No to GM wheat! Global alliance seeks UN intervention against GM Wheat HB4 cultivation by Several groups | 30 Jan 2024 Seeds Food sovereignty alliance from Latin America, Africa, and Asia approach seven UN Special Rapporteurs for urgent intervention to block cultivation and trade of GM wheat HB4 Food sovereignty alliance from Latin America, Africa, and Asia approach seven UN Special Rapporteurs for urgent intervention to block cultivation and trade of GM wheat HB4
Bolivia: yet another testing ground for GMOs? by GRAIN | 14 Dec 2023 Seeds The climate crisis is both a consequence and a cause of the expansion of agriculture and deforestation. Promoting more GM crops such as HB4 wheat in Bolivia as a response to drought is like trying to extinguish a blaze by adding fuel to the fire. The climate crisis is both a consequence and a cause of the expansion of agriculture and deforestation. Promoting more GM crops such as HB4 wheat in Bolivia as a response to drought is like trying to extinguish a blaze by adding fuel to the fire.
A call for civil disobedience against the privatisation of peasant seeds by Several groups | 11 Dec 2023 Seeds We are determined to resist the dispossession of seeds from the hands of the people. We vigorously oppose registration, certification, patenting and marketing schemes, treaties, conventions, national and international laws and legal frameworks such as UPOV and other seed laws that promote the dispossession of the common goods and knowledge of our peoples. We are determined to resist the dispossession of seeds from the hands of the people. We vigorously oppose registration, certification, patenting and marketing schemes, treaties, conventions, national and international laws and legal frameworks such as UPOV and other seed laws that promote the dispossession of the common goods and knowledge of our peoples.
Transgenic rice once again proposed as solution to bacterial blight outbreaks, this time in Africa by GRAIN | 6 Sep 2023 Seeds Scientists from an international rice initiative claim the patented transgenic varieties they have developed are the solution to an outbreak of bacterial blight in rice fields in East Africa. A similar argument was used 20 years ago to try and introduce a transgenic variety of rice in Asia. Scientists from an international rice initiative claim the patented transgenic varieties they have developed are the solution to an outbreak of bacterial blight in rice fields in East Africa. A similar argument was used 20 years ago to try and introduce a transgenic variety of rice in Asia.
Rest in peace, Dr Melaku! by GRAIN | 1 Aug 2023 Seeds A few words from GRAIN in honour of Dr Melaku Worede A few words from GRAIN in honour of Dr Melaku Worede
What future for seeds under the African Free Trade Area? by Mohamed Coulibaly & GRAIN | 20 Jul 2023 Seeds The African Free Trade Agreement requires the protection of intellectual property rights on seeds. Given that half of African countries are already aligned with the UPOV model, which serves industrial agriculture, the agreement will boost this trend. The African Free Trade Agreement requires the protection of intellectual property rights on seeds. Given that half of African countries are already aligned with the UPOV model, which serves industrial agriculture, the agreement will boost this trend.
The corn conflict between Mexico and the USA: smoke and mirrors by GRAIN | 18 Jul 2023 Seeds A months-old conflict is pitting Mexico against the USA over the acceptance or rejection of biotech imports. Mexico wants to ban GM corn imports for direct human consumption. The USA is threatening sanctions. A months-old conflict is pitting Mexico against the USA over the acceptance or rejection of biotech imports. Mexico wants to ban GM corn imports for direct human consumption. The USA is threatening sanctions.
Why Benin should not join UPOV by Collective | 20 Jun 2023 Seeds | Media releases Social movements call on Benin to reconsider membership in UPOV, urging protection of local seed systems and food sovereignty. Social movements call on Benin to reconsider membership in UPOV, urging protection of local seed systems and food sovereignty.
GM mustard in India: Thousands of years of cultural heritage under threat by GRAIN | 1 Feb 2023 Seeds For Indians, mustard is not just an oilseed but it's part of Indian cuisine and Indian traditional medicine. The commercial release of DMH-11 doesn’t just threaten India’s mustard genetic diversity, it would also open the door to several other GM plants and crops currently under development by the public and private sectors. For Indians, mustard is not just an oilseed but it's part of Indian cuisine and Indian traditional medicine. The commercial release of DMH-11 doesn’t just threaten India’s mustard genetic diversity, it would also open the door to several other GM plants and crops currently under development by the public and private sectors.
Who profits under UPOV? by GRAIN | 28 Nov 2022 Seeds | Multimedia As UPOV has expanded, the global seed market has been taken over by a cartel of agrochemical companies. Today, just four of these companies control half of the US$47 billion seed market. They also control 75% of the global agrochemicals market. This is not a coincidence. As UPOV has expanded, the global seed market has been taken over by a cartel of agrochemical companies. Today, just four of these companies control half of the US$47 billion seed market. They also control 75% of the global agrochemicals market. This is not a coincidence.
Golden Rice and the push for GMOs won’t solve food crisis, it will make it worse by Stop Golden Rice Network | 8 Aug 2022 Seeds The commercialisation of Golden Rice and the promotion and de-regulation of GMOs, including gene-edited crops, during a period of intense food crisis threatens to exacerbate inequality and contribute further to the loss of people’s food sovereignty – one of the main reasons why hundreds of millions remain food insecure today The commercialisation of Golden Rice and the promotion and de-regulation of GMOs, including gene-edited crops, during a period of intense food crisis threatens to exacerbate inequality and contribute further to the loss of people’s food sovereignty – one of the main reasons why hundreds of millions remain food insecure today
GMOs in Asia : What’s happening and who’s fighting back? by GRAIN | 13 Jul 2022 Seeds Given society’s desperate need for solutions, the corporate sector hopes their GMOs can gain public support and easily dodge biosafety regulations. In Asia, where the promotion of GM plants and foods is being pushed forcefully not only by agribusiness, but also by publicly-funded institutions, this is resulting in the persistent change of laws, regulations and standards governing GMOs. Given society’s desperate need for solutions, the corporate sector hopes their GMOs can gain public support and easily dodge biosafety regulations. In Asia, where the promotion of GM plants and foods is being pushed forcefully not only by agribusiness, but also by publicly-funded institutions, this is resulting in the persistent change of laws, regulations and standards governing GMOs.
It’s Africa vs African Union by GRAIN | 19 May 2022 Seeds Under a cloud of secrecy and haste, guidelines are set at AU to promote agrarian extractivism at the expense of food and seed sovereignty of an entire continent. They also situate farmers’ rights and farmer managed seed systems within a corporate seed environment and agenda. Processes like these at the AU provide a basis and affect other guidelines and seed regulatory frameworks at the continental and national processes. Under a cloud of secrecy and haste, guidelines are set at AU to promote agrarian extractivism at the expense of food and seed sovereignty of an entire continent. They also situate farmers’ rights and farmer managed seed systems within a corporate seed environment and agenda. Processes like these at the AU provide a basis and affect other guidelines and seed regulatory frameworks at the continental and national processes.
Hands off our buffel grass! Kenyan herders resist the privatisation of their biodiversity by GRAIN & Seed Savers Network - Kenya | 27 Apr 2022 Seeds Buffel grass is essential to Kenya’s pastoralists. It can be used as fodder, thatching & more. But an individual’s patent risks taking it away from communities, highlighting why the privatisation of biodiversity must be fiercely resisted on the continent. Buffel grass is essential to Kenya’s pastoralists. It can be used as fodder, thatching & more. But an individual’s patent risks taking it away from communities, highlighting why the privatisation of biodiversity must be fiercely resisted on the continent.
Trade deals pushing UPOV: an interactive map by Stop UPOV global alliance | 1 Dec 2021 Seeds | Multimedia A new map based on GRAIN’s dataset of signed FTAs in the past 20 years can help visualise which countries use free trade deals to push corporate control over seeds and which countries are under attack from these trade deals. A new map based on GRAIN’s dataset of signed FTAs in the past 20 years can help visualise which countries use free trade deals to push corporate control over seeds and which countries are under attack from these trade deals.