Fwd: [prakruti] GMW: No role for GM in solving poverty and hunger

April 15, 2008

Dear Colleagues,

Very interesting and highly promising information.

Bwst wishes.

Kisan

Mehta

Priya Salvi

Save Bombay Committee and Prakruti

Flat 1203, Kanchanjunga Wing " a " ,

Plt no 20, Sector 11, Koparchairne,

Navi Mumbai 400709

www.savebombaycommittee.org

Kiaan Mehta 00 91 9223448857

Priya Salv 00 91 9324027494

---------- Forwarded message ----------

No role for GM in solving poverty and hunger ---

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EXTRACT: " Dependency on world agricultural commodity prices and

speculation, as well as on seed and toxic agricultural inputs controlled

by a few transnational players is literally a kiss of death for

small-scale and poor farmers. "

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*Urgent changes needed in global farming practices to avoid environmental

destruction*

Greenpeace International, 15 APRIL 2008

*World's leading scientists condemn industrial farming methods and see no

role for GE as a solution to soaring food prices and hunger crisis

fears*

AMSTERDAM, International, 15 April 2008 – Greenpeace welcomed the

publication today of the first assessment of global agriculture as an

historic opportunity to replace destructive chemical-intensive

agriculture with methods that work with nature not against it. The report

says industrial agriculture has failed and, regarding genetically

engineered (GE) crops, found they are no solution for poverty, hunger or

climate change.

Some 60 governments signed the International Assessment of Agricultural

Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)'s final report [1] last

week in Johannesburg, South Africa. The United States, Canada and

Australia were the only governments in attendance not to sign. Despite

being among the stakeholders who selected the report's authors, they

accuse the assessment of being 'unbalanced' and are attacking the

authors' independence [2].

" This report proves we can produce more and better food without

destroying rural livelihoods and our natural resources. Modern farming

solutions champion biodiversity, are labour intensive and work with

nature, not against it, " says Benny Härlin from Greenpeace

International, who was on the IAASTD's governing body. " This report

is a call for governments and international agencies to redirect and

increase their funding towards a revolution in agriculture that is firmly

agro-ecological. "

The IAASTD report calls for a fundamental change in farming practices,in

order to address soaring food prices, hunger, social inequities and

environmental disasters. It acknowledges that genetically engineered

crops are highly controversial and will not play a substantial role in

addressing the key problems of climate change, biodiversity loss, hunger

and poverty.

It recommends small-scale farmers and agro-ecological methods are the way

forward if the current food crisis is to be solved and to meet the needs

of local communities, declaring indigenous and local knowledge play as

important a role as formal science. A significant departure from the

destructive chemical-dependent, one-size-fits-all model of industrial

agriculture.

" Dependency on world agricultural commodity prices and speculation,

as well as on seed and toxic agricultural inputs controlled by a few

transnational players is literally a kiss of death for small-scale and

poor farmers, " warns Haerlin.

*Notes to editors:*

1. The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology

for Development (IAASTD) is a unique collaboration initiated by the World

Bank in partnership with a multi-stakeholder group of organisations,

including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, United

Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environmental Programme,

the World Health Organisation and

representatives of governments, civil society, private sector and

scientific institutions from around the world. For Greenpeace, Benny

Härlin participated since 2003 in the Bureau that governs the

project.

The IAASTD's key objective is to provide information for decision makers

on how to structure agricultural research and development so it can help

to reduce hunger and poverty, improve rural livelihood and foster

sustainable development. The key final documents are the Global Summary

for Decision Makers, and the Executive Summary of the Synthesis Report.

They were negotiated line by line by governments in Johannesburg. More

information on

www.agassessment-watch.org

<http://www.agassessment-watch.org/>

2. The report was compiled by over 400 of the world's leading agricultural scientists, selected by all participating governments, companies and NGOs. It is the most comprehensive account of agricultural knowledge, science and technology. It provides guidance for governments, UN agencies and funders for their future priority setting in agriculture and development. The next step is for government and agencies to adjust their funding, research and development programmes accordingly.

*Contacts: *

Beth Herzfeld, Greenpeace International Media Officer, Tel: +44 (0)7717802 891

Benny Härlin, Greenpeace International, Tel: +49 173 999 7 555

Jan van Aken, Greenpeace International Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner

Tel: +49 151 1805 3415/

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Kraig and Shirley Carroll ... in the woods of SE Kentucky