SUI GENERIS - A DEAD END ALLEY by Camila Montecinos | 12 Nov 1996 Seedling - December 1996 A self-critical evaluation on NGO's efforts to devise `sui generis' intellectual property systems that really serve to protect the rights of indigenous peoples and farming or other local communities. A self-critical evaluation on NGO's efforts to devise `sui generis' intellectual property systems that really serve to protect the rights of indigenous peoples and farming or other local communities.
Freedom from IPR: Towards a convergence of movements by GRAIN | 28 Oct 2004 Seedling - October 2004 Intellectual property rights are now the central source of profits in the so-called "knowledge economy", making their expansion crucial for corporations investing in new technologies and new markets across the planet. But they are killing innovation, freedom and access to essential things like culture, health and education. And it's gone too far. Where there is oppression there is always resistance; people are using all kinds of creative means to organise and push back the IPR onslaught. And it's astounding to see how many people are saying “Enough!” to the excesses of IPR laws. People from different sectors are now realising that the new social spaces they are creating have a lot in common, and efforts are underway to bring the various struggles together. Read more about the potential for "convergence" between these different struggles against IPR. GRAIN aims to publish more analysis, viewpoints and strategy ideas about it in future issues of Seedling . If you have materials to contribute, proposals to share or want to get involved in any other way, please contact us. Intellectual property rights are now the central source of profits in the so-called "knowledge economy", making their expansion crucial for corporations investing in new technologies and new markets across the planet. But they are killing innovation, freedom and access to essential things like culture, health and education. And it's gone too far. Where there is oppression there is always resistance; people are using all kinds of creative means to organise and push back the IPR onslaught. And it's astounding to see how many people are saying “Enough!” to the excesses of IPR laws. People from different sectors are now realising that the new social spaces they are creating have a lot in common, and efforts are underway to bring the various struggles together. Read more about the potential for "convergence" between these different struggles against IPR. GRAIN aims to publish more analysis, viewpoints and strategy ideas about it in future issues of Seedling . If you have materials to contribute, proposals to share or want to get involved in any other way, please contact us.
The FAO seed treaty: from farmers' rights to breeders' privileges by GRAIN | 18 Oct 2005 Seedling - October 2005 The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture – sometimes called the ‘seed treaty’ – was adopted by UN Food and Agriculture (FAO) member states in 2001 and came into force in 2004. Governments that signed on are now working out implementation details. Far from its roots in the struggle to assert farmers’ rights as a counterforce to breeders’ rights, the Treaty has ended up being mainly about granting new privileges to industry. It will give seed companies free access to most of the world’s public genebanks without any obligation to share their own materials in return. The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture – sometimes called the ‘seed treaty’ – was adopted by UN Food and Agriculture (FAO) member states in 2001 and came into force in 2004. Governments that signed on are now working out implementation details. Far from its roots in the struggle to assert farmers’ rights as a counterforce to breeders’ rights, the Treaty has ended up being mainly about granting new privileges to industry. It will give seed companies free access to most of the world’s public genebanks without any obligation to share their own materials in return.
CGIAR RENEWAL: BEYOND CATCHY WORDING? by GRAIN | 15 Jun 1996 Seedling - June 1996 Evidence keeps accumulating to demonstrate that Green Revolution agriculture is unsustainable and that industrial agriculture is in crisis. However, a close look at the `renewal process' the CGIAR claims to have gone through leaves NGOs wondering if the new CGIAR agenda will not lead to more of the same. Evidence keeps accumulating to demonstrate that Green Revolution agriculture is unsustainable and that industrial agriculture is in crisis. However, a close look at the `renewal process' the CGIAR claims to have gone through leaves NGOs wondering if the new CGIAR agenda will not lead to more of the same.
Growing Diversity by GRAIN | 18 Jul 2002 Seedling - July 2002 One of the most significant positive changes that has occurred in the field of biodiversity over Seedling's 20-year lifetime is a global awakening to the importance of the local custodianship of biodiversity. Farmers and indig-enous peoples finally began to feature in international treaties, policy docu-ments and programme plans. The Growing Diversity Project was launched to strengthen and exchange experiences in this field. After many years of planning and two busy years of activities, Growing Diversity has come to its official end with an international workshop held in Brazil in May. One of the most significant positive changes that has occurred in the field of biodiversity over Seedling's 20-year lifetime is a global awakening to the importance of the local custodianship of biodiversity. Farmers and indig-enous peoples finally began to feature in international treaties, policy docu-ments and programme plans. The Growing Diversity Project was launched to strengthen and exchange experiences in this field. After many years of planning and two busy years of activities, Growing Diversity has come to its official end with an international workshop held in Brazil in May.
THE DISAGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE by Peter Einarsson | 20 Mar 2001 Seedling - March 2001 The World Trade Organisation's agriculture agreement is coming up for its first renegotiation. Now is the time to turn the talks on their head and draw up new rules that emphasise food security and sustainability. The World Trade Organisation's agriculture agreement is coming up for its first renegotiation. Now is the time to turn the talks on their head and draw up new rules that emphasise food security and sustainability.
THE VALUE OF SANGRE DE DRAGO by Viki Reyes | 15 Mar 1996 Seedling - March 1996 While companies like Shaman Pharmaceuticals use the traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities as part of their research strategies, the question remains as to whether the commercialisation of traditional genetic resources benefits those communities and biodiversity conservation. While companies like Shaman Pharmaceuticals use the traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities as part of their research strategies, the question remains as to whether the commercialisation of traditional genetic resources benefits those communities and biodiversity conservation.
Farida Akhtar - founder of UBINIG by GRAIN | 9 Jul 2002 Seedling - July 2002 Farida Akhtar is one of the founders of UBINIG, a Bangladeshi NGO which has set up one of the biggest community seed banks in the world. Here she talks to Seedling about their successes so far. Farida Akhtar is one of the founders of UBINIG, a Bangladeshi NGO which has set up one of the biggest community seed banks in the world. Here she talks to Seedling about their successes so far.
Blinded by the gene by GRAIN | 28 Jul 2003 Seedling - July 2003 Earlier this year, the scientific community celebrated the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure and function of DNA by Watson and Crick. There was a host of parties, conferences and special issues. Fifty years ago when the ‘secret of life’ was unveiled, expectations were high that this milestone discovery had given us the key to understanding the laws of heredity …. and the power to change them. Fifty years later, many believe we have now reached that point. Scientists are now able to move genes – and the inherited traits they code for – with apparent ease between species, families and kingdoms. Earlier this year, the scientific community celebrated the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure and function of DNA by Watson and Crick. There was a host of parties, conferences and special issues. Fifty years ago when the ‘secret of life’ was unveiled, expectations were high that this milestone discovery had given us the key to understanding the laws of heredity …. and the power to change them. Fifty years later, many believe we have now reached that point. Scientists are now able to move genes – and the inherited traits they code for – with apparent ease between species, families and kingdoms.
Diversa dominates global search for blockbuster microbes by GRAIN | 22 Jan 2005 Seedling - January 2005 In the last decade the US' Diversa corporation has expanded its bioprospecting activities all over the globe, placing it very high if not top of the list of the worlds bioprospectors. In the last decade the US' Diversa corporation has expanded its bioprospecting activities all over the globe, placing it very high if not top of the list of the worlds bioprospectors.
GENES IN THE GULF by GRAIN | 25 Feb 1991 Seedling - February 1991 As "Seedling" goes to print, armed conflict is once again besieging the Middle East, this time of untold dimensions. Open hostilities in the Gulf region could degenerate into a large scale tragedy involving chemical and biological warfare, as well as nuclear arms. While we all hold firm to the hope for a negotiated solution to the political problems of the region, GRAIN thought it valuable to acknowledge the important contribution that genetic diversity from the Middle East makes to world agriculture and review the region 's highly vulnerable conservation efforts. It is an area particularly rich in landraces and wild species of immense value for crop improvement and food production worldwide. As "Seedling" goes to print, armed conflict is once again besieging the Middle East, this time of untold dimensions. Open hostilities in the Gulf region could degenerate into a large scale tragedy involving chemical and biological warfare, as well as nuclear arms. While we all hold firm to the hope for a negotiated solution to the political problems of the region, GRAIN thought it valuable to acknowledge the important contribution that genetic diversity from the Middle East makes to world agriculture and review the region 's highly vulnerable conservation efforts. It is an area particularly rich in landraces and wild species of immense value for crop improvement and food production worldwide.
WANTED ALIVE: 3.3 MILLION SEED SAMPLES! by GRAIN | 20 Apr 1991 Seedling - April 1991 We are heading toward a frightening crossroads. The so-called international plant genetic resources community has spent the past 20 years putting together a world network of colossal, centralised "base collections" for major international crops: rice, wheat, maize, potatoes, pulses. Big food in big refrigerators in a couple of locations across the mighty globe: this is called food security. NGOs have all this time been critical of the ill-founded bases of the system: its technical shortcomings, political biases, unaccountability, mismanaged control and the sheer danger of dumping your eggs into one solitary and fragile basket. Without resolving any of those problems, the genebanks are now in the process of shifting strategy away from the failed mega-collections toward a sub-system of isolated and potentially arbitrary "crop networks" and "core collections" with perhaps even more dreadful consequences. We are heading toward a frightening crossroads. The so-called international plant genetic resources community has spent the past 20 years putting together a world network of colossal, centralised "base collections" for major international crops: rice, wheat, maize, potatoes, pulses. Big food in big refrigerators in a couple of locations across the mighty globe: this is called food security. NGOs have all this time been critical of the ill-founded bases of the system: its technical shortcomings, political biases, unaccountability, mismanaged control and the sheer danger of dumping your eggs into one solitary and fragile basket. Without resolving any of those problems, the genebanks are now in the process of shifting strategy away from the failed mega-collections toward a sub-system of isolated and potentially arbitrary "crop networks" and "core collections" with perhaps even more dreadful consequences.