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GM CROPS IN AFRICA team of scientists, economists and business leaders, Africa has seen a major increase in food production _ including from the biotech industry, and Kofi Annan is in recent decades, but 265 million sub-Saharan the Chair of its Board. AGRA is prising open the Africans still go hungry.’ This food crisis is being African continent to GM seeds and pesticides sold by used to justify opening up Africa as the new test-bed corporations such as Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta. for GMOs: GM technology proponents argue that the —_In contrast to the approach by the Gates Foundation technology can combat hunger, poverty and climate and AGRA, a major study by UNCTAD and UNEP that change. Yet, many Africans continue to eschew examined organic agricultural practices throughout expensive, dangerous GM crop cultivation that can Africa concluded that these could reduce poverty and increase indebtedness and does nothing to withstand increase yields and incomes while protecting the erratic weather conditions, as Friends of the Earth — environment.’ nternational has documented.'” African farmers and environmentalists have This reluctance is being met by corporate-backed challenged the Gates Foundation and AGRA's pro-GM initiatives promoted by the Gates Foundation _ initiatives that disregard the structural causes of and the Alliance for a Green hunger and poverty and instead Revolution in Africa (AGRA). These promote policies that undermine initiatives pose grave threats to traditional knowledge and farming raditional, sustainable farming systems. '“! practices that could feed the . continent and significantly reduce African GM IN ASIA evels of poverty. Bt Brinjal Battle: Moratorium farmer $ and Triumph in India Gates Foundation Buys into environmentalists Brinjal (also known as aubergine or Monsanto eggplant) is the second-most- The Bill & Melinda Gates have challenged consumed vegetable crop in India, Foundation, founded in 1994, exerts the Gates providing livelihoods for small-scale a major influence on global . farmers and food and nutrition to agricultural policy. It manages total Foundation and impoverished rural and urban Fance, the Foundation's fg AORA'S initiatives a ieee partner company of projects.” The Gates that disregard the Monsanto in India,'* developed rhew techniques to help farmers structural causes brinjal (the gene having been in developing countries grow of hunger and developed by Monsanto), which was approved by the lead regulatory body on GMOs in India, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC),'” in October 2009.'% more food and earn more money", while openly supporting genetic engineering projects in Africa and other developing countries.'"“ Nearly 80 per cent of Gates Foundation funding in On 9 February 2010, after a Kenya involves biotechnology, month-long public consultation and there have been grants of with various segments of society over $100 million to organisations connected to including scientists concerned about Bt brinjal's Monsanto.'” impact on human health, the environment and The revolving door between the Foundation and _ traditional Indian varieties of eggplant, this approva Monsanto was flung wide open when the Foundation —_was overturned by the Minister for Environment and bought USS23 million worth of Monsanto shares in Forests, Jairam Ramesh. An indefinite moratorium was August 2010.'% Farmers, social movements and civil implemented. He said that the moratorium will las society organisations reacted with outrage. La Via until such time as independent studies establish the poverty... Campesina,'”’ the global peasant movement, has long-term safety of Bt brinjal from human health and condemned this acquisition of Monsanto shares. environmental standpoints, and that the approach is “responsible to science and responsive to society".'"'* AGRA's Unwelcome Green Revolution On the other hand, the industry and many GM Along with the Rockefeller Foundation, the Gates scientists are trying very hard to get Bt brinjal released Foundation is supporting the implementation of the | commercially. controversial Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa A report about GMOs commissioned by the Minister to the tune of US$265 million.'” AGRA consists of a from leading science academies in the country African farmers and the Gates on that disregard the structural causes poverty... AGRA's Unwelcome Green Revolution Along with the Rockefeller Foundation, the Gates Foundation is supporting the implementation of the controversial Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa to the tune of US$265 million.'” AGRA consists of a APRIL - MAY 2011 NEXUS « 25 environmentalists have challenged Foundation and AGRA's initiatives of hunger and www.nexusmagazine.com