NEWS FROM INDIA
1.Plan panel says no to GM food crops
2.Vandana Shive, Jeffrey Smith and Wafaa' Al-Natheema presentations online
3.Monsanto India seeks approval to sell genetically modified corn

NOTE: Re item 3, the introduction of GM herbicide-resistant crops into India, as the article notes, poses a serious threat to the employment and livelihood opportunities of poor and marginal farmers and landless labourers, who would otherwise gain valuable work from weed control, quite apart from potential adverse impacts on biodiversity and the environment.

Re: item 1, the Planning Commission is a Government of India body which formulates India's Five-Year Plans. Note the bogus claim at the end of item 1 about the supposed benefits of Bt cotton on India's cotton production. As a recent article by Kavitha Kuruganti in India's Economic and Political Weekly points out, the scientific evidence actually indicates that "genetic engineering has been at best neutral with respect to yield and in many cotton growing countries the average cotton yields have stagnated since the adoption of Bt cotton." 

In fact, factors quite unrelated to Bt cotton - like good monsoons, low pest incidence, a large-scale shift in seed sources, the increased use of chemical fertilisers, and a shift from unirrigated to irrigated cotton - are the real contributors to cotton yield increases in some years in some states in India. (Bt Cotton and the Myth of Enhanced Yields) 
http://epw.in/epw/user/viewAbstract.jsp
View Full Article 
http://epw.in/epw/uploads/articles/13563.pdf
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1.Plan panel says no to GM food crops
Mahendra Kumar Singh
Times of India, 14 Jun 2009
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-4653953,prtpage-1.cms

NEW DELHI: After facing stiff opposition from environment ministry, the proposal to introduce genetically modified (GM) food in India has run into trouble with Planning Commission as well. In the first public positioning by the government, the highest planning body has shown the red light to GM technology in food crops. 

However, the plan panel has fewer objections on introduction of GM technology in non-edible agro products like cotton. While food safety concerns remain, Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen said India's crop exports could be severely hit if it allowed GM food crops. He pointed out that several European and other nations preferred to buy food items from India because it was still known as "GM-free". 

"There is bound to be much greater opposition to GM foods. In case of soyabean, we earn more money through exports as the West relies on us for not using GM technology," Sen, an agricultural economist, said. The promoters of this technology are keen to start cultivation of GM varieties of tomato, potato and green vegetables including brinjal, he added. 

Environment minister Jairam Ramesh had earlier expressed reservations about allowing BT brinjal and other GM foods, many of which are in the trial stage in the country. On lesser objection to use of GM technology in non-edible agro products, Sen said use of this technology has reportedly been successful in enhancing the produce. 

Introduction of BT cotton has made India the second largest producer of cotton in the world within six years. India is one of the six leading countries that are conducting field trials of GM crops.
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2.Vandana Shive, Jeffrey Smith and Wafaa' Al-Natheema presentations online

In February 2009, Navdanya, a non-profit organization in New Delhi offered a 3-day
course on organic seeds, patent seeds and biopiracy. The course was held between
February 1st and 3rd. 

On February 1st., Dr. Vandana Shiva introduced the course with an interesting
presentation, which we've filmed. Footage available for those interested in
obtaining it.

On February 2nd, Wafaa' Al-Natheema gave an informal presentation on IRAQ's Order 81 and agriculture. The small gathering included attendees from India, Europe,
Australia and the USA including Jeffrey Smith. During the Q/A period, Jeffrey Smith made a comment about terminator seeds and the book by William Engdahl, "Seeds of Destruction". An audio recording of this presentation with Smith's comment can be obtained from our Institute.

On February 3rd, Dr. Vandana Shiva and Jeffrey Smith presented jointly on GM food, BT Cotton, organic seeds and Monsanto. You can view it in the following links: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIzVlG0qIn0&feature=channel_page (Jeffrey Smith)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTO1I96kiHA&feature=channel_page (V. Shiva in Hindi) 
This is the only presentation available on youtube in Hindi language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oju86YIOOLI&feature=channel_page (V. Shiva in English)

On February 4th, India International Center and Navdanya held a panel discussion on the risks of GMO foods and crops and Iraq's Order 81. 
Dr. Vandana Shiva, Jeffrey Smith and Wafaa' Al-Natheema spoke 
at this event. The panel can be viewed in the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E17Ha0eSpR4&feature=channel_page (Dr. Shiva - P1) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU-wlRXPKP0&feature=channel_page (Dr. Shiva - P2) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_J_shtLjm0&feature=channel_page (J. Smith - P3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk5RPnqG88Q&feature=channel_page (J. Smith - P4) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19A_mc5OHiQ&feature=channel_page (W. Al-Natheema P5 - available in audio with related images) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGPe1QLFVnE&feature=channel_page (W. Al-Natheema P6 - available in audio with related images)

We strongly recommend that you view all the presentations because they provide
extensive information on patent seeds, genetically modified food, Monsanto and other agri-giants as well as Iraq's Order 81 and agriculture pre and post occupation
(since 2003).

This message is coming your way from the
Institute of Near Eastern & African Studies (INEAS)
P.O. Box 425125
Cambridge, MA. 02142 USA
Website: http://www.INEAS.org
http://www.youtube.com/user/INEAS 

"Fear not the path of truth for the lack of people walking on it" - Imam Ali bin Abi Talib

"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act" - George Orwell
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3.Monsanto India seeks approval to sell genetically modified corn
WSJ and LiveMint, 16 June 2009
http://www.livemint.com/2009/06/15224315/Monsanto-India-seeks-approval.html

Mumbai: Seed producer Monsanto India Ltd has sought regulatory approval in India to sell its genetically modified (GM) corn that is tolerant to herbicides and provides protection from pests.

“We have started the regulatory process for approval of this new GM crop in the Indian market,” said Harvey G. Glick, senior director, scientific affairs, Asia, Monsanto Singapore Co. (Pte) Ltd.

The GM corn, currently undergoing field trials in the country, would be the second such product, after Bt cotton, to be marketed by the Indian arm of US-based Monsanto Co.

Monsanto India managing director Amitabh Jaipuria said the firm has received approval from India’s Genetic Engineering Approval Committee to conduct field trials to evaluate the bio-safety of the genetically modified product against target insects and weeds. “The field trials are being conducted by state agriculture universities across India,” he said in an email.

GM corn is cultivated in 16 countries and has been approved by at least another 10 nations, the company said.

Monsanto is focusing on development and launch of new vegetable seed varieties in the Asian markets, especially India and China, Glick said. 

Monsanto India, which launched its genetically modified cotton in the domestic market in 2002 in the face of protests from environmentalists, also sells hybrid corn, fruit and vegetables, and several other agrochemical products in the country.

The US parent - which also operates a wholly owned subsidiary in India called Monsanto Holdings Pvt. Ltd - markets Bt cotton through a joint venture company, Mahyco-Monsanto Biotech Ltd. The GM corn will provide an 8-10% increase in yields, Glick claimed. 

Crops tolerant to weed killers are common in developed countries where weed control strategies typically rely on herbicides, which can sometimes be toxic for the targeted crop as well with excessive use. 

A 2006 report, authored by agricultural scientists S.R. Bhat and V.L. Chopra in Current Science magazine, says resistance to herbicides is an important trait of GM crops.

“While the proponents advocate that the new technology is scale neutral and its benefits should be made available to Indian farmers, the other section firmly believes that such crops are not suitable to our conditions and pose serious threat to the employment and livelihood opportunities of the poor and marginal farmers and labourers, and adversely impact environment, ecology and biodiversity,” the report adds.