The November 2011 edition of AEFJN's Forum for Action is now online. It contains articles on the ethical responsibility of the Church on the climate issue, on the clean up of the Ogoniland oil spills, which will take decades, on the spread of Libyan arms in the Sahel, on the production of medicines in Africa and on the EU's attempt to force African countries to sign EPAs.
The national election campaign officially started the 28th October in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), exactly one month ahead of historic presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for November 28 2011. 41 humanitarian and human rights organizations, among them AEFJN, have expressed concern about the high political tension and deteriorating security situation. They have called upon all Congolese and international actors involved to take urgent measures to prevent electoral violence, better protect civilians and ensure credible, free and fair elections.Is GMO a solution to fight hunger ?
The main problem of GM crops around the world is that they are promoted first by few business companies that have monopole on food, seeds and agriculture products markets. These encourage agricultural practices such as large-scale monoculture with use of chemicals, which threaten the biodiversity around. The sailors have Proprety rights on these GM seeds which increase the cost of selling and that deprive farmers to keep a part of their crop for the next harvest. These companies influence policy directions.
From the agricultural point of view:
Several biotech companies withdrew from a world study on Agriculture that was sponsored by the United Nations and World Bank, because the experts found that GM crops offered very little potential for alleviating poverty and hunger: the IAASTD report (International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development).
In April 2008, 400 experts from 58 countries and from many disciplines released a report of an exhaustive analysis on food and nutrition security. The question was: “How can agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology (AKSTs) be improved to reduce hunger and poverty, improve health and nutrition, assure rural livelihoods and reduce inequities while protecting the environment ?” They answered that: “Business as usual is no longer an option, if we want to assure the quality and quantity of food needed for a growing population with increased and more diverse needs.”1 The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) Reports advocate “for immediate action in changing agricultural practices by implementing sustainable agricultural practices such as organic agriculture, agro-ecology, by diversifying the crop and animal genetic and varietal / species bases and increasing investment across the board from research to education and extension, infrastructure and institutions.1”
The report also urged a reduction in agricultural subsidies in rich
nations and reform of unfair trade rules. Together, these could provide a
way of developing sustainable agriculture, including wider employment
opportunities, enhanced rural livelihoods and ultimately greater yields,
reducing hunger and poverty.
1"The IAASTD reports: a holistic approach to food and nutrition security", Hans R Herren, Executive summary.