In a resolution adopted at its General Assembly, the European organic movement re-affirmed that organic production should remain free from GMOs, including those produced with new genomic techniques (NGTs). It also emphasised the importance of maintaining the possibility of a systemic approach to innovation in agriculture. This resolution comes ahead of the European Commission’s publication of a proposal to deregulate new genomic techniques, expected on 5 July. European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, received the resolution during an official handover ceremony, and assured the organic movement of his vigilance concerning the impact of the NGT proposal on organic farming. IFOAM Organics Europe’s President Jan Plagge stresses: “To make our food systems truly sustainable, we need to transition away from input-intensive, short-term fixes, which include the promotion of specific technologies with unproven benefits and potential unintended effects and risks. Genetic engineering with its currently still empty sustainability promises, and a narrow focus on specific genes or traits, ignores the complexity of interactions in a given agroecosystem. IFOAM Organics Europe

 

 

Professor Dave Goulson of the University of Sussex, UK is author of the book, Silent Earth: Averting the Insect Apocalypse. In an interview about this crucial topic, he said, "There are so many things we need government to do, but key is addressing the way we farm in this country [UK]. Our farming methods are often hostile to wildlife – insect, animal and plant. The quickest win for government would be to phase down the use of pesticides as quickly as possible. The EU have set a target of cutting pesticide use by half by 2030. Our government’s Environmental Land Management Schemes don’t even mention pesticide use! [ELMs are supposed to reward environmental land management through sustainable farming and incentives to promote local and landscape recovery]. The biggest causes of collapse in insect populations are loss of habitat, and pesticide use." West Country Voices

 

 

A roundtable hosted by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) shone the spotlight on GM Bt cowpea. Cowpea is one of Africa’s largest indigenous food crops and a major source of protein for the Nigerian people. Nigeria is a centre of origin of cowpea and a major producer. Nnimmo Bassey, head of HOMEF, said that the GM cowpea has already been given to farmers across Nigeria who have planted, harvested, and eaten them. “The promoters of this variety did not tell the farmers that they were being given GM beans to plant. The excuse given by a top official of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) is that they could not explain what GMOs are to the poor farmers. They merely told the farmers that they were being given improved varieties. Deception is not a scientific tool for disseminating any product.” Bassey stated that GM beans would impoverish Nigerian farmers, erode biodiversity, and pollute neighbouring countries. The group is calling for a ban on GM seeds in Nigeria. Environewsnigeria

 

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