From Peter Johnston
I am gratified that Deborah Keith thinks that the plant science industry cares passionately about abating hunger and supporting rural development (5 April, p 17). But development into what? Towards a situation where even small, Third World farmers who have been growing traditional crops developed over generations to suit local conditions are forced to grow patented GM crops with terminator genes, and so have to buy their seeds from the agro industry every year? Thousands of farmers in India have committed suicide after finding themselves in debt to such companies.
The huge investments required may justify intellectual property protection, but whatever the reason it is another powerful tool for gaining complete control over the activities of the farmers.
Obviously, it is for the benefit of the shareholders who prosper as the money flows out of the Third World and into the bank accounts of investors in the developed world.
In regard to sustainable farming, trying to produce a monoculture over huge acreages organically may indeed require more land. But producing organic crops on small mixed farms where owner-operators do the work and sell locally is far more beneficial for society. The profits remain in the community where the farmers live.
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Of course, small organic farms are not going to provide the control or income for the agro-industry giants.
In the same issue, the article “The End of civilisation” (p 32) describes research that shows a complex society that relies on a few huge systems to supply its necessities is very vulnerable to catastrophic failure. It points to the problems inherent in imposing more and more layers of technology on a system in order to solve problems, instead of addressing their root cause. Dare I mention that the cause of humanity running out of food is that there are at least twice as many human beings on the planet as it can sustainably support?
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
