By Johanna Lundahl, AGRA Watch Intern and Blogger On July 29th, while the nation was digesting Hillary Clinton’s acceptance of the democratic nomination for President, President Obama quietly signed S.764, the first national GMO labeling bill, into law. The bill was signed with no fanfare and little National press. Seemingly the answer to anti-GMO activists’ […]
Author Archive: Editor
Soil Fertility: Agro-Ecology and NOT the Green Revolution for Africa
The African Center for Biodiversity has released a new report about the effects of the Green Revolution. Unmistakably, interventions pushing for high tech solutions such as genetically modified seeds, increased pesticide use and increased use of synthetic fertilizers in Africa for enhancing soil fertility is a short term fix, and actually harmful in the long term.
Cover Crops: A Simple Solution to Degrading Soil Quality
Photo Credit: Food First Roland Bunch, a researcher and activist for Food First, published a report focused on fact that in Sub-Saharan Africa smallholder farmer’s lands have gotten smaller on average due to population increase and growing amounts of wasteland. This decrease in the size of farms has resulted in the decline of the practice […]
Smallholder support at the Crossroads: Diminishing returns from Green Revolution Seed and Fertilizer Subsidies and the Agro-Ecological Alternative
On April 30, 2016, The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) released a report on the the impacts of the Green Revolution on small-scale farming and related socio-ecological contexts. The research is part of a three year multi-country initiative that engages farmers, farmer associations, farmer support organizations, extension workers, scientists, donors, and government officials. Following initial […]
Taking A Stand for Small Farmers: Agroecology Learning Exchange
The Agroecology Fund and the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) hosted a learning exchange summit from May 10-13, 2016. Farmers and farmer advocates convened in Masaka, Uganda, with the collective vision to “amplify agroecology solutions.” Attendees documented the summit using the hashtag #AgroecologyVoices. The Agroecology Fund is a multi-donor fund committed to supporting […]
EU Parliament Agrees With a Report that’s Highly Critical of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition
March 2014, World Development Movement(WDM) campaigners(above, below) dressed as business people from Monsanto, Diageo, SABMiller and Unilever delivered a cake to the Department For International Development to “thank” the UK government for its support in allowing them to carve up Africa. In early June the EU Parliament voted to accept a report put out […]
Bill Gates on the “Best Practices” for the Developing World
Pushing Pro-Agribusiness Policy Change by Funding a Pro-Business Ratings System The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation(BMGF) is a major donor to a World Bank affiliate known as Enabling the Business of Agriculture (EBA), a group that rates 40 developing countries on their policies that affect agriculture and agribusiness markets. The Oakland Institute, a partner of […]
Pro-GMO Propaganda Campaign Attacks Greenpeace Over “Golden Rice”
The latest update in an ongoing pro-GMO campaign uses Nobel laureates to claim that Greenpeace is blocking the introduction of genetically modified Golden Rice into the market, while ignoring that globally, groups have criticized the legitimacy and effectiveness of this product. Respected commentators, Claire Robinson and Jonathan Latham, expose the Golden Rice sham and the players behind the […]
AGRA Watch Action Report: Petition signed by over 57,000 delivered to Gates Foundation and ISU
February 15, 2016: Petition calling for halt of GMO banana human trials delivered to Gates Foundation and Iowa State University Photos -See professional photographer Jonathan Lee’s photos on Facebook here. -See CAGJ’s photos on Facebook here. Delivering over 57,000 signatures gathered through CREDO Action’s online petition, AGRA Watch and Iowa State University graduate students had […]
AGRA Watch’s February Action at the Gates Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ames Contact: Hannah Dankbar 515-867-1731 Seattle Contact: Heather Day 206-724-2243 Salk Institute Contact: David Schubert 858-453-4100 x1528 Over 57,000 Express Concern with Human Feeding Trials of GMO Bananas Simultaneous demonstrations in Ames and Seattle highlight controversy surrounding Gates Foundation-funded Transgenic Banana Study at Iowa State University Ames, IA and Seattle, WA: On […]
