CONSERVATIONISTS OR CORSAIRS? by Jack Kloppenburg and Silvia Rodriguez | 20 Jul 1992 Seedling - July 1992 Last September, Costa Rica 's National Institute for Biodiversity (INBio) signed a million dollar with the largest drug company in the world, Merck, giving the multinational exclusive rights to develop new products from one of the world 's richest rainforests. The deal took many outsiders by surprise. To some, it looked like an eminently intelligent way to assert and exert national sovereignty over biological resources. To others, it seemed like a massive sell-out that would never benefit the rural communities of Costa Rica. To air the issues, GRAIN turned to Jack Kloppenburg, an American rural sociologist working at the University of Wisconsin, well-known for his research into what could be called "the commodification of the seed". We asked him to analyse for 'Seedling ' what was at stake with "the commodification of the rainforest". The following article is a piece he prepared for us with the assistance of Silvia Rodriguez, from the School of Environmental Sciences at the National University of Costa Rica. Last September, Costa Rica 's National Institute for Biodiversity (INBio) signed a million dollar with the largest drug company in the world, Merck, giving the multinational exclusive rights to develop new products from one of the world 's richest rainforests. The deal took many outsiders by surprise. To some, it looked like an eminently intelligent way to assert and exert national sovereignty over biological resources. To others, it seemed like a massive sell-out that would never benefit the rural communities of Costa Rica. To air the issues, GRAIN turned to Jack Kloppenburg, an American rural sociologist working at the University of Wisconsin, well-known for his research into what could be called "the commodification of the seed". We asked him to analyse for 'Seedling ' what was at stake with "the commodification of the rainforest". The following article is a piece he prepared for us with the assistance of Silvia Rodriguez, from the School of Environmental Sciences at the National University of Costa Rica.
REVIVING DIVERSITY IN INDIA'S AGRICULTURE by Ashish Kothari | 25 Oct 1994 Seedling - October 1994 As in other parts of the world, India 's agricultural genetic heritage is under seige. The push to “modernise” and “industrialise” India 's rural landscape has already taken a heavy toll on plant and animal diversity. In fact, the worse might be yet to come. Yet community organisations, independent farmers and NGOs are struggling at the local level to document, conserve and revive biodiversity in innovative farming systems throughout the vast country. Mr. Ashish Kothari of Kalpavrish, an environmental action group based in Delhi, kindly prepared an overview of what is going on for Seedling readers. As in other parts of the world, India 's agricultural genetic heritage is under seige. The push to “modernise” and “industrialise” India 's rural landscape has already taken a heavy toll on plant and animal diversity. In fact, the worse might be yet to come. Yet community organisations, independent farmers and NGOs are struggling at the local level to document, conserve and revive biodiversity in innovative farming systems throughout the vast country. Mr. Ashish Kothari of Kalpavrish, an environmental action group based in Delhi, kindly prepared an overview of what is going on for Seedling readers.
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.
Seeds of information by GRAIN | 16 Apr 2009 Seedling - April 2009 This section of Seedling is devoted to short topical items. We welcome contributions from readers. This section of Seedling is devoted to short topical items. We welcome contributions from readers.
Haiti’s farmers call for a break with neoliberalism by GRAIN | 13 Jul 2010 Seedling - July 2010 Peasant organisations in Haiti are angry at the Haitian authorities for allowing multinational donors and corporations to take advantage of the post-earthquake reconstruction programme to deepen the country’s reliance on the outside world. They are calling instead for a radical programme of agricultural reconstruction, to rebuild the country’s ravaged peasantry and bring about food sovereignty. Peasant organisations in Haiti are angry at the Haitian authorities for allowing multinational donors and corporations to take advantage of the post-earthquake reconstruction programme to deepen the country’s reliance on the outside world. They are calling instead for a radical programme of agricultural reconstruction, to rebuild the country’s ravaged peasantry and bring about food sovereignty.
FREE TRADE VERSUS FOOD SECURITY by GRAIN | 25 Oct 1996 Seedling - October 1996 The preparatory process to the World Food Summit has been paved with power plays between the different development agendas, with free-trade and globalisation proponents ready to eliminate self-sufficiency as the main food security strategy. The preparatory process to the World Food Summit has been paved with power plays between the different development agendas, with free-trade and globalisation proponents ready to eliminate self-sufficiency as the main food security strategy.
Whose agenda? The corporate takeover of corn in SE Asia by Biothai, GRAIN, MASIPAG and PAN Indonesia | 25 Aug 1999
Seeds of information by GRAIN | 8 Jul 2008 Seedling - July 2008 "GM seeds dig in", "Peak glyphosate", "Crisis management" and "GM crops not the answer" "GM seeds dig in", "Peak glyphosate", "Crisis management" and "GM crops not the answer"
BIOPIRACY'S LATEST DISGUISES by GRAIN | 25 Jun 1997 Seedling - June 1997 While bioprospecting agreements continue to be heralded as the way towards conserving biodiversity and sustainable development, this article takes a critical look at some of those agreements, seen by many as legalised biopiracy. While bioprospecting agreements continue to be heralded as the way towards conserving biodiversity and sustainable development, this article takes a critical look at some of those agreements, seen by many as legalised biopiracy.
The impact of soybean expansion in Argentina by Walter Pengue | 24 Sep 2001 Seedling - September 2001 In the past two decades, soybean production has increased sharply in the Pampas region of Argentina. Genetically modified (GM) soybeans have been particularly popular to the extent that all soybean production is now GM. This article provides a resume of the original article by Pengue on the socio-economic and environmental implications of the exponential growth of transgenic soybean production in one of the world’s leading soybean-producing countries. In the past two decades, soybean production has increased sharply in the Pampas region of Argentina. Genetically modified (GM) soybeans have been particularly popular to the extent that all soybean production is now GM. This article provides a resume of the original article by Pengue on the socio-economic and environmental implications of the exponential growth of transgenic soybean production in one of the world’s leading soybean-producing countries.
'Better dead than GM fed?' by GRAIN | 21 Oct 2002 Seedling - October 2002 The debate over the issue of genetically modified (GM) food has risen to new levels of intensity over recent months over the issue of GM food aid to Southern Africa. Most of this aid comes from the US, which is widely being seen as using the famine to force GM crops into Africa and elsewhere. GRAIN says no to GM food aid and argues for a strategy that is based around a long-term vision of food security in the region. The debate over the issue of genetically modified (GM) food has risen to new levels of intensity over recent months over the issue of GM food aid to Southern Africa. Most of this aid comes from the US, which is widely being seen as using the famine to force GM crops into Africa and elsewhere. GRAIN says no to GM food aid and argues for a strategy that is based around a long-term vision of food security in the region.
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.