Indigenous farmers in Peru concerned over "terminator" potato

[icymist]

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Indigenous farmers in Peru, the birthplace of the potato, have pleaded with agribusiness Syngenta International to publicly abandon its patent on "terminator" technology to control sprouting potatoes which could put at risk more than 3,000 potato varieties in the region and undermine efforts to reduce poverty.



More than 40 indigenous leaders from potato producing communities in the Andean region of Peru came together this weekend (18 March) in the Sacred Valley in Cusco to sign a strongly-worded letter to the company's Chief Executive demanding immediate action. Syngenta's patent (US Patent 6,700,039) is of particular concern because it describes a technology that could be used to prevent the sprouting of potatoes, unless they are treated with chemicals supplied by the patent owner. The call to the Swiss-based company comes as government officials meet in Brazil this week for a United Nations biodiversity conference where terminator technology will be hotly debated.

Genetic Use Restriction Technology, dubbed "terminator", would mean that patented plants are genetically-modified to switch off seed fertility. Local farmers would be prevented from saving and reusing terminator type seeds and storage organs such as potato tubers, thus increasing corporate control over the global food system. Indigenous people fear that it would destroy the sharing of seeds, a centuries-old tradition, and with it their cultural and social way of life.

(more)
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=12492&start=1&control=214&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Well..... if they're going to be

disingenuous, then they will get what they get. Shame on them for not appreciating Amurkan ingenuity. </sarcasm>

[SPKrazy]

2. Yes, This Bullshit Of Patenting Seeds Is Crazy

how the hell do they come in and register patents on the seeds of indigenous cultures wide varieties of potatoes.

These corporate greedy bastards should all be put in the potato cellar for a lesson in humility.

[demnan]

3. What evil!

It always amazes me as a tech person how technology and science can be used for evil.

In the long run, this gives fuel to the fire of the Evangelical movement, as it shows to peasants that science is trying to starve them to death.

Their people are just as much in favor of this but will disavow, so evil wins twice. They get to starve and exploit people and to tell them that secularism is doing this to them.

[gristy]

4. I don't get it

How are these farmers being compelled to use this terminator potato(e)? Why can't they keep growing the 3,000 varieties they've been growing? Does the terminator potato(e) somehow crossbreed with the local variety and switch off their fertility?

The article provides no clue.

[SharonAnn]

5. Terminator potatoes spread pollen and seeds? Genes transfer.

Heritage varieties become hybrids?

[gristy]

6. I suppose it's possible

But there's certainly no information in the article on this.

[icymist]

7. Here's a little lite reading about terminator foods:

To help you understand what genetically engineered foods cross pollinate into neighboring farms not using this technology:
http://www.globalissues.org/EnvIssues/GEFood/Terminator.asp
http://www.ethicalinvesting.com/monsanto/terminator.shtml

Since major corporations hold the copyright and patients to these foods, lawsuits have arised.
(snip)
Since 1996, genetically engineered seed (not terminator) has been available commercially. While the large biotech seed companies have made a lot of money, they have also dealt with negative pressure from the public regarding the safety of their seed. They have also incurred lawsuits over genetic contamination from cross pollination of their seed with traditional seed varieties. Sterile terminator seeds would allow them to avoid such costly lawsuits. And to soften the current image, the GE industry claims that terminator technology would prevent further genetic contamination.

However, scientists do not agree. To be truly sterile, terminator technology must be 100 percent effective. Thus, the system consisting of many pieces of genetic material engineered into plants must work perfectly over generations of seed breeding. Scientists do not believe it is possible, and insufficient testing has been done to prove otherwise.
Secondly, even if the seed itself is sterile, the pollen from the terminator crops is not, and this could easily move to nearby crops or wild plants and contaminate related open-pollinating varieties. (Canola pollen travels 100 plus km.)

http://www.commonground.ca/iss/0602175/cg175_marya.shtml

[cynatnite]

8. If this type of potato got in the system...

the seeds would be useless unless the farmer buys the agent needed so they would grow. Potatoes are hard to distinct apart from one another a lot of the times. The only way a farmer could be guaranteed his crop was if he bought the chemicals needed.

All this company would need is one poor potato farmer who is desperate enough to buy the seeds and given the chemical to get started.

Considering how much sharing potato farmers do...not just there, but around the world, this company stands to make a mint. They would be the only patent holders of this chemical and everyone would have to go to them so they could guarantee their crops for another year.

These people are sharks.

[billbuckhead]

9. This scheme is a version of terrorism

I trust evolution more than Monsanto.

[Richard D]

10. Sharks like great whites . . .

. . are gentle kind loving creatures compared to the rectal orifices promoting terminator technology.

It's really going to be used as an agent of war, you know. "Well, you don't agree with us, so, really sorry, but no more seeds for your country until you change your mind." It gives corporations total control over the worlds supply of food. Evil beyond belief.