Harvest of Suicides

[Joanne98]

by Vandana Shiva

NEW DELHI - An epidemic of farmers' suicides has spread across four Indian states - Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Punjab - over the last decade. According to official data, more than 160,000 farmers have committed suicide in India since 1997.

These suicides are most frequent where farmers grow cotton, and appear directly linked to the presence of seed monopolies. For the supply of cotton seeds in India has increasingly slipped out of the hands of farmers and into the hands of global seed producers like Monsanto. These giant corporations have begun to control local seed companies through buyouts, joint ventures, and licensing arrangements, leading to seed monopolies.

When this happens, seed is transformed from being a common good into being the "intellectual property" of companies such as Monsanto, for which the corporation can claim limitless profits through royalty payments. For farmers, this means deeper debt.

Seed is also transformed in this way from being a renewable regenerative resource into a non-renewable resource and commodity. Seed scarcity is directly caused by seed monopolies, which have as their ultimate weapon a "terminator" seed that is engineered for sterility. This means that farmers can't renew their own supply but must return to the monopolist for new seed each planting season. For farmers, this means higher costs; for seed corporations, higher profits.

The creation of seed monopolies is based on the deregulation of seed corporations, including giving them oversight over bio-safety. With the coming of globalization, seed companies were allowed to sell seeds for which the companies had certified their safety. In the case of genetically engineered seed, these companies are again seeking self-regulation for bio-safety.

State regulation does continue to exist where seeds are concerned, but nowadays it is aimed at farmers, who are being pushed into dependency on patented, corporate seed. Such compulsory licensing is a big cause of the global destruction of biodiversity. The creation of seed monopolies, and with them crushing debts to a new species of moneylender - the agents of the seed and chemical companies - has taken a high human toll as well.

continued>>>
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/05/11-6

[thereismore]

1. May Monsanto rot in hell, the murderous sons of bitches. nt

[Seldona]

2. Terminator genes should be outlawed on level with war-crimes.

Along with many other cases of Frankenfood being fed to most everyone for profit. There is no reason for it other than MONEY.

[Sequoia]

3. It won't be nukes that kill us, it will be these evil seeds.

Evil wheat, evil bread, tortillas, etc.

[Seldona]

4. Making jokes about starvation?

Brilliant.

[Sequoia]

5. Don't be jumping to conculsions.

Did I say anything about starvation? No. Maybe you should read the news about the food that is filled with chemicals. Geez.