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local plant types. This has already led to disastrous consequences: in Turkey, a seed monopoly by a German company led to the destruction of the sugar crop as local varieties were wiped out by an introduced hybrid unsuited to the conditions; and Indian rice crops were decimated when the cartels sold farmers hybridised short-stem rice that grew poorly, poisoned the irrigation channels and the fish that bred in them, proved useless for thatching and indigenous craft, and could not be re-grown from seed. A million Indian farmers last year took to the streets to object to the awarding of a US patent for the active genes of the neem tee, used for centuries as a freely-available herbal remedy. Indeed, farmers in many countries across Europe as well as in Japan, South Korea and the USA, staged mass protests against the provisions of the GATT treaty, and protests are also being made over the plant-breeders' rights issue. While some conservation and seed-savers' groups started to take up the fight against the multinationals in developed countries-from the mid-1970s, it is only recently that they've added renewed vigour to their campaigns—if already not too late... rate-state alliances: seeds are being genetically engineered to be _local plant types. This has already led to disastrous consequences: resistant to chemicals, rotting, bacteria, and to drought, fire or in Turkey, a seed monopoly by a German company led to the flood. destruction of the sugar crop as local varieties were wiped out by Australian ecoscientist Richard Hindmarsh believes biotechnol- —_an introduced hybrid unsuited to the conditions; and Indian rice ogy and plant breeders’ rights in the hands of a corrupt corporate- crops were decimated when the cartels sold farmers hybridised state monopoly is the recipe for a ‘Brave New World’ of genetic _short-stem rice that grew poorly, poisoned the irrigation channels manipulation, and corporate enclosure of the DNA commons. and the fish that bred in them, proved useless for thatching and He says that the so-called ‘Green Revolution’ of the late _ indigenous craft, and could not be re-grown from seed. 1960s/70s was a ploy not only to make the Third World reliant on A million Indian farmers last year took to the streets to object to agrichemicals and hybridised seed, but to ‘steal’ as many plant _the awarding of a US patent for the active genes of the neem wee, varieties as possible for their patented seed banks. used for centuries as a freely-available herbal remedy. And the new power-push for breeders’ rights and seeds control Indeed, farmers in many countries across Europe as well as in is just another item on the agenda to world domination. The facts Japan, South Korea and the USA, staged mass protests against the bear this out: the Rockefeller Foundation, often linked to the New _ provisions of the GATT treaty, and protests are also being made World Order, provided US$90 million to fund research into mole- _ over the plant-breeders' rights issue. cular biology, the basis of genetic engineering from the 1930s to While some conservation and seed-savers' groups started to take 1959. It helps fund the Philippines-based International Rice up the fight against the multinationals in developed countries-from Research Institute (IRRI), which is still suffering its Green _ the mid-1970s, it is only recently that they've added renewed Revolution failures—as are the farmers. The same Rockefeller vigour to their campaigns—if already not too late... Foundation also collected the seeds of 95 per cent of the Earth's major cereal crops—wheat, barley and com—in the years leading AUSTRALIA—A GENETIC ENGINEERING HOTBED up to the GATT treaty and Plant Breeders’ Rights bills. So while the world's seeds are stored in frozen gene banks, the Australia, as one of the world's major primary producers, has natural varieties in the Third World coun- been at the forefront in the development of tries can be slowly ‘phased out", eayjg.gg§$§ $= §cenctically-engineered seeds. the farmers reliant on expensive, < Last year the government funded biotech- hybridised seed that can't re-grow viable Multinationals have nology to the tune of A$120 million—A$30 seeds, requires large amounts of chemi- . million of which went to the Common- cals and ultimately sends the small farm- acquired 1,000 seed and wealth Scientific and Industrial Research ers broke. plant-breed ing Companies Organisation (CSIRO) which has been con- As Richard Hindmarsh sees it: "It's just * pt centrating on seed genetics and transgenics another tool of DNA Incorporated." since 1 970; in the 1980s for at least 20 years. alone they invested a In Australia as well as overseas, scientists 5 en ole are still debating the safety of releasing stagger ing US$10 billion on genetically-engineered organisms (GEOs): UN Food and Agriculture Organisation company acquisitio ns. bioscientists in the main claim they are safe; statistics estimate that 75 per cent of ecologists and ecoscientists claim they are a genetic diversity in agricultural crops has greater risk than the exotic species, such as been lost this century; the remaining quar- cane toads, etc., that have already caused so ter is now in great jeopardy. much ecological damage in Australia. The British experience provides clear evidence of the effect of Australia was the first country to approve for the market-place a plant variety rights and creation of seeds monopolies; the future © GEO—a recombinant DNA biopesticide called NoGall, to control does not augur well for the world's shrinking biodiversity. crown gall disease. The UK has just approved a rapeseed oil tol- In England, at least 1,500 vegetable varieties disappeared from _erant to chemical giant Hoechst's herbicide Basta, and Europe has the market within a few years of the National List being estab- approved Rhéne-Poulenc's bromoxynil-resistant tobacco. lished. Already, farmers are before the courts for defying patent In March 1994, Qld conservation groups discovered that a rights by growing or re-planting seeds not on the National List of small-scale field test of a genetically-engincered microbe was approved species. being conducted by the Department of Primary Industries in far The high cost of testing procedures and annual registrations north Queensland. The microbe was modified by gene-splicing means individuals cannot afford to register seed varieties: only and is designed to prevent attacks of bacterial wilt on the roots of the multinationals can, and they are simply not interested in retain- potato, tomato and tobacco plants. While conservationists protest- ing plant species they do not have rights to, or cannot control ed against the dangers of such a bacterial release, Australia's through hybridisation or transgenics. Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee said the bug presented Developing countries will be hit hardest by the seeds monopo- _no risk to the environment or public health. lies: with few seed banks and a dearth of government support, Recently, the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry entered into a they are at the mercy of the seeds cartels. joint venture with Groupe Limagrain to produce transgenic plants The tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world are the cradle of __to yield hybrid seed resistant to disease and viruses, for the lucra- plant biodiversity; most major food crops originated from these tive Chinese market. Last year, multinational food consortium regions. In these areas of high biodiversity, plant breeders find the | Coca-Cola-Amatil funded CSIRO field trials into virus-resistant, necessary genes to develop stronger, healthier varieties of staple transgenic potato plants. foods. Scientists estimate that the global market for transgenic biopes- Hybridised, high-yield crops have been forced on the develop- _ticides could exceed US$8 billion a year; developing plants to tol- ing countries by the big corporations to the detriment of hardier _ erate herbicides could be worth US$6 billion; and the entire mar- BIODIVERSITY UNDER THREAT NEXUS°15 AUSTRALIA—A GENETIC ENGINEERING HOTBED BIODIVERSITY UNDER THREAT AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1994