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.
Contaminating Canada's seed supply by GRAIN | 26 Apr 2003 Seedling - April 2003 In Canada, the privatisation of farmer's seeds continues to advance at a breathtaking pace. Canadian farmers have fewer and fewer varieties of seed to choose from, fewer places to buy it from and fewer rights to produce their own seed. Now they face another threat: the contamination of the entire seed supply with genetically modified seed. In Canada, the privatisation of farmer's seeds continues to advance at a breathtaking pace. Canadian farmers have fewer and fewer varieties of seed to choose from, fewer places to buy it from and fewer rights to produce their own seed. Now they face another threat: the contamination of the entire seed supply with genetically modified seed.
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.
with David Quist - The Mexican Maize scandal by GRAIN | 22 Apr 2003 Seedling - April 2003 David Quist was one of the authors of the first study to report the contamination of one of the centres of genetic diversity with genetically modified (GM) crops. The paper erupted into what has become known as the Mexican maize scandal'. Here GRAIN talks to Quist about the aftermath of the volcano and the implications for farmers, scientists and consumers. David Quist was one of the authors of the first study to report the contamination of one of the centres of genetic diversity with genetically modified (GM) crops. The paper erupted into what has become known as the Mexican maize scandal'. Here GRAIN talks to Quist about the aftermath of the volcano and the implications for farmers, scientists and consumers.
Cupuaçu - a case of amazonian self-assertion by Michael Schmidlehner | 18 Apr 2003 Seedling - April 2003