Disgusted,
John Neal
http://www.corpwatch.org/trac/corner/worldnews/other/374.html
UK: Christian Aid demands a five-year freeze on technology and calls for
block on 'suicide seeds'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By JOHN VIDAL
GUARDIAN (London)
May 10, 1999
Genetically modified food: recent reports, links and background The
introduction of genetically modified crops to the world's poorest
countries could lead to famine instead of feeding more than 800m hungry
people worldwide, says Christian Aid.
In a major report today the charity argues that GM crops are
'irrelevant' to ending world hunger, will concentrate power in too few
hands and will strip small farmers of their independence.
It also condemns 'suicide seeds' that contain a terminator gene which
makes the next generation of seeds sterile, forcing farmers to buy new
seed every year. Currently, 80% of crops in the developing world are
from saved seed. Christian Aid says the consequences of such massive
influence on the world food supply could be one of the most serious
developments in history.
It says: 'GM crops are . . . creating classic preconditions for hunger
and famine. A food supply based on too few varieties of patented crops
are the worst option for food security. More dependence and
marginalisation loom for the poorest.'
The report, which used research in Brazil, India and Ethiopia, is a
major challenge to the life sciences industry, led by a handful of giant
chemical and agri-business firms.
Companies like Monsanto, Novartis and the British corporation Zeneca
argue that GM technology will play a major role in ending hunger. None
was available for comment yesterday.
GM crops of soya, maize, tobacco and cotton are grown widely in the US,
China, Argentina and Canada. But the report says the market will move
south where more than 50 other crops are being tested in more than 30
developing countries.
Predictions by the Rural Advancement Foundation International, a
Canadian agricultural research group, says GM crops will jump from less
than 20m hectares (50m acres) today to more 800m hectares by 2002. More
than 600m hectares will be in poor countries.
The report says the major corporations are moving swiftly into
developing countries. In Brazil, Monsanto has spent more than $1bn in
buying seed companies and plans a $550m factory to produce pesticide
compatible with its GM soya crops.
In India it has big holdings in the country's largest seed company and
invested more than $20m in the country's leading science institution. It
has also paid more than $1bn for the international seed operations of
Cargill, the world's largest private grain sales company.
The big five GM corporations have patents in more than 90 countries on
different versions of terminator technology. The US department of
agriculture has a 5% share in one version of the terminator gene, and
predicts that 'it will be so widely adopted that farmers will only be
able to buy seeds that cannot be re-germinated'. There have been riots
and crop burnings in Brazil and India.
Christian Aid says that large farmers are the only ones to benefit from
GM technology. Indian research showed that land reform and simple
irrigation can boost crops by 50%, against 10% increases from GM crops.
Christian Aid called for a five-year freeze on GM crops and for new
resources to be put into sustainable and organic farming.
FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use
has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Corporate
Watch is making this article available in our efforts to advance
understanding of ecological sustainability, human rights, economic
democracy and social justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a
'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of
the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for
purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------