There could well be severe social and economic consequences too. The
impacts of synthetic biology (another sector dominated by a handful of
private interests) on farmers in the Global South could result in a
bio-economy of landlessness and hunger. Readers are urged to read this
report
<https://www.cbd.int/doc/emerging-issues/emergingissues-2013-07-ETCGroup%282%29-en.pdf>
which
outlines the effects on farming, farmers and rural economies: synthetic
biology has the potential to undermine livelihoods and would mean a shift
to narrower range of export-oriented mono-cropping to produce biomass for
synbio processes that place stress on water resources and food security in
the exporting countries.
Aside from these social, health and environmental implications, can we
trust private entities like Monsanto (or Bayer) to use these powerful
(potentially bio-weapon) technologies responsibly? Given Monsanto’s long
history of cover-ups and duplicity, trust took the last train out a long
time ago. Moreover, the legalities of existing frameworks appear to mean
little to certain companies: see here what Vandana Shiva says about
the illegality
of Monsanto’s enterprise <http://vandanashiva.com/?p=260> in India.
National laws that exist to protect the public interest are little more
than mere hurdles to be got around by lobbyists, lawyers and political
pressure. So what can be done?
However, as much as people and communities strive to become independent
from unscrupulous corporate concerns and as much as localised food systems
try to extricate themselves from the impacts of rigged global trade and
markets <http://www.worldhunger.org/holt-gimenez/>, there also has to be a
concerted effort to roll back corporate power and challenge what it is
doing to our food. These corporations will not just go away because people
eat organic or choose agroecology.
To underline this point, let’s turn to what Michel Chossudovsky says in his
1997 book ‘The Globalization of Poverty’. He argues that economies are:
“opened up through the concurrent displacement of a pre-existing productive
system. Small and medium-sized enterprises are pushed into bankruptcy or
obliged to produce for a global distributor, state enterprises are
privatised or closed down, independent agricultural producers are
impoverished.” (p.16)
As long as the domination of the food system by powerful private interests
is regarded as legitimate and as long as their hijack of governments, trade
bodies and trade deals, regulatory agencies and universities is deemed
normal or is unchallenged in the sham ‘liberal democracies’ they operate
within, we are destined for a future of more contaminated food, ill health,
degraded environments and an agriculture displaced and uprooted for the
benefit of self-interest.
The problems associated with the food system cannot be dealt with on a
single-issue basis: it is not just about the labelling of GM foods; it’s
not just about the impacts of Monsanto’s Roundup; it’s not just about
Monsanto (or Bayer) as a company; and it’s not just about engaging in
endless debates with corporate shills about the science of GMOs.
Food and agriculture have become wedded to power structures that have
created food surplus and food deficit areas and have restructured
indigenous agriculture across the world and tied it to an international
system of trade based on export-oriented mono-cropping, commodity
production for a manipulated and volatile international market and
indebtedness to international financial institutions.
At the very least, there should be full public control over all
GMO/synthetic biology production and research. And if we are serious about
reining in the power of profiteering corporations over food – our most
basic and essential infrastructure – they should be placed under democratic
ownership and control.
“… we demand that it is our basic human right to protect our food supply… [
*food*] would be planned to meet human need, not corporate greed. We have
hunger not because there is not enough food, but rather because it is not
distributed equally. The core of the problem is not a shortage of food, but
capitalism!”
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*Colin Todhunter is an extensively published independent writer and former
social policy researcher based in the UK and India.*
[permaculture] A System of Food Production for Human Need, Not Corporate Greed,
Lawrence London, 10/02/2016