Dear all,
We have commented on the brief chapter on GMOs, which seems to be in a preliminary state, requiring further work. For example, it does not mention the new genetic engineering techniques such as genome editing and CRISPR gene drives at all. Yet these are being used in agricultural research and actively promoted for use in the field. Furthermore it is widely claimed that they are not actually GMOs.
We think a vital and undeveloped aspect of this chapter should be to identify the systemic differences between agro-ecology and GM in order to show that GM approaches are incompatible with agro-ecology.
Here is one paragraph from our submission on this subject:
'Agro-ecology includes human and social values, culture and food traditions, while GM is part of industrial monoculture agriculture, promoting the privatisation of the food system and the imposition of one very specific method of farming and underlying scientific/agricultural paradigm. The introduction of patents and farmer contracts creates an enforced dependency that is in conflict with the participatory processes fundamental to agro-ecology and acts as a barrier to the maintenance of different social/cultural/food traditions. Agro-ecology also promotes the development, use and exchange of farmer varieties, plus farmer experiment and related knowledge. Such practices are often explicitly forbidden under, eg: GM contracts, but we would argue they are a crucial part of adapting to climate change, protecting biodiversity and ecosystems, and delivering nutritious food for the future.'
We trust that somewhere in the rest of the document there is detail on agro-ecology as a systems approach and what that actually means, how it differs from industrial agriculture and why it is so important. Above all we need to be able to explain agro-ecology clearly to those who do not understand it.
sincerely,
Helena Paul
Efeturi Olotewo