TUES Jan 15, 2019 6:30 – 8:30PM
You are Invited to a Food Justice Project Discussion!
What are Gene Drives?
Controversy erupted on the international stage at the recent UN Meetings on Biological Diversity, where civil society groups including CAGJ called for a global moratorium on any release of engineered gene drives, citing the need to apply the precautionary principle. But what are gene drives, and how could they affect our food and farming systems? And what is their connection to GE mosquitoes, soon to be released in Burkina Faso?
We will gather to lo try to answer these questions together with members of CAGJ’s AGRA Watch program. Participants are encouraged to read the following pieces to have some background, but all are welcome, regardless of your knowledge of this topic!
- A Human Rights Analysis of Gene Drives – FIAN International November 2018 download PDF
- A Call to Protect Food Systems from Genetic Extinction Technology: The Global Food Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives October 16 2018 download PDF
- For the first time, researchers will release genetically engineered mosquitoes in Africa – Ike Swetlitz, Business Insider UK Sep. 11, 2018
If you wish to delve deeper into the topic, please see resources below.
DETAILS
LOCATION: 412 Maynard Ave S – Homestead Community Land Trust graciously allows us use of their office.
POTLUCK: Please bring food or drink to share, if you are able.
RSVPs appreciated! Email us – [email protected]
See you soon!
Kelly & Alanna, Food Justice Project Co-Chairs
Resources: Gene Drive Technology
Statements:
- The biotech industry is trying to block the UN Conference on Biodiversity, but it won’t block farmers – La Via Campesina 5 December 2018
Press Releases:
- Release of risky GM mosquitoes in Burkina Faso highly unethical – African Centre for Biodiversity, Third World Network and GeneWatch UK Johannesburg, 9 November 2018
- United Nations Hits the Brakes on Gene Drives – ETC Group 29 November 2018
- Over 200 Global Food Movement Leaders and Organizations Reject “Gene Drives”: New Report exposes how a controversial genetic forcing technology is targeting the farm – ETC Group 16 October 2018
Articles:
- From Terminator to Exterminator: 20 years after suicide seeds, civil society mobilizes in Egypt this week to stop the sequel – Gene Drive Organisms – ETC Group 15 November 2018
Reports:
- The Future of our Daily Bread: Regeneration or Collapse – Navdanya International [download PDF]
- GM Mosquitos in Burkina Faso: A briefing for the Parties to the Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety – African Centre for Biodiversity, Third World Network and GeneWatch UK 9 November 2018 [download PDF]
- Forcing the Farm: How Gene Drive Organisms Could Entrench Industrial Agriculture and Threaten Food Sovereignty – ETC Group October 2018 [download PDF]
- Gene-editing Organisms in Agriculture: Risks and Unexpected Consequences – Friends of the Earth 12 September 2018 [link is to press release; download PDF, download Executive Summary]
Videos:
- Gene Editing, Gene Drives, and CRISPR: Risk Bites Guide to the Essentials – Risk Bites 30 November 2018