Reclaiming livestock keepers' rights by Patrick Mulvany and Susanne Gura | 14 Jan 2007 Seedling - January 2007 At an intergovernmental conference organised by FAO later this year, pastoralists and small-scale livestock keepers will have an opportunity to challenge governments about the perilous situation of their livelihoods, their reduced access to resources and the resulting losses to their livestock breeds. Without their efforts in their grazing territories and on their farms, the world’s precious diversity of livestock breeds will disappear. At an intergovernmental conference organised by FAO later this year, pastoralists and small-scale livestock keepers will have an opportunity to challenge governments about the perilous situation of their livelihoods, their reduced access to resources and the resulting losses to their livestock breeds. Without their efforts in their grazing territories and on their farms, the world’s precious diversity of livestock breeds will disappear.
Is food different? by review by GRAIN | 12 Jan 2007 Seedling - January 2007 Peter M. Rossett, Food is different – why we must get the WTO out of agriculture, 2006 Peter M. Rossett, Food is different – why we must get the WTO out of agriculture, 2006
Biopiracy: a system of appropriation by review by GRAIN | 8 Jan 2007 Seedling - January 2007 Ikechi Mgbeoji, Global Biopiracy – Patents, Plants and Indigenous Knowledge, 2006 Ikechi Mgbeoji, Global Biopiracy – Patents, Plants and Indigenous Knowledge, 2006
Declaration from Mezcala: In Defense of Mother Earth and Indigenous Autonomy by Indigenous Congress of Mexico | 6 Dec 2006 This declaration was released during the convocation and gathering of the National Forum in Defense of Mother Earth and Indigenous Autonomy on November 17-19, 2006. This declaration was released during the convocation and gathering of the National Forum in Defense of Mother Earth and Indigenous Autonomy on November 17-19, 2006.
Bilateral biosafety bullies by GRAIN and and the African Centre for Biosafety | 30 Oct 2006 Across the world, the use of bilateral trade instruments to prise open markets for genetically modified (GM) crops is escalating. To expand business overseas, the biotech industry needs stronger intellectual property rules and weaker biosafety standards. Bilateral trade deals are an effective way to get this. This report looks specifically at how the world’s grain and oilseed traders, who account for the bulk of the world’s GM crop production and trade today, use bilateral trade channels to prevent countries from building strong biosafety regulatory environments. Across the world, the use of bilateral trade instruments to prise open markets for genetically modified (GM) crops is escalating. To expand business overseas, the biotech industry needs stronger intellectual property rules and weaker biosafety standards. Bilateral trade deals are an effective way to get this. This report looks specifically at how the world’s grain and oilseed traders, who account for the bulk of the world’s GM crop production and trade today, use bilateral trade channels to prevent countries from building strong biosafety regulatory environments.
The clamour for 'commons' by Brewster Kneen and GRAIN | 28 Oct 2006 Seedling - October 2006 Privatisation digs deeper into our lives, and at the same time everything these days seems to be proclaimed a ‘commons’ (that is, something to which everyone, or everyone in a certain context, has right of access): water, air, seeds, even food, health and education. It’s a very popular notion, at least in the anglophone part of the world. Part of the trend towards ‘reclaiming the commons’ is an effort to fight against privatisation. And that is good. But if the movement to recognise and build old or new commons does not handle the concept carefully, it could actually facilitate privatisation. It is especially crucial to distinguish ‘commons’ from ‘public’ and to remember that ‘commons’ are supposed to be about communities. Privatisation digs deeper into our lives, and at the same time everything these days seems to be proclaimed a ‘commons’ (that is, something to which everyone, or everyone in a certain context, has right of access): water, air, seeds, even food, health and education. It’s a very popular notion, at least in the anglophone part of the world. Part of the trend towards ‘reclaiming the commons’ is an effort to fight against privatisation. And that is good. But if the movement to recognise and build old or new commons does not handle the concept carefully, it could actually facilitate privatisation. It is especially crucial to distinguish ‘commons’ from ‘public’ and to remember that ‘commons’ are supposed to be about communities.
Swapping Striga for patents by GRAIN | 26 Oct 2006 Seedling - October 2006 Later this year some Kenyan farmers will be planting a new kind of maize seed – StrigAway – a maize seed that is resistant to the weed Striga. Are farmers simply swapping the stranglehold of the Striga weed for the treadmill of patented seeds and herbicides? GRAIN reports on the introduction of StrigAway in Kenya. Later this year some Kenyan farmers will be planting a new kind of maize seed – StrigAway – a maize seed that is resistant to the weed Striga. Are farmers simply swapping the stranglehold of the Striga weed for the treadmill of patented seeds and herbicides? GRAIN reports on the introduction of StrigAway in Kenya.
Haloa by Walter Ritte and Bill Freese | 24 Oct 2006 Seedling - October 2006 Genetic modification and bioprospecting threaten not only local farmers’ control over their natural resources but also the culture that sustains their communities. Walter Ritte and Bill Freese describe the Hawaiian experience. Genetic modification and bioprospecting threaten not only local farmers’ control over their natural resources but also the culture that sustains their communities. Walter Ritte and Bill Freese describe the Hawaiian experience.