Scaremongering around food security is driving the GM push in India and the rest of the world - but it's a nonsense.
While there is too much hunger in the world, it's caused by poverty and lack of access to food and the land on which to grow it - not by a lack of production and, emphatically, not by a lack of GM crops.
1. Promotion of GM crops a trap, say social groups
2. Is agroecology natural? Is natural good?
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1. Promotion of GM crops a trap, say social groups
Chander Suta Dogra
The Hindu, 16 February 2014
Prominent social groups working on organic farming in Punjab have reacted strongly to promotion of genetically modified (GM) crops by agri major Mahyco and scientists of the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), describing it as a "trap" by agri business corporations.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, the Kheti Virasat Mission (KVM), Environmental Health Action Group, Indian Doctors for Peace and Development, Bharat Jan-Vigyan Jatha and others said GM crops are unsustainable in the long run and their introduction bodes ill for the future of Indian agriculture.
Umendra Dutt of KVM said it is unfortunate that instead of promoting biodiversity, the NBPGR is promoting GM crop monocultures with corporations such as Mahyco which are facing criminal charges of bio piracy in the country.
Questioning the mandate of NBPGR in promoting GM crops, Mr. Dutt said the Bureau is supposed to be a repository of germ plasm and plant genetic diversity. “Using of taxpayers’ funds to unscientifically promote GMOs at the behest of the Agriculture Minister will not hoodwink the nation, when scientific evidence is emerging on the adverse effects of GMOs,” he added.
The groups protested “the scare-mongering by the so-called scientists around food security” at a time the Agriculture Minister has announced that India is expecting record food production this year.
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2. Is agroecology natural? Is natural good?
Colin Tudge
Campaign for Real Farming, 15 Feb 2014
http://www.campaignforrealfarming.org/2014/02/is-agroecology-natural-is-natural-good/
[Excerpt only]
The recent claims of government and industry (with eager support from sections of academe) that we need to produce 50% more food by 2050 just to keep up with rising population and demand is pure hype; and the modern drive to maximize overall productivity at all costs is very destructive in many different ways — at best misguided and at worst frankly corrupt. The world already produces enough macronutrient (protein and food energy) to sustain 14 billion people which is twice the present population; and since the UN tells us that numbers are on course to level out at around 9.5 billion, we already produce 50% more than we will ever need.