Bird flu in eastern India: another senseless slaughter by GRAIN | 13 Feb 2008 The carnage of poultry, in which 3.7 million birds were culled, in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal is a striking testament to the failure of the global response to the bird flu crisis. In a flash, one of the world’s most dynamic areas of poultry farming has been practically ruined, a priceless stock of biodiversity wiped out, and the livelihoods of millions of poor families pushed to the brink. This has been caused not so much by bird flu as by the response to it. The carnage of poultry, in which 3.7 million birds were culled, in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal is a striking testament to the failure of the global response to the bird flu crisis. In a flash, one of the world’s most dynamic areas of poultry farming has been practically ruined, a priceless stock of biodiversity wiped out, and the livelihoods of millions of poor families pushed to the brink. This has been caused not so much by bird flu as by the response to it.
Faults in the vault: not everyone is celebrating Svalbard by GRAIN | 26 Feb 2008 The "Global Seed Vault" buried in a frozen island in Svalbard, Norway, is sadly the latest move in a wider strategy to make ex situ (off site) storage in seed banks the dominant approach to crop diversity conservation. The Vault gives a false sense of security in a world where the crop diversity present in the farmers' fields continues to be eroded and destroyed at an ever-increasing rate and contributes to the access problems that plague the international ex situ system. The "Global Seed Vault" buried in a frozen island in Svalbard, Norway, is sadly the latest move in a wider strategy to make ex situ (off site) storage in seed banks the dominant approach to crop diversity conservation. The Vault gives a false sense of security in a world where the crop diversity present in the farmers' fields continues to be eroded and destroyed at an ever-increasing rate and contributes to the access problems that plague the international ex situ system.
No free Trade At All by GRAIN | 28 Apr 2003 Seedling - April 2003 The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) is a free trade agreement being negotiated by all the governments of the American hemisphere except Cuba. Its objective is to impose common rules for the entire continent to open up national activities to the free flow of global capital. This agreement will be even more wide-reaching than the World Trade Organisation. The FTAA will result in many restrictions on the rights of all citizens, but especially wage earners, small farmers and indigenous peoples. In contrast, transnational investors will receive a level of protection never before experienced. The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) is a free trade agreement being negotiated by all the governments of the American hemisphere except Cuba. Its objective is to impose common rules for the entire continent to open up national activities to the free flow of global capital. This agreement will be even more wide-reaching than the World Trade Organisation. The FTAA will result in many restrictions on the rights of all citizens, but especially wage earners, small farmers and indigenous peoples. In contrast, transnational investors will receive a level of protection never before experienced.
FARMERS' PRIVILEGE UNDER ATTACK by GRAIN | 15 Jun 2003 The legal ability to reuse IPR-protected seed is called the farmers' privilege. Under plant variety protection (PVP) law, the totally ordinary act of saving seed or tubers becomes a privilege, a legal exception. The farmers privilege is a hot issue because the seed industry wants to control who produces seeds they want to control the market. Its also a hot issue because the seed industry is working hard to secure legal systems that restrict seed saving by farmers, be it through the World Trade Organisation (WTO), bilateral trade agreements or direct lobbying of governments. PVP or plant breeders rights legislation is all about taking power away from farmers to produce and reproduce seeds. And these laws are gaining ground. The legal ability to reuse IPR-protected seed is called the farmers' privilege. Under plant variety protection (PVP) law, the totally ordinary act of saving seed or tubers becomes a privilege, a legal exception. The farmers privilege is a hot issue because the seed industry wants to control who produces seeds they want to control the market. Its also a hot issue because the seed industry is working hard to secure legal systems that restrict seed saving by farmers, be it through the World Trade Organisation (WTO), bilateral trade agreements or direct lobbying of governments. PVP or plant breeders rights legislation is all about taking power away from farmers to produce and reproduce seeds. And these laws are gaining ground.
Whose harvest? The politics of organic seed certification by GRAIN | 3 Jan 2008 Seeds Millions of farmers around the world practice organic agriculture and over a billion people get most of their food from these farms. Currently only a small portion of what they produce is labeled as certified organic, but the global market for such foods is growing. While some believe that certification is needed to create market opportunities for small farmers others fear that existing systems are doing the reverse -- setting the stage for agribusiness to take over. Now these tensions are coming to a head with seeds. Today, new regulations governing seeds in organic farming, more attuned to the needs of seed corporations than seed savers, are popping up everywhere, with potentially devastating consequences for farmer seed systems. This Briefing provides the first global overview of regulations concerning seeds in organic farming and assesses what such regulations mean to the future of organic farming and the millions of farmers who sustain it. Millions of farmers around the world practice organic agriculture and over a billion people get most of their food from these farms. Currently only a small portion of what they produce is labeled as certified organic, but the global market for such foods is growing. While some believe that certification is needed to create market opportunities for small farmers others fear that existing systems are doing the reverse -- setting the stage for agribusiness to take over. Now these tensions are coming to a head with seeds. Today, new regulations governing seeds in organic farming, more attuned to the needs of seed corporations than seed savers, are popping up everywhere, with potentially devastating consequences for farmer seed systems. This Briefing provides the first global overview of regulations concerning seeds in organic farming and assesses what such regulations mean to the future of organic farming and the millions of farmers who sustain it.
Iraq's new patent law: a declaration of war against farmers by Focus on the Global South and GRAIN | 15 Oct 2004 For generations, small farmers in Iraq operated in an essentially unregulated, informal seed supply system. Farm-saved seed and the free innovation with and exchange of planting materials among farming communities has long been the basis of agricultural practice. This is now history. The CPA has made it illegal for Iraqi farmers to re-use seeds harvested from new varieties registered under the law. Iraqis may continue to use and save from their traditional seed stocks or what’s left of them after the years of war and drought, but that is the not the agenda for reconstruction embedded in the ruling. The purpose of the law is to facilitate the establishment of a new seed market in Iraq, where transnational corporations can sell their seeds – genetically modified or not, which farmers would have to purchase afresh every single cropping season. For generations, small farmers in Iraq operated in an essentially unregulated, informal seed supply system. Farm-saved seed and the free innovation with and exchange of planting materials among farming communities has long been the basis of agricultural practice. This is now history. The CPA has made it illegal for Iraqi farmers to re-use seeds harvested from new varieties registered under the law. Iraqis may continue to use and save from their traditional seed stocks or what’s left of them after the years of war and drought, but that is the not the agenda for reconstruction embedded in the ruling. The purpose of the law is to facilitate the establishment of a new seed market in Iraq, where transnational corporations can sell their seeds – genetically modified or not, which farmers would have to purchase afresh every single cropping season.
THE YEAR OF AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY REVISITED by GRAIN | 25 Mar 1997 Seedling - March 1997 1996 was a year of unprecedented international attention for agricultural biodiversity. But was any tangible progress made? GRAIN looks back. 1996 was a year of unprecedented international attention for agricultural biodiversity. But was any tangible progress made? GRAIN looks back.
Foundations for GM crops in West Africa are being built: a battle looms ahead by GRAIN | 18 Oct 2006 Seedling - October 2006 On the surface all appears quiet in West Africa when it comes to GM (genetically modified) crops. Yet, under the surface, the pressure on governments, researchers and farmers’ organisations to accept GM crops is huge. And in reaction resistance is building up, both within each country and also in a large network of activists and farmers across Africa. A polarised battle looms. On the surface all appears quiet in West Africa when it comes to GM (genetically modified) crops. Yet, under the surface, the pressure on governments, researchers and farmers’ organisations to accept GM crops is huge. And in reaction resistance is building up, both within each country and also in a large network of activists and farmers across Africa. A polarised battle looms.
Iraq's new patent law: A declaration of war against farmers by GRAIN | 15 Oct 2004 BIO-IPR (1997-2009)
Spouting Up: Want to let off steam about IPRs? by GRAIN | 20 Sep 2001 Seedling - September 2001 The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) decided to celebrate all the benefits of intellectual property rights with an International Day of Intellectual Property Rights on April 26, 2002. Part of the process leading up to it is an essay contest in response to the question: WHAT DOES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MEAN TO YOU IN YOUR DAILY LIFE? Shortly afterwards, WIPOUT, an international organisation consisting of academics, artists, musicians, and other activists, launched the Intellectual Property Counter-Essay Contest The counter contest is intended to challenge the over-protection of intellectual property, which is doing much damage to education, health care, the environment, and economic security for millions around the world. The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) decided to celebrate all the benefits of intellectual property rights with an International Day of Intellectual Property Rights on April 26, 2002. Part of the process leading up to it is an essay contest in response to the question: WHAT DOES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MEAN TO YOU IN YOUR DAILY LIFE? Shortly afterwards, WIPOUT, an international organisation consisting of academics, artists, musicians, and other activists, launched the Intellectual Property Counter-Essay Contest The counter contest is intended to challenge the over-protection of intellectual property, which is doing much damage to education, health care, the environment, and economic security for millions around the world.
Food Aid: Who is getting fed by GRAIN | 24 Apr 2003 Seedling - April 2003 In the last year, the UN’s World Food Programme has twice launched what it has described as the “largest humanitarian operation in history” – first in Southern Africa, and in recent weeks in Iraq. But how helpful have these interventions been and are they really reaching the people who need them? More than ever, the food aid agenda is being driven by the interests of donors rather than recipients. The issue of genetically modified food aid is now also being used by the US, the world’s largest food aid donor, to manipulate the agenda. In the last year, the UN’s World Food Programme has twice launched what it has described as the “largest humanitarian operation in history” – first in Southern Africa, and in recent weeks in Iraq. But how helpful have these interventions been and are they really reaching the people who need them? More than ever, the food aid agenda is being driven by the interests of donors rather than recipients. The issue of genetically modified food aid is now also being used by the US, the world’s largest food aid donor, to manipulate the agenda.
Pastoralism an untold tale of adaptation and survival by GRAIN | 13 Apr 2010 Seedling - April 2010 Across East and West Africa, an estimated 50 million traditional livestock producers are not only supporting their families, their communities and a huge meat and hides industry, but are also demonstrating a rare capacity to adapt to climate change. A new study into pastoralism in Africa’s drylands shows that, despite serious problems caused by bureaucracy, border controls and, more recently, land grabbing, many of the livestock rearers are resourceful, highly productive and financially canny. Across East and West Africa, an estimated 50 million traditional livestock producers are not only supporting their families, their communities and a huge meat and hides industry, but are also demonstrating a rare capacity to adapt to climate change. A new study into pastoralism in Africa’s drylands shows that, despite serious problems caused by bureaucracy, border controls and, more recently, land grabbing, many of the livestock rearers are resourceful, highly productive and financially canny.
USAID: Making the world hungry for GM crops by GRAIN | 25 Apr 2005 This briefing examines how the US government uses USAID to actively promote GM agriculture. The focus is on USAID's major programmes for agricultural biotechnology and the regions where these programmes are most active in parts of Africa and Asia[1]. These USAID programmes are part of a multi-pronged strategy to advance US interests with GM crops. Increasingly the US government uses multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements and high-level diplomatic pressure to push countries towards the adoption of many key bits of corporate-friendly regulations related to GM crops. And this external pressure has been effectively complimented by lobbying and funding from national and regional USAID biotech networks. This briefing examines how the US government uses USAID to actively promote GM agriculture. The focus is on USAID's major programmes for agricultural biotechnology and the regions where these programmes are most active in parts of Africa and Asia[1]. These USAID programmes are part of a multi-pronged strategy to advance US interests with GM crops. Increasingly the US government uses multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements and high-level diplomatic pressure to push countries towards the adoption of many key bits of corporate-friendly regulations related to GM crops. And this external pressure has been effectively complimented by lobbying and funding from national and regional USAID biotech networks.
Rice land grabs undermine food sovereignty in Africa by GRAIN | 26 Jan 2009 Mali, like several other countries in West Africa, recently went from being a net rice exporter to being a major importer. Now the government has embarked on a multimillion-dollar national rice initiative that is supposed to restore self-sufficiency by helping the country’s farmers to produce more. Mali, like several other countries in West Africa, recently went from being a net rice exporter to being a major importer. Now the government has embarked on a multimillion-dollar national rice initiative that is supposed to restore self-sufficiency by helping the country’s farmers to produce more.
Resources by GRAIN | 1 Oct 2002 Seedling - October 2002 We review 17 reports and books in the October issue of Seedling, under headings of Genetic Engineering, IPR, Sustainable Agriculture, Agricultural Trade and Unfair Subsidies, Genetic Resources, and People and Processes. We review 17 reports and books in the October issue of Seedling, under headings of Genetic Engineering, IPR, Sustainable Agriculture, Agricultural Trade and Unfair Subsidies, Genetic Resources, and People and Processes.