EAT UP YOUR VACCINES by GRAIN | 25 Dec 2000 Seedling - December 2000 Edible vaccines are being touted as an example of the benefits genetic engineering can bring to the South. They promise to be cheap, accessible and safe ... and too good to be true? Edible vaccines are being touted as an example of the benefits genetic engineering can bring to the South. They promise to be cheap, accessible and safe ... and too good to be true?
A GREENER THAN GREEN REVOLUTION? by GRAIN | 20 Dec 1998 Seedling - December 1998 The CGIAR is preparing to usher in the gene revolution and is looking to the private sector for support. What are the implications for the CGIAR's research agenda and the millions of farmers around the world that it serves? The CGIAR is preparing to usher in the gene revolution and is looking to the private sector for support. What are the implications for the CGIAR's research agenda and the millions of farmers around the world that it serves?
Trade deals handing Japanese seeds to multinational corporations by Inyaku Tomoya & GRAIN | 20 Sep 2020 Seeds Farmers, civil society and prominent figures in Japan have succeeded in temporarily postponing the amendment of the PVP Act, a major attempt against the public management of seeds. But what lies behind these efforts to amend the PVP Act? And is stopping the revision of the PVP Act enough? Farmers, civil society and prominent figures in Japan have succeeded in temporarily postponing the amendment of the PVP Act, a major attempt against the public management of seeds. But what lies behind these efforts to amend the PVP Act? And is stopping the revision of the PVP Act enough?
Making a killing from hunger by GRAIN | 28 Apr 2008 Corporations The world food crisis is hurting a lot of people, but global agribusiness firms, traders and speculators are raking in huge profits. The fundamental cause of today's food crisis is neoliberal globalisation itself, which has transformed food from a source of livelihood security into a mere commodity to be gambled away, even at the cost of widespread hunger among the world’s poorest people. The world food crisis is hurting a lot of people, but global agribusiness firms, traders and speculators are raking in huge profits. The fundamental cause of today's food crisis is neoliberal globalisation itself, which has transformed food from a source of livelihood security into a mere commodity to be gambled away, even at the cost of widespread hunger among the world’s poorest people.
POTATO: A FRAGILE GIFT FROM THE ANDES by GRAIN | 15 Sep 2000 Seedling - September 2000 Commercial and traditional farmers in the South are being encouraged to plant modern' potato varieties with a narrow genetic base and high chemical dependence to serve growing domestic and export markets. Commercial and traditional farmers in the South are being encouraged to plant modern' potato varieties with a narrow genetic base and high chemical dependence to serve growing domestic and export markets.
Fiasco in the Field: an update on hybrid rice in Asia by GRAIN | 28 Jan 2005 Seedling - January 2005 A new report from GRAIN follows up on the fate of hybrid rice in Asia. An earlier study in 2000 saw the push for hybrid rice coming from the seed industry as a stepping-stone to genetically modified (GM) rice. The report looks at how hybrid rice has fared with farmers and the shifting dynamics and ambitions of those pushing hybrid rice in the region. Despite continued enthusiastic support from seed companies and international agencies, hybrid rice continues to be viewed by farmers as a pretty useless technology and the area planted has increased little in the last five years . A new report from GRAIN follows up on the fate of hybrid rice in Asia. An earlier study in 2000 saw the push for hybrid rice coming from the seed industry as a stepping-stone to genetically modified (GM) rice. The report looks at how hybrid rice has fared with farmers and the shifting dynamics and ambitions of those pushing hybrid rice in the region. Despite continued enthusiastic support from seed companies and international agencies, hybrid rice continues to be viewed by farmers as a pretty useless technology and the area planted has increased little in the last five years .
The agribusiness lobby arrives in Copenhagen by Grupo de Reflexión Rural, Biofuelwatch, EcoNexus, NOAH (FoE Denmark) | 24 Oct 2009 Seedling - October 2009 Until now, agriculture has been largely excluded from global carbon markets, but this is set to change in December 2009 at the Copenhagen conference. Agribusiness companies are lobbying hard to make a range of farming activities eligible for future funding under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). As a result, billions of dollars will almost certainly be invested in agriculture, mainly livestock production and plantations. What makes this prospect so alarming is that this huge investment, carried out in the name of mitigating the climate crisis, will be channelled largely to big agribusiness. And it is precisely their approach to farming and food production that has created so many of the problems we face today. Until now, agriculture has been largely excluded from global carbon markets, but this is set to change in December 2009 at the Copenhagen conference. Agribusiness companies are lobbying hard to make a range of farming activities eligible for future funding under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). As a result, billions of dollars will almost certainly be invested in agriculture, mainly livestock production and plantations. What makes this prospect so alarming is that this huge investment, carried out in the name of mitigating the climate crisis, will be channelled largely to big agribusiness. And it is precisely their approach to farming and food production that has created so many of the problems we face today.
The Bt gene fails in India by Abdul Qayam and Kiran Sakkhari | 24 Jul 2003 Seedling - July 2003 Farmers in Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh were excited about planting Bt cotton, which they saw as a way out of the trap of pests, pesticides and debt they were stuck in. At the start of the season in 2002, many were optimistic and hopeful about the new crop, but as the season progressed their enthusiasm was transformed into disappointment and, for some, despair. Meanwhile, many women already disillusioned with Green Revolution agriculture, are rediscovering the virtues of biodiverse cropping systems and sharing their results with their neighbours. Farmers in Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh were excited about planting Bt cotton, which they saw as a way out of the trap of pests, pesticides and debt they were stuck in. At the start of the season in 2002, many were optimistic and hopeful about the new crop, but as the season progressed their enthusiasm was transformed into disappointment and, for some, despair. Meanwhile, many women already disillusioned with Green Revolution agriculture, are rediscovering the virtues of biodiverse cropping systems and sharing their results with their neighbours.
Corporate conquest, global geopolitics: Intellectual property rights and bilateral investment treaties by Aziz Choudry | 26 Jan 2005 Seedling - January 2005 Since the breakdown of World Trade Organisation talks in Cancun in September 2003, there has been much talk of the rise of bilateralism. But bilateral trade and investment agreements aren’t so much replacing the multilateral agreements that have foreshadowed them in the last decade as working with them to create a ratcheting system to increase the levels of intellectual property protection worldwide. Interestingly, and perhaps more significantly, bilateral trade and investment agreements are also proving to be quite effective in pushing the foreign policy goals of the US and EU. Since the breakdown of World Trade Organisation talks in Cancun in September 2003, there has been much talk of the rise of bilateralism. But bilateral trade and investment agreements aren’t so much replacing the multilateral agreements that have foreshadowed them in the last decade as working with them to create a ratcheting system to increase the levels of intellectual property protection worldwide. Interestingly, and perhaps more significantly, bilateral trade and investment agreements are also proving to be quite effective in pushing the foreign policy goals of the US and EU.
Lessons from a Green Revolution in South Africa by GRAIN | 20 Oct 2008 Seedling - October 2008 The latest rescue plan for Africa is another Green Revolution. GRAIN, alongside a host of others, has written and commented extensively on the Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA) and the impact it will have on the continent. In the meantime, this model of a Green Revolution has already been implemented for the past five years in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It provides us with a case study and an indication of the likely outcome of such an approach in other parts of Africa. The latest rescue plan for Africa is another Green Revolution. GRAIN, alongside a host of others, has written and commented extensively on the Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA) and the impact it will have on the continent. In the meantime, this model of a Green Revolution has already been implemented for the past five years in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It provides us with a case study and an indication of the likely outcome of such an approach in other parts of Africa.
Big Meat is growing in the South by GRAIN | 13 Oct 2010 Seedling - October 2010 | Corporations People in the South appear to be eating a lot more meat these days. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says that per capita meat consumption in developing countries doubled between 1980 and 2005, while the consumption of eggs more than tripled. What happened? According to some, the main factor has been rising incomes in Asia. But the bigger factor is on the supply side. Agribusiness corporations, backed by massive subsidies and government support, have ramped up global industrial meat production to formidable levels over recent decades, with devastating consequences for people, animals and the environment. Much of this is now happening in the South, where a rising group of home-grown transnational corporations (TNCs) is joining ranks with the older firms from the North to push Big Meat into every corner of the planet. People in the South appear to be eating a lot more meat these days. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says that per capita meat consumption in developing countries doubled between 1980 and 2005, while the consumption of eggs more than tripled. What happened? According to some, the main factor has been rising incomes in Asia. But the bigger factor is on the supply side. Agribusiness corporations, backed by massive subsidies and government support, have ramped up global industrial meat production to formidable levels over recent decades, with devastating consequences for people, animals and the environment. Much of this is now happening in the South, where a rising group of home-grown transnational corporations (TNCs) is joining ranks with the older firms from the North to push Big Meat into every corner of the planet.
Hybrid rice in Asia: An unfolding threat by Devlin Kuyek, Biothai (Thailand), GRAIN, KMP (Philippines), MASIPAG and Dr Oscar B. Zamora(Philippines), PAN Indonesia, Philippine Greens and UBINIG (Bangladesh), Dr Romeo Quijano | 20 Mar 2000
The soils of war by GRAIN | 9 Mar 2009 In this Briefing, we look at how the US’s agricultural reconstruction work in Afghanistan and Iraq not only gives easy entry to US agribusiness and pushes neoliberal policies, something that has always been a primary function of US development assistance, but is also an intrinsic part of the US military campaign in these countries and the surrounding regions. Seen together with the growing clout that the US and its corporate allies exercise over donor agencies and global bodies – such as the World Bank, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centres, which influence the food and farm policies adopted by the recipient countries – this is an alarming development. These are not unique cases born from unusual circumstances, but constitute a likely template for US activities overseas, as it continues to expand its “war on terror” and pursue US corporate interests. In this Briefing, we look at how the US’s agricultural reconstruction work in Afghanistan and Iraq not only gives easy entry to US agribusiness and pushes neoliberal policies, something that has always been a primary function of US development assistance, but is also an intrinsic part of the US military campaign in these countries and the surrounding regions. Seen together with the growing clout that the US and its corporate allies exercise over donor agencies and global bodies – such as the World Bank, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centres, which influence the food and farm policies adopted by the recipient countries – this is an alarming development. These are not unique cases born from unusual circumstances, but constitute a likely template for US activities overseas, as it continues to expand its “war on terror” and pursue US corporate interests.
BIODIVERSITY: A PERSPECTIVE FROM WITHIN by Arturo Escobar | 15 Jun 1999 Seedling - June 1999 Like other social movements around the world, black communities from the Pacific rainforests of Colombia are crafting their own definitions and visions of biodiversity conservation and use. Like other social movements around the world, black communities from the Pacific rainforests of Colombia are crafting their own definitions and visions of biodiversity conservation and use.