Seeds

The 'seeds issue' was what got GRAIN started almost 30 years ago, and it is still a central area of work for us. The biodiversity in farmers' fields is eroding at alarming rates, while the corporate seed sector is reaching unprecedented levels of control through the push for hybrids, genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) and concentration. Across the world, governments are promoting or allowing restrictive seed and intellectual property laws that grant exclusive power to the corporate sector while limiting the possibilities of small farmers to save, exchange and further develop their own varieties. But equally all over the world, social movements are sprouting up and growing to challenge these developments and establish networks to conserve and use local materials. 

This programme area allows GRAIN to be part of this movement and contribute with research and information work, as well as capacity and movement building support.

Transgenic rice once again proposed as solution to bacterial blight outbreaks, this time in Africa

Scientists from an international rice initiative claim the patented transgenic varieties they have developed are the solution to an outbreak of bacterial blight in rice fields in East Africa. A similar argument was used 20 years ago to try and introduce a transgenic variety of rice in Asia.

Scientists from an international rice initiative claim the patented transgenic varieties they have developed are the solution to an outbreak of bacterial blight in rice fields in East Africa. A similar argument was used 20 years ago to try and introduce a transgenic variety of rice in Asia.

What future for seeds under the African Free Trade Area?

The African Free Trade Agreement requires the protection of intellectual property rights on seeds. Given that half of African countries are already aligned with the UPOV model, which serves industrial agriculture, the agreement will boost this trend.

The African Free Trade Agreement requires the protection of intellectual property rights on seeds. Given that half of African countries are already aligned with the UPOV model, which serves industrial agriculture, the agreement will boost this trend.

The corn conflict between Mexico and the USA: smoke and mirrors

A months-old conflict is pitting Mexico against the USA over the acceptance or rejection of biotech imports. Mexico wants to ban GM corn imports for direct human consumption. The USA is threatening sanctions.

A months-old conflict is pitting Mexico against the USA over the acceptance or rejection of biotech imports. Mexico wants to ban GM corn imports for direct human consumption. The USA is threatening sanctions.

Why Benin should not join UPOV

Social movements call on Benin to reconsider membership in UPOV, urging protection of local seed systems and food sovereignty.

Social movements call on Benin to reconsider membership in UPOV, urging protection of local seed systems and food sovereignty.

GM mustard in India: Thousands of years of cultural heritage under threat

For Indians, mustard is not just an oilseed but it's part of Indian cuisine and Indian traditional medicine. The commercial release of DMH-11 doesn’t just threaten India’s mustard genetic diversity, it would also open the door to several other GM plants and crops currently under development by the public and private sectors.

For Indians, mustard is not just an oilseed but it's part of Indian cuisine and Indian traditional medicine. The commercial release of DMH-11 doesn’t just threaten India’s mustard genetic diversity, it would also open the door to several other GM plants and crops currently under development by the public and private sectors.

Who profits under UPOV?

As UPOV has expanded, the global seed market has been taken over by a cartel of agrochemical companies. Today, just four of these companies control half of the US$47 billion seed market. They also control 75% of the global agrochemicals market. This is not a coincidence.

As UPOV has expanded, the global seed market has been taken over by a cartel of agrochemical companies. Today, just four of these companies control half of the US$47 billion seed market. They also control 75% of the global agrochemicals market. This is not a coincidence.

Golden Rice and the push for GMOs won’t solve food crisis, it will make it worse

The commercialisation of Golden Rice and the promotion and de-regulation of GMOs, including gene-edited crops, during a period of intense food crisis threatens to exacerbate inequality and contribute further to the loss of people’s food sovereignty – one of the main reasons why hundreds of millions remain food insecure today

The commercialisation of Golden Rice and the promotion and de-regulation of GMOs, including gene-edited crops, during a period of intense food crisis threatens to exacerbate inequality and contribute further to the loss of people’s food sovereignty – one of the main reasons why hundreds of millions remain food insecure today

GMOs in Asia : What’s happening and who’s fighting back?

Given society’s desperate need for solutions, the corporate sector hopes their GMOs can gain public support and easily dodge biosafety regulations. In Asia, where the promotion of GM plants and foods is being pushed forcefully not only by agribusiness, but also by publicly-funded institutions, this is resulting in the persistent change of laws, regulations and standards governing GMOs.

Given society’s desperate need for solutions, the corporate sector hopes their GMOs can gain public support and easily dodge biosafety regulations. In Asia, where the promotion of GM plants and foods is being pushed forcefully not only by agribusiness, but also by publicly-funded institutions, this is resulting in the persistent change of laws, regulations and standards governing GMOs.

It’s Africa vs African Union

Under a cloud of secrecy and haste, guidelines are set at AU to promote agrarian extractivism at the expense of food and seed sovereignty of an entire continent. They also situate farmers’ rights and farmer managed seed systems within a corporate seed environment and agenda. Processes like these at the AU provide a basis and affect other guidelines and seed regulatory frameworks at the continental and national processes.

Under a cloud of secrecy and haste, guidelines are set at AU to promote agrarian extractivism at the expense of food and seed sovereignty of an entire continent. They also situate farmers’ rights and farmer managed seed systems within a corporate seed environment and agenda. Processes like these at the AU provide a basis and affect other guidelines and seed regulatory frameworks at the continental and national processes.

Hands off our buffel grass! Kenyan herders resist the privatisation of their biodiversity

Buffel grass is essential to Kenya’s pastoralists. It can be used as fodder, thatching & more. But an individual’s patent risks taking it away from communities, highlighting why the privatisation of biodiversity must be fiercely resisted on the continent.

Buffel grass is essential to Kenya’s pastoralists. It can be used as fodder, thatching & more. But an individual’s patent risks taking it away from communities, highlighting why the privatisation of biodiversity must be fiercely resisted on the continent.

Trade deals pushing UPOV: an interactive map

A new map based on GRAIN’s dataset of signed FTAs in the past 20 years can help visualise which countries use free trade deals to push corporate control over seeds and which countries are under attack from these trade deals.

A new map based on GRAIN’s dataset of signed FTAs in the past 20 years can help visualise which countries use free trade deals to push corporate control over seeds and which countries are under attack from these trade deals.

Booklet | UPOV: the great seeds robbery

Peasants around the world are understanding what is at stake. The big companies and powerful governments that support UPOV, even with all their power, do not have it easy. Popular resistance is emerging everywhere. The following booklet explains in more detail what we are talking about.

Peasants around the world are understanding what is at stake. The big companies and powerful governments that support UPOV, even with all their power, do not have it easy. Popular resistance is emerging everywhere. The following booklet explains in more detail what we are talking about.

UPOV animation: The great seed robbery

To help you understand UPOV, we have a short animated video for you. It explains in a simple way how UPOV tries to appropriate and privatise seeds that have been developed over thousands of years by communities around the world, and why we should resist it and demand that it be dismantled.

To help you understand UPOV, we have a short animated video for you. It explains in a simple way how UPOV tries to appropriate and privatise seeds that have been developed over thousands of years by communities around the world, and why we should resist it and demand that it be dismantled.

To care for our seeds

A set of booklets that can help us understand what is behind the resolve to instate intellectual property and the privatization of seeds through pacts, conventions, agreements, laws, standards, norms, registries, and certifications; why so much effort is invested in pushing aside what has been humanity’s fundamental task for thousands of years.

A set of booklets that can help us understand what is behind the resolve to instate intellectual property and the privatization of seeds through pacts, conventions, agreements, laws, standards, norms, registries, and certifications; why so much effort is invested in pushing aside what has been humanity’s fundamental task for thousands of years.