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In depth I  GM food Biotech companies exposed as climate change profiteers Source: ETC Group ETC Group's report warns that - rather than a solution for confronting climate change - the promise of so-called "climate-ready" crops will be used to drive farmers and governments onto a proprietary biotech platform. May 2008.[see more]   print    send   Correct  ADD YOUR COMMENT >> When in August 2002, the government of Zambia rejected a shipment of humanitarian aid because it contained genetically modified corn, it unleashed a new debate: Is the use of genetically modified foods justified in the alleviation of hunger in the world’s poorest countries? Genetic engineering of foods -a process whereby specific information is artificially transferred from one type of organism to another, regardless of the species- is one of the most disturbing and criticized aspects of biotechnological development. The industry that practices this technology claims that it is a way of contributing to feed the world, as if the hunger problem were the result of a lack of, instead of a maldistribution of, food. The aim is to alter an organism’s natural properties. For example, human genes have been spliced into pigs and fish to make them grow more rapidly. Genes are often transferred from one species to another; for instance, scorpion toxin genes have been inserted into corn in order for the plant to develop its own insecticide. Pesticide-producing transgenic crops (e.g. corn) force pest populations to develop pesticide-resistance, which will lead to an increase in the use of toxic chemicals, whose residues will in turn accumulate in foods. Companies, for their part, are already preparing for such an outcome and demand that the authorized levels of residues be raised. All of this could bring about an uncontrollable situation. Humans are already consuming GM foods, such as soy and corn. Both products are used in over 60% of the foods processed. Transgenic soy and corn can also be used unprocessed as feed for animals intended for human consumption. This transgenic onslaught is headed by the transnational corporation Monsanto, the very same company that created and produced the Agent Orange used in the Vietnam war. Monsanto has developed, for example, the Roundup-Ready soy, designed to be resistant to the herbicide "Roundup", also manufactured by Monsanto. Some of this company’s fields have been destroyed by activists opposed to genetic manipulation of foods. Civil society is promoting a strong campaign against GM foods and in favor of protecting genetic resources, advocating food security and sovereignty. The campaign denounces the motives behind genetic modification as primarily commercial and political, and warns that it is not yet clear how GM food consumption will affect human health. The campaign calls for a moratorium on the marketing of GM products until the consequences of genetic manipulation are known. Critics of genetic engineering say that the new patent laws are giving inventors of genetically modified crops a dangerous degree of control over food sources. In addition, several scientists have expressed their concern because they believe that genetic engineering is inherently hazardous and could produce new toxins in food crops or even generate new allergies among consumers. At the same time, the campaign demands that all GM products that are already marketed be properly identified so that consumers know exactly what they are buying. Right now in many countries where GM products are sold -particularly in the South- it is not mandatory to label these products as such. Versión en español share:   print    send   correct  ADD YOUR COMMENT >>  Some definitions  The debate: critical voices  The debate: positive views  The debate: views from international bodies  The debate: other views  The hunger problem  NGOs working on the issue  The biotechnological industry  International Conferences  News  Books   News Up-to-date current affairs information. Tue May 02 2006 Tracking GM developments in Asia and the Pacific Fuente: GRAIN Wed Mar 15 2006 Transgenic crops make their mark in Latin America Fuente: IPS In-depth reports Detailed reports on key issues Divisions in Africa over GM crops While some countries in the region are already engaged into research in GM seed technology, there is still much opposition within these countries and in others. Agriculture and food sovereignty Farmers could produce enough food to eradicate world hunger. So, why won’t they let them? New Partnership for African Development - NEPAD Promoted by African governments and supported by the G8, NEPAD has been largely criticized by civil society organizations. Biotechnology and biosafety The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety entered into force on 11 September 2003, after reaching 50 ratifications. World Trade Organization - WTO Trade at the service of people, or people subjected to trade? The WTO makes the difference. Millennium Development Goals - MDGs A comprehensive list of resources from the United Nations and civil society organizations. Rio+10: Earth Summit 2002 Ten years after Rio ’92, is there still an agenda for sustainable development?      Some definitions Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology An impartial evaluation written so that everybody can understand the essential problems without prior knowledge about genetics. GM Food Aid Source: Eldis As the food crisis deepens in Southern Africa attention has increasingly focused on diplomatic wrangling over whether the recipients of aid should accept unsegregrated genetically modified grain.    The debate: critical voices Bush using famine in Africa as GM marketing tool Source: Greenpeace The document details how the offer of GM food aid by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the latest move in a ten-year marketing campaign designed to facilitate the introduction of US-developed GM crops into Africa. Genetic engineering and food safety Source: Third World Network A collection of articles and reports from the Third World Network. Open Letter from World Scientists Concerning GMOs Source: Institute of Science in Society The scientists are extremely concerned about the hazards of GMOs to biodiversity, food safety, human and animal health, and demand a moratorium on environmental releases in accordance with the precautionary principle. Genetically modified crops in African agriculture: implications for small farmers Source: GRAIN Amidst the enthusiasm for genetic engineering, there has been little space for critical reflection. Is this new technology appropriate for African agricultural systems and what are the implications if it is taken up? By Devlin Kuyek. The case for a GM-free sustainable world Source: Institute of Science in Society Mae-Wan Ho and Lim Li Ching Scientific and other developments since 1999 have confirmed the concerns over the safety of genetic engineering, GM crops and food security. At the same time, the successes and benefits of all forms of sustainable agriculture are undeniable (pdf version). Voices from the South Source: Food First The battle over genetic engineering is being fought across the world, between those who champion farmers' rights to seeds, livelihood and land, and those who would privatize them. Food First, together with the Pesticide Action Network, has brought together a range of views from critics of GE food. Nine Mexican States found to be GM contaminated Source: ETC Group Representatives of indigenous and farming communities released the results of their own independent studies and conclusions on the presence of transgenic contamination in nine Mexican states: Chihuahua, Morelos, Durango, Mexico State, San Luis Potosi, Puebla, Oaxaca, Tlaxcala and Veracruz. Argentina’s GM woes Source: Institute of Science in Society Dr. Lilian Joensen and Dr. Mae-Wan Ho Within the past decade in Argentina, 160,000 families of small farmers have left the land, unable to compete with large farmers. GM soya has served to exacerbate this trend towards large-scale, industrial agriculture, accelerating poverty. Sentence of the International Popular Tribunal of Genetically Modified Organisms Source: Terra de Direitos The body of jurors of the International Popular Tribunal of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) called together for a session of debate on March 11th, 2004 hereby decided unanimously that there is not enought scientific evidence to prove that genetically modified organisms will not harm the environment, biodiversity, and human health. Turkish declaration of No to GMOs Platform: Life cannot be patented Source: GDO'ya Hayir This text is a summary of the Declaration of Genetically Modified Organisms published by GDO’ya Hayýr Platformu (Platform of ‘No to GMOs’). Genetically modified crops: a decade of failure Source: Friends of the Earth The first decade of the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops was a resounding failure for biotech companies. The first GM crop was commercialized in 1994, and now, ten years later, the promises made by the biotech industry and its powerful lobby groups have still not materialized. Meanwhile, the global opposition to GM crops continues to swell (pdf version). How Europe is re-colonising America with help from the natives Source: Institute of Science in Society Dr. Mae Wan Ho Argentina, once the "bread-basket" of the world, has been transformed since 1997 into a GM soya republic. Within the past decade, more than 160 000 families of small farmers have been driven off their traditional mixed/rotation farms to be replaced by large-scale soya monocultures. November 2004. GM crops: a decade of failure Source: Friends of the Earth International The first decade of the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops was a resounding failure for biotech companies. The first GM crop was commercialized in 1994, and now, ten years later, the promises made by the biotech industry and its powerful lobby groups have still not materialized. Meanwhile, the global opposition to GM crops continues to swell. February 2005. Fiasco in the field - An update on hybrid rice in Asia Source: GRAIN Hybrid rice, a new technology Asian governments are aggressively promoting to feed their population, is not wanted, not needed and will end up destroying rural areas. A new report by GRAIN, "Fiasco in the Field: An Update on Hybrid Rice in Asia", shows that hybrid rice is being rejected by farmers across Asia. "Hybrid rice is expensive, heavily reliant on fertilisers and pesticides, and a very poor techno-fix to increase yield," according to the report. The main countries turning to hybrid rice are China, Vietnam, Philippines, Bangladesh and India. March 2005. Health, Human Rights, and GM crops Source: Insitute of Science in Society (ISIS) In 1978, the governments of the world gathered under the aegis of the World Health Organisation to sign the Alma Ata Declaration promising "Health for All by 2000". But this promise was never taken seriously, and was sidelined in subsequent health policy discussions. Among the most important conditions for health is people's right to food and adequate nutrition. GM crops guarantee neither food security nor equitable access to food, quite the opposite says this note from the Editor by Dr.Mae-Wan Ho. September 2005. GM crops for Africa? no thanks! Source: Institute for Science in Society (ISIS) This article exposes the machinations of USAID and other agencies to push GM crops under the guise of biosafety capacity building. October 2005. Transgenic crops: implications for biodiversity and sustainable agriculture Source: Biosafety Information Centre The potential for genetically modified (GM) crops to threaten biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture is substantial. Megadiverse countries and centers of origin and/or diversity of crop species are particularly vulnerable regions. The future of sustainable agriculture may be irreversibly jeopardized by contamination of in situ preserved genetic resources threatening a strategic resource for the world’s food security. (PDF document). January 2005. New report on GM contamination worldwide Source: GM Contamination Register This report reviews cases reported in the public and scientific literature of contamination, illegal plantings and releases of GM organisms, and negative agricultural side-effects since GM crops were first grown commercially on a large scale in 1996. March 2006. Biotech crops and foods: the risks and alternatives Source: Oakland Insititute Carmelo Ruiz-Marrero The raging worldwide controversy over genetically engineered (GE) crops and products continues to grow. Proponents claim these novel crops are helping feed the hungry. But a growing number of critics, which include environmentalists, farmers, intellectuals, indigenous peoples, students, academics, biologists, agronomists and people from all walks of life and from all over the world, hold that genetic engineering presents serious social and ecological questions that the proponents have not addressed adequately. May 2006. Transgenic rice is "risky and unnecessary" Source: Third World Network Chee Yoke Heong A new report released by Greenpeace maintains that genetically engineered rice will cause more problems than it can possibly solve. Given the risk and the existence of more sustainable practices, transgenic rice is unnecessary. The report, 'Future of Rice' says that genetic engineering when compared to other rice breeding methods and to traditional rice growing practices is "ineffective, unpredictable, expensive and risky". December 2006. GE rice not a solution for saving lives Source: Third World Network Features Moves have been set in motion to introduce the world's first genetically engineered rice containing human genes which its proponents claim will help save the lives of millions of children suffering from diarrhea. But concern groups have questioned the need for such a rice, indicating that this might be a sheer marketing ploy in the name of saving lives. May 2007. Latin America: the downside of the GM revolution Source: Americas Program As genetically modified soybeans take over vast tracts in South America and reports flow in of genetic contamination of local corn in Mesoamerica, grassroots resistance to biotech crops has also grown. The protests form part of people's movements across the hemisphere that tie together a rejection of neoliberalism and agribusiness, and call for land reform, food sovereignty, and sustainable agriculture. December 2007. GM crops increase pesticide use says report Source: Friends of the Earth International A new report by Friends of the Earth International part of a series called “Who Benefits from GM Crops?” shows that planting genetically modified (GM) crops is causing an increased use of harmful pesticides in major biotech crop producing countries. February 2008.    The debate: positive views Drought-resistant GM crops: a promising future Source: SciDev.net Alessandro Pellegrineschi explores the scientific prospects for developing crops that are resistant to drought, and says that sceptics of GM technology must be won over to prevent future tragedies. The use of genetically modified crops in developing countries Source: Nuffield Council on Bioethics The Paper concludes that the possible costs, benefits and risks associated with particular GM crops must be assessed on a case by case basis. The Paper also discusses the impact of European regulations on GM crops in developing countries, and makes recommendation about policy, regulation and trade. Issues raised by food aid, micronutrient-enriched GM crops and the impact of GM crops on biodiversity are also considered. Public participation in decision-making regarding GMOs in developing countries: How to effectively involve rural people Source: FAO The rural people in developing countries are often far removed from many important decision-making processes. Production and consumption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is a topical issue and could impact on socio-cultural systems of rural populations in developing countries. Involving the rural people in decision-making on GMOs was discussed during this moderated e-mail conference hosted by the FAO Biotechnology Forum from 17 January to 13 February 2005.    The debate: views from international bodies Biotechnology in food and agriculture Source: FAO A website produced by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) providing information, news, documents, electronic forum, events, glossary and links. Also available in french, spanish, chinese and arabic. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Source: Convention on Biological Diversity Article 11 - Procedure for living modified organisms intended for direct use as food or feed, or for processing. WHO answers 20 questions on genetically modified foods Source: WHO These questions and answers have been prepared by WHO in response to questions and concerns by a number of WHO Member State Governments with regard to the nature and safety of genetically modified food. PdF format. WFP Policy on donations of food derived from biotechnology (PdF) Source: WFP Foods derived from Modern Biotechnology Source: WHO This site briefly describes the activities of the World Health Organization in regard to biotechnology and food safety. Director-General urges countries to think carefully before rejecting GM food aid Source: FAO Countries in Southern Africa whose populations are facing a devastating drought should carefully consider current scientific knowledge before rejecting food aid containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Dr. Jacques Diouf said. Shaping the future of agriculture Source: Agriculture 21 - FAO In an article published in January 2003 on the website of FAO's Agriculture Department, Louise Fresco, the head of Department and FAO Assistant-Director General, responds to questions about world poverty and hunger, globalisation and biotechnology in the context of the food and agriculture sector. Regulating GMOs in developing and transition countries Source: FAO Background document to Conference 9: 28 April - 1 June, 2003. Codex Alimentarius on assessments of foods derived from Biotechnology FAO and WHO have provided expert scientific advice on the food safety aspects of foods derived from biotechnology since 1991. FAO/WHO expert consultation on safety assessment of foods derived from genetically modified animals including fish Source: FAO The main purpose of this expert consultation is to provide advice to FAO/WHO and their Member countries on the safety assessment of foods derived from GM animals, including fish, and to discuss other potential risks associated with these foods.    The debate: other views GM crops and the limits of consensus politics Source: SciDev.net David Dickson An ambitious new attempt to establish a global dialogue on the future of world agriculture must be prepared to grapple with the realities of political decision-making. Economic and environmental impacts of first generation genetically modified crops: lessons from the United States Source: Biotech-info Dr. Charles Benbrook This paper brings together a wide reading of the current agricultural research on genetically modified organisms, and data on planting, use rates and yields, focusing specifically on three crops: Roundup Ready (RR) soy, Bt cotton, and Bt corn. With a view to drawing out the implications for crop management strategies in the U.S. and Argentina-the two biggest users of the new technologies-it first looks at rates of adoption, herbicide use rates and yield data (pdf version). No easy answers on GM crops Source: SciDev.net David Dickson The world’s largest study of the potential impact of genetically modified crops on the environment has produced an ambiguous set of results result. Ironically, this conclusion should make future decisions easier. Bt cotton: good news for farmers in developing countries? Source: id21 Use of bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton – a pest-resistant genetically engineered variety pioneered by Monsanto - is spreading rapidly in the major cotton growing regions of China. Many environmental campaigners argue that it is inappropriate for farmers in developing countries. Do their arguments hold up? Genetically engineered organisms and the environment: Current status and recommendations Source: Ecological Society of America The Ecological Society of America has evaluated the ecological effects of current and future uses of field-released genetically engineered organisms (GEOs), as described in this position paper. GEOs have the potential to play a positive role in sustainable agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, bioremediation, and environmental management, both in developed and developing countries. However, deliberate or inadvertent releases of GEOs into the environment could have negative ecological impacts under some circumstances. For example, fast-growing transgenic salmon that escape from aquaculture net-pens might jeopardize native fish populations. Ecological knowledge about potential environmental effects of transgenic organisms is crucial for understanding and avoiding these types of risks. Tackling GMO contamination Source: Friends of the Earth International This report was distributed by campaigners in Montreal at the start of the second Meeting of the Parties of the Biosafety Protocol, a key international meeting on GM crops trade. It argues that tougher measures are needed to prevent contamination of conventional food by genetically modified organisms (GMO). Namely, clear labelling and segregation. PDF document. May 2005. The GM debate: who decides? Source: PANOS This report explores how decisions are made about GM food crops in five developing countries - Brazil, India, Kenya, Thailand and Zambia - by drawing on current research and interviews with more than 100 people. PDF document. June 2005.    The hunger problem GM Food aid and GM policy in southern Africa Source: Panos Institute On August 16th 2002 the Zambian government announced that it would not accept 27,000 tonnes of food aid from the US to feed about two million of its people stricken by famine, because the food contained genetically modified grain. World Food Programme (WFP) Set-up in 1963, WFP is the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against global hunger. Better dead than GM fed? Source: GRAIN Article from GRAIN which provides commentary on the controversy surrounding the use of GM food aid in the Southern Africa food crisis. Another agriculture is possible Source: I-SIS Ethiopia has been hit by more droughts and is facing famine in parts of the country. Nevertheless, the long-term solutions to the challenge of ensuring food security for all lie with Ethiopian farmers themselves, who are practicing many forms of sustainable agriculture. Biotechnology: who benefits? Source: EcoForum Genetically engineered crops are coming to Africa. Tom Maliti looks at the facts behind the hype, suggesting how africans can avoid being Western guinea pigs and turn this inevitability to their own advantage. Can beggars be choosers? Source: Panos Institute When Zambia rejected a US offer of Genetically Modified food aid, it was hailed and slammed in almost equal proportion. In this opinion piece, the director of Panos Southern Africa -Fackson Banda- says the policy dilemma confronting Zambia has thrown up urgent questions about the GM debate. Zambia will feed herself from now on Source: I-SIS In the strongest message yet delivered to the world, Zambia’s Minister of Agriculture, reaffirms his country’s rejection of GM food, and spells out his ambitious plans to make Zambia self-sufficient. Genetically modified crops and sustainable poverty alleviation in Sub-Saharan Africa Source: Third World Network Africa Aaron deGrassi This paper recasts the debate over biotechnology by moving past overly general hyperbole, and instead empirically evaluating current experiences with genetically modified crops in Africa. The debate is moved from hypothetical risks, to actual results. PDF format. Genetic Engineering is NOT meeting the needs of the poor Source: International Planning Committee Asia "FAO is retrogressing from the global momentum against genetic engineering in food and agriculture" says Sarojeni Rengam of the International Planning Committee (IPC) Asia of the NGO/CSO, referring to Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) recently launched report -The State of World Food and Agriculture 2004- endorsing genetic engineering in the midst of Monsanto's withdrawal of genetically modified (GM) wheat due to strong opposition from North American farmers. GM food aid: Africa denied choice again? Source: Earthlife Africa This publication by the Africa Center for Biosafety, Earthlife Africa, Environmental Rights Action - Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Grain and SafeAge makes the case that non-GM food aid is both possible and desirable. It argues moreover that non-GM alternatives exist at national, regional and international levels, and that donors should make these available to Sudan and Angola (pdf version). Greening Ethiopia Source: Institute of Science in Society Sue Edwards Sue Edwards reports on the challenges and opportunities facing Ethiopia as steps are taken to reverse the ecological and social damages that have locked the country in poverty. Feeding the world or the corporations? Source: Institute of Science in Society Sam Burcher Food agencies are feeding corporate greed while an estimated 880 million people in the world go hungry. November 2004. Making the world hungry for GM crops Source: GRAIN The United States government is forcing genetically modified (GM) crops onto countries around the world. This new report shows how the US agency for international development (USAID) is a central part of its multi-pronged strategy. April 2005. We need GM food like a hole in our kidneys Source: Common Dreams When the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) meets this year in Philadelphia, Monsanto and its colleagues will not be gathering to talk about how to save the world. The goal of this industry, like any other, is to make a profit by convincing consumers that we need what they're selling. Despite claims from the biotech industry, GM foods cannot end world hunger, and new studies add to the evidence that they may pose a serious threat to human health. June 2005. 'Africa needs food security, not experimental crops' Source: IPS As world leaders prepare for the Group of 8 (G8) summit next week, Consumers international is warning that genetically modified food is not the ''miracle solution'' to world hunger and malnutrition. July 2005. Another silver bullet for Africa? Source: GRAIN Two leading US private charitable foundations – Rockefeller and Gates - have proclaimed a "new" Green Revolution for Africa. $150 million are to be poured into the continent in the form of new seeds, and in efforts to get small farmers to grow them. Yet none of this is new. It is the same recipe, using the same ingredients, and pushed by the same agency that perpetrated the original Green Revolution starting in the 1950s. It failed in Africa then because it failed to listen to – failed even to ask – the indigenous farmers, who had worked their land for generations. September 2006. GM crops still not performing Source: Friends of the Earth International A new report released by Friends of the Earth International shows that genetically modified (GM) crops have failed to address the main challenges facing farmers around the world, and more than 70% of large scale GM planting is still limited to two countries: the US and Argentina. January 2007. Green revolution 2.0 for Africa? Source: ETC Group While there is no denying that Africans deserve support in their struggle to address hunger, disease and climate change, science and technology are no "silver bullet" to resolve Africa's problems. Yet, when the G8 meets this June in Germany they are expected to announce a new research agenda that will again propose scientific solutions to the world's (and, particularly Africa's) social problems. April 2007. Biotech companies exposed as climate change profiteers Source: ETC Group ETC Group's report warns that - rather than a solution for confronting climate change - the promise of so-called "climate-ready" crops will be used to drive farmers and governments onto a proprietary biotech platform. May 2008.    NGOs working on the issue Genetic Resources Action International (GRAIN) International non-governmental organisation which promotes the sustainable management and use of agricultural biodiversity based on people's control over genetic resources and local knowledge. Organic Consumers Association (OCA) OCA promotes food safety, organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices internationally. Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Association of public and private members that work in more than 100 countries to mobilize cutting-edge science to reduce hunger and poverty, improve human nutrition and health, and protect the environment. Institute of Science in Society A UK-based not-for-profit organization to promote critical public understanding of science and to engage both scientists and the public in open debate and discussion, providing inputs into the GM debate.    The biotechnological industry Biotechnology and the FTAA Source: ACERCA The interests that are seeking to impose the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) include many of the same corporations that have tried to overwhelm the food supplies of the US, Canada and Latin American countries alike with unsafe, largely untested products of biotechnology. By Brian Tokar. Monsanto DuPont Syngenta Dow Chemical GM debacle continues Source: I-SIS Desperate biotech corporations are deserting academic research despite massive bailouts from our governments. It is high time to redirect public investments away from this financial and intellectual dead-end, says Dr. Mae-Wan Ho. Rice wars Source: Institute of Science in Society Mae-Wan Ho Rice, the staple food crop for more than half the world’s population, among them the poorest, is the current target of genetic modification, an activity that has greatly intensified after the rice genome was announced two years ago. Since then, all major biotech giants are investing in rice research. At the same time, a low-input cultivation system that really benefits small farmers worldwide has been spreading, but is dismissed by the scientific establishment as "unscientific". This is one among several recent innovations that increase yields and ward off disease without costly and harmful inputs, all enthusiastically and widely adopted by farmers. A war is building up between the corporate establishment and the peoples of the world for the possession of rice. The food security of billions is at stake, as is their right to grow the varieties of rice they have created and continue to create, and in the manner they choose. July 2004. Questions over schmeiser’s ruling Source: Institute of Science in Society Lim Li Ching The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld the lower courts’ rulings that Percy Schmeiser infringed Monsanto’s patent on the transgene that confers resistance to glyphosate herbicides such as Roundup. The judgement, by a narrow 5-4 margin in favour, was given on 21 May 2004. It marked the end of an uphill legal battle for the Saskatchewan farmer. Argentina resists Monsanto's claim over seeds royalties Source: Third World Network Chee Yoke Heong Argentina, one of the world's major producer and exporter of GM soya, has decided to suspend talks with biotechnology giant Monsanto over the design of a payment system that would allow the company to collect royalties on the pervasive use of its popular soybean seeds. July 2005. High risk grains Source: Planeta Portoalegre The “biofarms” (or the biofarming practice) function as test fields for transgenic organisms used for medicine development. Activists and researchers call out a public debate and ask for caution regarding biological farms. Contamination may affect the food supply. August 2005. Global seed industry concentration 2005 Source: ETC group The top 10 multinational seed firms control half of the world's commercial seed sales (a total worldwide market of approximately US$21,000 million per annum). Corporate control and ownership of seeds - the first link in the food chain - has far-reaching implications for global food security. With control of seeds and agricultural research held in fewer hands, the world's food supply is increasingly vulnerable to the whims of market maneuvers. (PDF document). September 2005. Who benefits from GM crops? A report on Monsanto Source: Friends of the Earth International The first significant planting of genetically modified (GM) crops took place in 1996. Ten years on, GM crops have failed to deliver the promises made by the biotech corporations. Moreover, the introduction of GM crops has increased the biotech industry’s control over the seed supply, most notably by Monsanto, the world’s biggest seed company. The last decade also shows that Monsanto has an undesirable influence over agriculture and food policies in many countries. (PDF document). January 2006. GM soybean: Latin America's new coloniser Source: Grain/Seedling The Latin America countries growing soybean include Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. Soybean expansion in Latin America is mostly related to biopolitics and the power of multinationals. (PDF document). March 2006. South Africa, Bioethanol and GMOs: a heady mixture Source: GMWatch Syngenta South Africa (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of Swiss Agrochemical giant, Syngenta, applied for commercial approval to import the grain of its GM maize into South Africa, for use in the production of ethanol. This briefing by the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) expresses concern over the use of GM maize for bioethanol in South Africa, arguing that it poses a biosafety risk and that bioethanol has not proven to be energy efficient. June 2006. Bilateral FTAs and GMOs Source: Bilaterals Bilateral free trade agreements are seen by the agricultural biotechnology industry as an important conduit for spreading genetically modified organisms (GMOs) around the world. Through bilateral agreements, they seek to stitch up from below what they have been unable to achieve (so far) at the WTO. June 2006. Monsanto moves to tighten its control over Latin America Source: GRAIN For the past two months, the Latin American press has been inundated with news of a fresh offensive by Monsanto in several Latin American countries. The US transnational corporation appears determined to complete the invasion of GM (genetically modified) crops throughout the continent and to crush the resistance that has arisen in response to the company’s attempt to control and dominate Latin American agriculture. June 2007. Biotech companies fuel GM contamination spread Source: Greenpeace International Global incidents of genetic contamination from genetically modified (GM) crops are on the rise, while the companies responsible ignore the consequences states the new "GM Contamination Register Report 2007" released by Greenpeace International. (PDF document). March 2008.    International Conferences 8th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity The eighth Conference of the Parties on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) promised to take major decisions regarding the conservation of biological diversity and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources. Curtitiba, Brazil, 20-30 March 2006. Coverage by Choike. 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity Source: Choike The 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9) to the Convention on Biological Diversity is held in Bonn, Germany, from 19 to 30 May 2008. Held together with the 4th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, these meetings are the main decision sphere on issues such as the threat on biodiversity posed by agrofuels, GM trees and the use of terminator seeds.    News EU tightens GM food law Source: BBC News A new directive comes into force in the European Union placing tighter restrictions on genetically modified crops, and the sale of food containing GM ingredients. Europe to remain GM-free Source: I-SIS The new Directive, which came into effect on 17 October 2002, requires a full environmental risk assessment before any GM release. GM Fall-out from Mexico to Zambia: the great containment Source: ETC Group One year after the Mexican Government announced that maize in two states was contaminated with GM varieties, neither Mexico nor the international genetic resources community have taken constructive, coherent steps to arrest, fully assess, or ameliorate the contamination. African consumer leaders support Zambia Source: I-SIS African consumer leaders came out in support Zambia’s rejection of GM food after a stormy 3-day conference in Lusaka. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho reports. Poor farmers turning to GM in growing numbers Source: SciDev.net The vast majority of those growing genetically modified (GM) crops are small-scale resource-poor farmers, according to a new study that appears to counterbalance claims that GM technology only benefits large land-owners and food producers. India rejects GM food aid Source: SciDev.net India has rejected a shipment of food aid from the United States because it might contain genetically modified food. GM crops show rapid global growth Source: SciDev.net The amount of land cultivated with genetically modified (GM) crops increased by 12 per cent worldwide during 2002, according to the preliminary findings of a new survey. Philippines: hunger strike against Bt GM corn Source: Choike On 21 May Roberto Verzola and his fellow hunger strikers ended their protest action against the commercial use of Bt Genetically Modified Corn in the Philippines. South African nations get green light on GM Source: SciDev.net A team of African scientists set up by the 14 nations of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to investigate the effects of genetically modified (GM) foods has concluded that they pose no immediate risk to humans and animals. Transgenic fish coming Source: ISIS Joe Cummins The tiny zebra fish that lives in aquariums, a popular laboratory animal, was genetically modified to produce a fluorescent red pigment, and is being promoted for sale as a household aquarium pet, the "glofish". The glofish caused a stir in the United States because regulation of such transgenic pets is murky and none of the major regulatory agencies: FDA, USDA or EPA has been willing to take the lead in regulating the glofish (even though USDA does deal with pet animals). Tomato seed from seed bank found to be genetically modified Source: UC Davis News & Information The University of California, Davis, is recalling about 30 tomato seed samples, distributed during the past seven years to research colleagues in the United States and abroad, after recent tests showed that the seed was not the intended variety, but rather a very similar variety developed through biotechnology. Keeping Europe GM-Free Source: Institute of Science in Society Lim Li Ching The second European Social Forum, held in and around Paris from 12-15 November 2003, brought together some 50 000 from across Europe and beyond to articulate an alternative vision of the world based on international cooperation, human development and social justice. Different initiatives and strategies to maintain the pressure for a GM-free Europe were discussed at a workshop, ‘How to Keep Europe GM-Free?’ Jazzing up Jasmine: atomically modified rice in Asia? Source: ETC Group A nanotech research initiative in Thailand aims to atomically modify the characteristics of local rice varieties — including the country's famous jasmine rice — and to circumvent the controversy over Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Nanobiotech takes agriculture from the battleground of GMOs to the brave new world of Atomically Modified Organisms (AMOs). The first US submission to the WTO dispute panel on GMOs Source: GeneWatch UK On 21st April, United States made its first submission to the World Trade Organization’s dispute panel in its case challenging Europe over its moratorium on commercial GM food and crop approvals which the European Union introduced in 1998. The US claims that Europe’s approach discriminates against them unfairly. The outcome of the case will not only have impacts on Europe, but also on whether other countries can regulate GM crops and foods. GM contamination register Although GM crops were grown on over 80 million hectares in 2004, there is no global monitoring system. Because of this failure of national and international agencies, GeneWatch UK and Greenpeace International have launched this joint initiative to record all incidents of contamination arising from the intentional or accidental release of genetically modified (GM) organisms. It also includes illegal plantings of GM crops and the negative agricultural side-effects that have been reported. Tighter rules on GM crops and foods blocked Source: Third World Network Lim Li Ching and Lim Li Lin The Second Meeting of the Parties (MOP2) to the Cartagena Protocol was held in Montreal on 31 May-3 June. The meeting was supposed to take a final decision on the detailed requirements on how to identify and document shipments of genetically engineered commodities. However, the move was blocked by just two countries that sided with the GM industry - New Zealand and Brazil- provoking the NGOs outrage. Brazil, was once upon a time a member of the like-minded Group of Developing Countries but it seems domestic approval of commercialized plantings of genetically engineered soya, have clearly led it to break ranks with protecting the environment, health and socio-economic interests of developing countries. June 2005. The economics of Bt corn in the Philippines Source: Greenpeace Asia To date, Bt corn has neither proven to be a practical, nor ecologically sustainable option for small Filipino farmers. A new report gives an in-depth look into the economics of Bt corn. June 2005. WTO rules in favour of GM food imports Source: IPS A World Trade Organisation (WTO) decision that called European safety bans on genetically modified food (GM) illegal under its global trade rules could usher in a new phase of potentially hazardous "Frankenfoods" worldwide and further erosion of local protections, say environmental and advocacy groups. American GM rice found in Africa, actions taken across world Source: Third World Network The presence of illegal genetically modified (GM) rice in commercial rice imports from the US has found its way to many countries, the latest being Ghana and Sierra Leone. Tests initiated by Friends of the Earth the environmental group, show contamination in long grain rice with LL RICE 601 believed to have originated from food aid from the US of which Africa is a major recipient. The following report describes the situation and the measures taken across the globe to stem the menace. January 2007.    Books High Tech Harvest - Understanding genetically modified food plants Source: SciDev.net Author Paul F. Lurquin's goal is simply "to inform" without passing opinion, in an attempt to enable those supporting or opposing GM to base their arguments on facts. Genes for Africa: Genetically Modified Crops in the Developing World Source: Nature Says reviewer Jennifer A. Thomson: "This is a gem of a book. It is clear and concise, it makes the complex seem simple without losing the essential truths, and, as far as I can tell, it is accurate, with no innuendo, no half-truth and no wild extrapolation".

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