Whither Biosafety? In these days of Monsanto Laws, hope for real biosafety lies at the grassroots by GRAIN | 11 Oct 2005 Across the world processes to draw-up national biosafety laws are increasingly disconnected from the people they are supposed to serve. Drafting typically takes place behind closed doors, between local elites and foreign "experts" of the GM lobby, with corporations close at hand to steer the discussion. Meanwhile, those with the most at stake from any introduction of GM crops, the rural communities, are completely marginalised from the processes. Across the world processes to draw-up national biosafety laws are increasingly disconnected from the people they are supposed to serve. Drafting typically takes place behind closed doors, between local elites and foreign "experts" of the GM lobby, with corporations close at hand to steer the discussion. Meanwhile, those with the most at stake from any introduction of GM crops, the rural communities, are completely marginalised from the processes.
Jack Kloppenburg by GRAIN | 10 Oct 2005 Seedling - October 2005 Jack Kloppenburg is Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US. He is well known for his analysis of the emergent social impacts of biotechnology, and for his work on the global controversy over access to and control of biodiversity. His recently-updated book First the Seed: The Political Economy of Plant Biotechnology is regarded as a seminal work in this field. It was key in waking many people up to the social implications of biotechnology (including some of us at GRAIN), particularly with respect to the food system. Since then his work has broadened out to include working on ways to counter the growing corporatisation of the food system, focusing particularly on keeping the food supply sustainable, self-reliant and locally produced. He can be contacted at jrkloppe(at)facstaff.wisc.edu. Jack Kloppenburg is Professor of Rural Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US. He is well known for his analysis of the emergent social impacts of biotechnology, and for his work on the global controversy over access to and control of biodiversity. His recently-updated book First the Seed: The Political Economy of Plant Biotechnology is regarded as a seminal work in this field. It was key in waking many people up to the social implications of biotechnology (including some of us at GRAIN), particularly with respect to the food system. Since then his work has broadened out to include working on ways to counter the growing corporatisation of the food system, focusing particularly on keeping the food supply sustainable, self-reliant and locally produced. He can be contacted at jrkloppe(at)facstaff.wisc.edu.
Tribal rights (f)or wrongs in India by GRAIN | 8 Oct 2005 Seedling - October 2005 The rights of traditional tribal communities have been at the centre of many a struggle with the State. But it’s another story when within the State machinery itself there are disagreements on if and how communities ought to control forest resources. So it has been in India. The rights of traditional tribal communities have been at the centre of many a struggle with the State. But it’s another story when within the State machinery itself there are disagreements on if and how communities ought to control forest resources. So it has been in India.
Argentina Ag Secretary says Monsanto EU patent claims wrong by GRAIN | 7 Oct 2005 BIO-IPR (1997-2009)
WIPO members create new forum to discuss development agenda by GRAIN | 6 Oct 2005 BIO-IPR (1997-2009)
July 2005 by GRAIN | 30 Jul 2005 Seedling - July 2005 SPECIAL SEED LAW SEEDLING! This Seedling takes us through a number of experiences and brutal shifts going on with seed laws in different parts of the world today, in the hope of raising further debate and new ideas about how we can support truly autonomous and farmer-controlled seed supply systems. SPECIAL SEED LAW SEEDLING! This Seedling takes us through a number of experiences and brutal shifts going on with seed laws in different parts of the world today, in the hope of raising further debate and new ideas about how we can support truly autonomous and farmer-controlled seed supply systems.
Seed laws: imposing agricultural apartheid by GRAIN | 29 Jul 2005 Seedling - July 2005 Back in the 1960s "seed laws" referred to rules governing the commercialisation of seeds: what materials could be sold on the market under what conditions. Agencies like the FAO and the World Bank played a very strong role in getting developing countries to adopt these seed laws, the main idea, officially speaking, was to ensure that only "good quality" planting materials reach farmers in order to raise productivity and therefore feed growing populations. However, the marketing rules, that the FAO and the World Bank effectively pushed, came from Europe and North America, the very place where the seed industry is in place. And the seed industry produces seeds by specialised professionals and no longer on the farm by farmers themselves. If we look at them today, seed laws are all about repression. They're about what farmers can't do. Back in the 1960s "seed laws" referred to rules governing the commercialisation of seeds: what materials could be sold on the market under what conditions. Agencies like the FAO and the World Bank played a very strong role in getting developing countries to adopt these seed laws, the main idea, officially speaking, was to ensure that only "good quality" planting materials reach farmers in order to raise productivity and therefore feed growing populations. However, the marketing rules, that the FAO and the World Bank effectively pushed, came from Europe and North America, the very place where the seed industry is in place. And the seed industry produces seeds by specialised professionals and no longer on the farm by farmers themselves. If we look at them today, seed laws are all about repression. They're about what farmers can't do.
Seed laws: biases and bottlenecks by Niels Louwaars | 26 Jul 2005 Seedling - July 2005 Most countries of the world have some kind of seed law or seed regulatory system in place. In the countries of the South, they are largely patterned after the US or European models. Niels Louwaars, a Dutch researcher with the Centre for Genetic Resources in the Netherlands, has been studying and analysing seed laws in developing countries since 1992. He gives some background on how these systems work and highlights a few key issues related to diversity and small farmers' needs. Most countries of the world have some kind of seed law or seed regulatory system in place. In the countries of the South, they are largely patterned after the US or European models. Niels Louwaars, a Dutch researcher with the Centre for Genetic Resources in the Netherlands, has been studying and analysing seed laws in developing countries since 1992. He gives some background on how these systems work and highlights a few key issues related to diversity and small farmers' needs.
Seed laws in Europe: locking farmers out by Guy Kastler | 22 Jul 2005 Seedling - July 2005 In Europe, the commercial seed supply system is highly organised and controlled. European law on seed marketing has evolved over the years to ensure that only uniform seeds for industrial farming can be sold on the market, condemning farmers ' seeds and traditional varieties to the black market if not complete illegality. Together with strong intellectual property rules and the production of hybrids, European seed laws lock farmers out of the seed system. This article is an extract from a longer work by Guy Kastler. Kastler is a French farmer involved with the Réseau Semences Paysannes, the Confédération Paysanne and Nature et Progrès. The article focuses on France which has taken the strictest approach to implementing seed laws in Europe, and perhaps the world. In Europe, the commercial seed supply system is highly organised and controlled. European law on seed marketing has evolved over the years to ensure that only uniform seeds for industrial farming can be sold on the market, condemning farmers ' seeds and traditional varieties to the black market if not complete illegality. Together with strong intellectual property rules and the production of hybrids, European seed laws lock farmers out of the seed system. This article is an extract from a longer work by Guy Kastler. Kastler is a French farmer involved with the Réseau Semences Paysannes, the Confédération Paysanne and Nature et Progrès. The article focuses on France which has taken the strictest approach to implementing seed laws in Europe, and perhaps the world.