ThirstyFish

"Natural" eggplants photographed at an Urla bazaar.

Once in a while, we win battles against greedy GMO companies. Recently, the Philippines Court of Appeals ruled against the field trials of genetically-modified (GM) eggplant, because it "is a monumental threat to both environmental and human health". But in most cases, we are losing the war. Earlier this month, Brazil's National Congress proposed a law to allow the "limited use" of genetically-modified "terminator" seeds.

In simple terms, Terminator Seeds, or more formally, Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT) is genetically modifying plants to be sterile (unusable for replanting), in order to force farmers to purchase new seeds every year. Since 2001 there has been a de-facto worldwide moratorium on the use of terminator technology. Although GMO giants like Monsanto continue to deny pursuing "terminator technology", many GM crops fail even in their first use. In Brazil, large landowners are pressuring the government to allow fast growing "terminator seeds" for certain plants used for medicines, and trees used for pulp in paper mills. Many countries have backtracked, or are in the process of backtracking on anti-GMO rules. More importantly, GM products and herbicides are documented to "contaminate" natural crops and soil.

A friend of mine suggested that every "product" made these days falls apart in a short period so that we get to repurchase them - good for the economy. Well, life (a seed) is not a "product". Hopefully we will understand that "seeds are not products" through our own will, rather than learn it the hard way - through starvation. Think that is too harsh? Then, read about India's "Suicide Economy".