News & Blogs

Rechazo internacional a la siembra de maíz transgénico en México

Las solicitudes de autorización para la siembra comercial de millones de hectáreas de maíz transgénico en varios estados del norte de México, realizadas por Monsanto y otras empresas desde septiembre 2012 han provocado un amplio rechazo en todo el país, por parte de numerosos movimientos sociales, organizaciones campesinas, urbanas, de consumidores, ambientalistas, estudiantes, artistas y muchas otras. Por ser México la cuna del maíz, el tema es mucho más que solamente nacional, ya que de autorizarse, significaría el hecho inédito de contaminación transgénica del centro de origen de un cultivo alimentario de importancia global.

News Release: Last Chance for Kickstarter to stop release of risky seeds

Stop the spread of synthetic biology

There is less than a day to go before the popular crowdfunding site Kickstarter.com hands hundreds of thousands of dollars to a controversial project for the widespread and unregulated distribution of over half a million extreme-bioengineered seeds. Kickstarter, which stands to make over $22,000 from the project (1), has steadfastly refused to comment on its listing of a project to make and distribute ‘glowing genetically modified plants’ using Synthetic Biology.

Maíz transgénico de Sudáfrica: imposición en México y Zimbawe

BOLETÍN DE PRENSA

Grupo ETC, Centro Africano para la Bioseguridad,

FoodMattersZimbabwe y CTDT

Johannesburgo, Harare y Ciudad de México 15 de abril de 2013

Nuevas importaciones de maíz transgénico de Sudáfrica a México

Cargamentos no autorizados hacia Zimbawe

En peligro el centro de origen y las formas de vida campesinas del maíz en Mesoamérica y en África

Tunis 2013: If we rely on corporate seed, we lose food sovereignty

World Social Forum Event organized by La Via Campesina, GRAIN and ETC Group

GROWING POWER IN PEASANT SEEDS SYSTEMS: Farmers seeds and struggle against GMOs, AGRA- 2nd Green Revolution. Tunis, March 29.

It has become crucial to defend seeds. In the past 20 or 30 years, what was once seen as normal – peasant farmers growing, selecting, saving and exchanging seeds – has come under attack from corporations seeking to control and commodify the very basis of agriculture.

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COP8 - final day - 6000 farmers protest outside: greet buses

COP8 - final day - 6000 farmers protest outside: greet buses
English

The protests of Via Campesina and Brazils Landless Workers Movement (Movimento Sem Terra - MST) have been critical to the outcomes of this meeting. The protests continue this morning as 6000 peasant farmers are outside greeting buses of delegates as they come in. The protests have been so important in maintaining momentum and reminding delegates what was said last week against Terminator, reminding them how interventions from peasant farmers and Indigenous peoples made them understand the real impacts Terminator would have.

COP8 - Only Tomorrow's Approval Left!

COP8 - Only Tomorrow's Approval Left!
English

by Lucy Sharratt

Today Terminator was discussed again at COP8 - and the moratorium still holds! No country dared to challenge the consensus of last week.

Some governments made slight changes to a specific part of the text but this did not relate to the moratorium it was just enough to make us nervous!

COP8 -Terminator Moratorium Upheld!

COP8 -Terminator Moratorium Upheld!
English

by Lucy Sharratt

The debate over Terminator came and went in a flash. Well, sort of. The flash followed a week of intensive protest and lobbying after 8 years of consistent pressure and the most recent pressure of the Ban Terminator Campaign.

However, there is another week left to the UN meeting and there could still be trouble ahead. Ministers of the Environment from across the world will now also gather in Brazil (though many Ministers will be missing) and government delegations may look for ways out of what was agreed to on Friday.

COP8 Day 4 High Stakes are Clear as Terminator "Negotiations" Begin

COP8 Day 4 High Stakes are Clear as Terminator "Negotiations" Begin
English

by Lucy Sharratt

Discussions on Terminator at the UN COP started this afternoon - actually they started this morning as governments kept intervening to make statements on Terminator, even though the discussions were on another agenda item.

With a Chair who demonstrated great understanding and facilitation skills yesterday when he recognized and thanked the Via Campesina for thier protest in the negotiation hall, Indigenous Peoples were given time to fully express their stance on Terminator.

Women of Via Campesina protest terminator inside the COP8 meeting

Women of Via Campesina protest terminator inside the COP8 meeting
English

A group of approximately 40 women from the Via Campesina movement - mostly from across the Americas - staged a dignified protest against Terminator on the floor of the negotiations at COP 8 today. They received applause from delegates and the Chair of the meeting recognized their protest and remarked that it was "a heartfelt protest that many of us feel sympathy with.. This reminds us that we are citizens of the world not just of countries". He said the protest will help the discussion on GURTS later in the day.

COP8 -Day 3 22nd March 2006 - Terminator Item looms..

COP8 -Day 3 22nd March 2006 - Terminator Item looms..
English

So today is the day that Terminator is expected to come up in the Working Group and expectation and rumour is running high. Over 150 people are wandering around the conference room wearing distinctive white T-shirts which declare that suicide seeds are homicide seeds , there are posters and stickers, flags and placards - the front page of the Eco - the daily new service here - reminds Canada, New Zealand and Australia that 'The world is watching'. Governments are firming up their positions, issuing advance statements. We too are giving press conferences and interviews

Cop 8 Day 2 -Tuesday 21st March - the World says No to Terminator..

Cop 8 Day 2 -Tuesday 21st March - the World says No to Terminator..
English

As buses of delegates arrived this morning for day 2 of COP8 they were met by hundreds of protesting (and dancing) farmers, peasants, Indigenous People's and NGO's twirling flags, giving speeches, chanting and rallying against Terminator Technology - many of them organised through Via Campesina - the global movement of peasants. Banners with images of coffins proclaimed that "Case by Case = Coffin by Coffin' and that 'Suicide Seeds are Homicide Seeds" .

COP8 Day 1 - Monday March 20th - And so it begins...

COP8 Day 1 - Monday March 20th - And so it begins...
English

The Eighth Conference Of the Parties (COP8) to the Convention on Biological Diversity opened today, here in Curitiba Brazil, with an indigenous ceremony to Mother Earth, tupthumping speeches and around 3000 delegates frenetically pacing the corridors jostling and negotiating.

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