Study 3: Ecodestruction and the Right to Food: The Cases of Water ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Starving the Future Study 3 traces of starlink generates strong concerns within the local population and indigenous communities. Starlink is a genetically manipulated maize produced by Aventis corporation and outlawed in the US and Europe because of risks for human health. Nevertheless, traces have been discovered in US food aid. This is scandalous both because GMOs are forbidden in Bolivia and because this very sort of maize is known to carry risks for human health. 51 Recently, Greenpeace revealed the presence of Monsanto’s genetically engineered variety of Roundup Ready GA21 in maize from Argentina that has been imported to Switzerland. The maize variety has not been approved for human consumption in Europe. Moreover, Argentina has not agreed to grow this crop for consumption and commercial purposes which means that illegal planting of GMOs in Argentina is most probably taking place. 52 Finally, the spreading of transgenetic plants over the world already affects biodiversity especially in the South. The following case from Mexico could just be the tip of the iceberg. Mexico: GMO contamination in the birthplace of maize In October 2001, FIAN was contacted by local indigenous communities and asked to intervene on behalf of small peasants and indigenous communities in Mexico against genetic contamination of their traditional maize varieties. The local organizations saw a direct link between the contamination by genetically engineered maize and the right to food of the 3.5 million Mexican peasants producing maize and the 100 million Mexicans consuming it. Indeed, the Mexican population in its great majority depend on maize as their staple food. Consumed in various forms, maize provides them with 70% of proteins and 75% of calories. The Mexican Ministry of the Environment had reported an alarming contamination of indigenous maize varieties by genetically manipulated maize. These finding were later on confirmed by two Berkeley scientists, Dr. Ignacio Chapela and David Quist, in an article published in the British scientific magazine Nature in September 2001 after the usual procedure of peer reviews. Pressured by a fierce campaign of rival scientists Nature had to officially withdraw this article – something unheard of so far for this prestigious magazine. The findings indicate that the contamination rate has reached high levels (such as 35 percent) in some indigenous areas of the Sierras de Oaxaca and Puebla. This is all the more worrying for biodiversity, as Mexico and especially the Sierras are the Wawilow Centre of genetic heritage for maize. The director of the related gene bank in Mexico and the CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre) assumes that contamination can affect the gene bank as well. The genetic material which contaminated the Mexican peasants’ crops comes from patented maize probably from US aid or imports. The peasants – unaware of what kind of maize they dealt with – applied the maize as seeds to their fields. The peasants’ ability to produce, to access and control foodproducing resources is now at stake, as – strictly speaking - the indigenous peasants and small farmers are now hooked on seeds they believed to be freely at their disposal – but which they might have to pay for in future. Food aid and imports as the Troyan horses of agribusiness? At least equally important is the implied a loss of biodiversity and genetic variety in this cradle of maize. The destruction of the genetic variety of maize in its Wawilow centre could have severe consequences for future breeders’ options to confront pests and diseases attacking the standardized maize varieties – and hence for the food security of Mexico and countries depending on maize as their staple food. It is high time to stop these new attacks on biodiversity before more irreparable damage is done. References • (1998), Shand, Hope and Mooney, Pat : "Terminator Seeds", Threatening an End to Farming, In Earth Island Journal, Fall 1998, Earth Island Institute www.earthisland.org/eijournal/fall98/fe_fall98terminator.html • (1998), Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) : "World´s Largest International Agricultural Research Network Vows not to use Terminator Technology", News Release, 23 rd October 1998 FIAN International 138 June 2002
Starving the Future Study 3 www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/biotech1.html • (1999), Tuxill, John : "Plant Losses threaten Future Food Supplies and Health Care", News Release, World Watch Institute www.worldwatch.org/alerts/990916.html • See RAFI´s reports and database on www.rafi.org • (1999), Altieri, Miguel and Rosset, Peter : Ten reasons why biotechnology will not ensure food security, protect the environment and reduce poverty in the developing world, In Sierra Magazine, October 1999 or at Foodfirst Institute : www.foodfirst.org/progs/global/biotech/altieri-11-99.html FIAN International 139 June 2002
Page 1 and 2: Starving the Future Study 3 Study 3
Page 3 and 4: Starving the Future Study 3 The rig
Page 5 and 6: Starving the Future Study 3 II. Res
Page 7 and 8: Starving the Future Study 3 water i
Page 9 and 10: Starving the Future Study 3 their w
Page 11 and 12: Starving the Future Study 3 grand s
Page 13 and 14: Starving the Future Study 3 Of part
Page 15 and 16: Starving the Future Study 3 • Bio
Page 17 and 18: Starving the Future Study 3 iii. Op
Page 19 and 20: Starving the Future Study 3 In orde
Page 21 and 22: Starving the Future Study 3 If all
Page 23 and 24: Starving the Future Study 3 B. Viol
Page 25 and 26: Starving the Future Study 3 In the
Page 27 and 28: Starving the Future Study 3 Four ye
Page 29 and 30: Starving the Future Study 3 agreeme
Page 31 and 32: Starving the Future Study 3 VI. Vio
Page 33 and 34: Starving the Future Study 3 under i
Page 35 and 36: Starving the Future Study 3 or they
Page 37 and 38: Starving the Future Study 3 that bi
Page 39: Starving the Future Study 3 enjoyme
Page 43 and 44: Starving the Future Study 3 Within

Study 3: Ecodestruction and the Right to Food: The Cases of Water ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?