has passed. More financial results are in. So has anything changed? In April 2008 GRAIN published a short report on the huge profits that agribusiness was making from the food crisis. Another year has passed. More financial results are in. So has anything changed?
Indonesia fights to change WHO rules on flu vaccines by Edward Hammond | 18 Apr 2009 Seedling - April 2009 The WHO’s global surveillance system acts as a free virus collection and R&D department for the world’s largest vaccine companies, yet gives very little benefit back to the developing countries in terms of available vaccines. Angered by the inequity, Indonesia decided in 2007 to suspend its sharing of viruses with the WHO. This action sent shock waves around the world. It alerted many developing nations to the need for reform, while provoking companies and the developed nations to fight to maintain the status quo. The outcome is still to be determined, while the world awaits the next pandemic. The WHO’s global surveillance system acts as a free virus collection and R&D department for the world’s largest vaccine companies, yet gives very little benefit back to the developing countries in terms of available vaccines. Angered by the inequity, Indonesia decided in 2007 to suspend its sharing of viruses with the WHO. This action sent shock waves around the world. It alerted many developing nations to the need for reform, while provoking companies and the developed nations to fight to maintain the status quo. The outcome is still to be determined, while the world awaits the next pandemic.