GMO companies thrive in lack of regulation
In the face of no international standards on GMO produce - and ambivalence about whether pros outweigh cons for GMO agriculture - companies are able to muscle GMO agricultural practices throughout Latin America.
FORO writes,
Sources:
FORO Nacional/Internacional, May 2010, page 4: http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/FORO_May2010.pdf#page=4See: Clive James, 2009 in: http://isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/41/executivesummary/pdf/Brief%2041%20-%20Executive%20Summary%20-%20Spanish.pdf
FAO and the Acquisition for Agri-Biotech Aplications (ISAAA) point out the need to feed 9,200 million people in 2050, this require to double the food production in less than 50 years. See: http://isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/41/executivesummary/pdf/Brief%2041%20-%20Executive%20Summary%20-%20Spanish.pdf
http://transgenicos.ecoportal.net/
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/espana/reports/que-sabes-de-los-transgenicos-2.pdf
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_es.jsp
http://www.cbd.int/doc/legal/cartagena-protocol-es.pdf
Venezuela and Brazil have some regulation about GM. See: http://www.semillas.org.co/sitio.shtml?apc=h1-1--&x=20156447
After the earthquake in Haiti, the Company Montsanto tried to donate 475 tons of GM seeds to Haiti, but Haitian authorities did not accept them. See: http://alainet.org/active/38266.
Transgenic-free zones protect farmers against GMO agricultural practices
FORO Nacional Internacional writes,
"Some civil society networks and environmental organizations are informing citizens about the possible risks and impacts of GM agriculture, and one of the results has been to create transgenic-free zones, where GMOs are not allowed. Genetically Modified Organisms are becoming increasingly prominent in South America, yet they continue to face strong resistance.
Sources:
FORO Nacional/Internacional, May 2010, page 4: http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/FORO_May2010.pdf#page=4Clive James, 2009 in: http://isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/41/executivesummary/pdf/Brief%2041%20-%20Executive%20Summary%20-%20Spanish.pdf
FAO and the Acquisition for Agri-Biotech Aplications (ISAAA) point out the need to feed 9,200 million people in 2050, this require to double the food production in less than 50 years. See: http://isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/41/executivesummary/pdf/Brief%2041%20-%20Executive%20Summary%20-%20Spanish.pdf
http://transgenicos.ecoportal.net/
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/espana/reports/que-sabes-de-los-transgenicos-2.pdf
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_es.jsp and http://www.cbd.int/doc/legal/cartagena-protocol-es.pdf
Venezuela and Brazil have some regulation about GM. See: http://www.semillas.org.co/sitio.shtml?apc=h1-1--&x=20156447
After the earthquake in Haiti, the Company Montsanto tried to donate 475 tons of GM seeds to Haiti, but Haitian authorities did not accept them. See: http://alainet.org/active/38266.
Elites liquidate forest resources at expense of local communities in West Africa
Deforestation in West Africa is happening at an alarming rate, and without the consent of local communities. Okon Akiba writes:
Sources:
Center for Democracy and Development, July 2010 pg. 2:http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/CDD_July2010.pdf#page=2
Science and Technology Parks could make the Middle East a place of innovation, R&D, and foreign interest
The Strategic Foresight Group writes,
"Over the past few years Science and Technology parks have been sprouting up all over the Middle East: from Egypt and Lebanon in the West, to UAE and Qatar in the East.These parks are attempting to invigorate the spirit of innovation in the Middle East and consequently spark intellectual development.
Sources:
The Strategic Foresight Group, Middle-East Edition, July 2010, page 11-12: http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/SFG-ME_July2010.pdf#page=11Al-Shobaky, Waleed. ‘The Rise of Middle East Technology Parks.’ The Conscience of a Bit (Blog). 30 October 2007. <http://en.shobakky.org/uae/>
Al Shamsi, Dr. Maitha. ‘Higher Education and Science & Technology Research in the Arab World.’ Gulf News. 11 January, 2004. <http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/highereducation-and-science-and-technology-research-in-the-arab-world-1.310644>
Shehadi, Ramez & Oknayan, Shant. ‘Technology in GCC? It’s a Walk in the Park.’ The National. 20 September 2009.
<http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090920/BUSINESS/709209970/1053/rss>
Atilla, Mustafa. ‘Science and Technology Parks in Turkey.’ Presentation on Innovation and Competitiveness Practitioners Workshop. April 2004.
Hoodbhoy, Pervez. ‘Science and the Islamic World – The quest for rapprochement.’ 2 August 2007 <http://www.chowk.com/articles/12422>
‘MENA Region by Industrial Sector’. United Nations Industrial Development Organization. <http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=o26781>
In Yemen, replacing Qat with less-harmful agriculture could boost health, sustainable agriculture, and livelihood of poor farmers
A number of initiatives in Yemen have mobilized support against Qat, a shrub used to alleviate hunger but which negatively impacts health and environment, and many farmers are replacing their Qat crops.
The Strategic Foresight Group writes,
"The growing prevalence of Qat farming in Yemen is a cause of grave concern. In recent years, Yemeni farmers have taken the initiative of uprooting Qat and replacing it with other crops. If this trend continues, it will bring social, nutritional and ecological benefits to the people in the coming years.
Sources:
The Strategic Foresight Group, Middle-East Edition, July 2010, page 8-9: http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/SFG-ME_July2010.pdf#page=8‘Yemen in Figures 2008,’ Central Statistical Organization, Yemen. <http://www.csoyemen.
org/publiction/yemen/Yemen%20in%20figures%2020082.doc>
‘Qat Replaced with Beneficial Plants,’ Yemen Observer, 9 May 2010.
<http://www.yobserver.com/front-page/10018648.html>
‘Japan Aid Helps Yemen of Qat’, Yemen Observer, 25th April 2010.
<http://www.yobserver.com/local-news/10018578.html>
‘Liver Problems Seen in Young People with History of Bilharzias Infection’, Yemen Post, 10th
April 2010.
<http://www.yemenpost.net/Detail123456789.aspx?ID=100&SubID=163&MainCat=8>
‘Farmers in Dhamar Uproot Qat and Replace it With Food Crops,’ Yemen Times, 27th February
2010. <http://www.yementimes.com/defaultdet.aspx?SUB_ID=33690>
‘Qat Absorbs More than Yemen’s Depleting Water,’ Yemen Observer, 16th February 2010.
<http://www.yobserver.com/front-page/10018176.html>
‘Qat: The Cursed Plant in Yemen,’ Yemen Times, 18 January 2010.
<http://www.yementimes.com/defaultdet.aspx?SUB_ID=33414>
‘Can Yemen Reduce Qat Expansion,’ Yemen Times, 14th December 2010.
<http://www.yementimes.com/defaultdet.aspx?SUB_ID=33176>
‘Coffee Replacing Qat at Last,’ Yemen Today, 21 November 2009. <http://www.yementoday.
com/go/special_reports/3010.html>
‘Yemen Replaces Qat with Olive Trees,’ Yemen Times, 16th September 2009.
<http://www.yementimes.com/DefaultDET.aspx?i=1286&p=health&a=1>
‘Tackling Yemen’s Qat Epidemic,’
<http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=17730>
‘Qat: The Plague of Yemen,’ Yemen Observer, 26th October 2008.
<http://www.yobserver.com/sports-health-and-lifestyle/10013815.html>
‘WHO warns Yemen of Dangers of Qat Consumption,’ Yemen Observer, 14th October 2008.
<http://www.yobserver.com/sports-health-and-lifestyle/10015022.html>
‘Haraz Trades Qat for Coffee Farming,’ Yemen Times, 12th August 2008.
<http://www.yementimes.com/DefaultDET.aspx?i=1164&p=report&a=1>
Resurrection Plants May Hold the Key to Surviving Climate Change
(The Images show before and after shots of the same plant after 5 hours in water)
Sources:
South Africa Node July 2010, pg. 7http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/SA-Node_July2010.pdf#page=7
Gebisa Ejita’s work:
http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/faculty/2009/091014EjetaPrize.html
Resurrection Plant:
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-06-24-resurrection-plant-could-save-us
image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fraying/5088071911/
Tanzania seeks to build up agricultural sector to create jobs
Tanzania like most developing countries faces the need to drastically reduce the level of unemployment. To do so they have launched an ambitious effort to build their agricultural sector.
Sources:
Society for International Development, July 2010 pg. 8http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/SID_July2010.pdf#page=8
Surface water shortages force farmers to monocrop
Agricultural water shortages in the north-west region of Bangladesh is causing many farmers to monocrop during the monsoon season, contributing to soil degradation and a vicious cycle that squeezes farmers into poverty and could result in depopulation/migration.
The Strategic Foresight Group writes,
Sources:
The Strategic Foresight Group, July 2010, page 6: http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/SFG_July2010.pdf#page=6Mazumdar, Shoumitra. ‘Growers in north frustrated over sterile boro crop’. New Age. 03 April
2010. <http://www.newagebd.com/2010/apr/03/front.html#5>
Ali, Anwar. ‘Water table falling by 2ft a year in Barind area’. The Daily Star. 23 March 2009.
<http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=80877>
Shariful Islam, Sarker. ‘Barind region facing imminent natural disaster’. New Nation. 21 July
2009. <http://www.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/07/21/news0523.htm>
‘Call to declare Barind tract as most vulnerable area’. The Independent. 20 May 2010.
<http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=174239>
‘Water crisis acute in vast Barind tract’ 23 March 2010.
<http://www.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/03/23/all0137.htm>
Asaduzzaman, M. Ringler, Claudia. Thurlow, J. and Alam, S. ‘Investing in Crop Agriculture in
Bangladesh for Higher Growth and Productivity, and Adaptation to Climate Change’. Bangladesh
Food Security Investment Forum. May 2010.
Naya Diganta. 28 March 2010. <http://www.sonarbangladesh.com/newsdetails.php?ID=3348>
(Bangla).
‘Crops are being destroyed due to Drought’. 13 April 2010.
<http://www.sonarbangladesh.com/newsdetails.php?ID=3798> (Bangla)
Amardesh. 20 March 2010. <http://www.amardeshonline.com/pages/details/2010/03/20/23482>
(Bangla)
Thai Rice Farmers Experimenting with Sustainable Agricultural Practices
In the face of global price fluctuations and severe weather, rice farmers in Thailand have begun diversifying their crops and re-using plant material in their agricultural practices.
Sources:
Strategic Foresight Group, Dec 2010, page 18:http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/SFG_Dec2010.pdf#page=18
Kawasaki, Jitana. ‘Thailand’s rice farmers adapt to Climate Change.’ Our World. 24 May, 2010: http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/climate-change-adaptation-for-thailands-rice-farmers/
‘Change in the weather spells trouble for rice farmers.’ Bangkok Post. 7 February, 2010: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/32497/change-in-the-weather-spells-troublefor-rice-farmers
Food self-reliance program in Indonesia focuses on farmer education and empowerment
In East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, a program aimed at food reliance relies heavily on improved production techniques, access, and support groups for community development.
The Strategic Foresight Group writes,
Sources:
Strategic Foresight Group, Dec 2010, page 10http://newsletters.clearsignals.org/SFG_Dec2010.pdf#page=10
Fointuna, Yemris. “NTT aims to free villages from food crisis”. The Jakarta Post. 30 June 2010: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/30/ntt-aims-free-villages-food-crisis.html
Fointuna, Yemris. “Food shortage threatens thousands in NTT”. The Jakarta Post. 10 April 2010: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/04/10/food-shortage-threatens-thousands-ntt.html
Fox, JJ. “From Laboratory to Farmers' Fields: Drought in Nusa Tengara Timor, Indonesia”. The International Society for Agricultural Meteorology. 15 June 2010:
http://www.agrometeorology.org/news/news-highlights/from-laboratory-to-farmers
Subejo. “Food security and diversification”. The Jakarta Post. 24 June 2010:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/24/food-security-and-diversification.html
“Proposal: National Decentralised Support Programme for Food Security (NPFS) (2006-2015 covering Phase I: 2006-2009)”. FAO. 20 September 2005: http://www.fao.org/righttofood/inaction/countrylist/Indonesia/Indonesia_NPFS.pdf
Salim, Z.“Food Security Policies in Maritime Southeast Asia: The Case of Indonesia”. Trade Knowledge Network. 2010: http://www.tradeknowledgenetwork.net/pdf/food_security_policies_indonesia.pdf
