PACKAGING AN AG BIODIVERSITY PLAN by GRAIN | 15 Mar 1994 Seedling - March 1994 Since the late 1970s, the member states of the UN 's Food and Agriculture Organisation have pioneered a global initiative to set up a more equitable system for the conservation and use of plant genetic resources. By the late 1980s, FAO 's work in this area was eclipsed by growing popular attention to biological diversity at large, and the political heat around the negotiations of the Convention on Biodiversity. While FAO maintains its historic foot in the crop scene, the Biodiversity Convention establishes new rules for all forms of genetic resources. To avoid overlap and promote a solid programme for biodiversity specifically important to food and agriculture, a new relation between FAO 's work and the Convention are necessary. Since the late 1970s, the member states of the UN 's Food and Agriculture Organisation have pioneered a global initiative to set up a more equitable system for the conservation and use of plant genetic resources. By the late 1980s, FAO 's work in this area was eclipsed by growing popular attention to biological diversity at large, and the political heat around the negotiations of the Convention on Biodiversity. While FAO maintains its historic foot in the crop scene, the Biodiversity Convention establishes new rules for all forms of genetic resources. To avoid overlap and promote a solid programme for biodiversity specifically important to food and agriculture, a new relation between FAO 's work and the Convention are necessary.
Further reading: good materials on agrofuels by GRAIN | 4 Jul 2007 Seedling - July 2007 The volume of recent articles, papers and other materials on agrofuels can be overwhelming. Below we list some that we found particularly useful when preparing this Seedling. The volume of recent articles, papers and other materials on agrofuels can be overwhelming. Below we list some that we found particularly useful when preparing this Seedling.
The Tyranny of Rights by Brewster Kneen by GRAIN | 14 Jan 2010 Seedling - January 2010 GRAIN reviews "The Tyranny of Rights" by Brewster Kneen GRAIN reviews "The Tyranny of Rights" by Brewster Kneen
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)