is 2,500 pages long and took more than 400 scientists four years to complete. This distinguished international panel agrees with Dr. Shiva, claiming that GMOs are highly controversial and will not play a substantial role in addressing the challenges of climate change, loss of biodiversity, hunger and poverty. The panel recommends small-scale farmers and agroecological (combining ecological science and agronomy) methods as the way forward; with local and indigenous knowledge playing as important a role as formal science. The March 2011 report from the United Nations Human Rights Council, “Agroecology and the Right to Food,” also concurred that the farming practice of agroecology outperformed the use of chemical fertilizers in boosting food production where the hungry live, especially in unfavorable environments. “Conventional farming relies Shiva is fighting to protect humanity’s 12,000-year-old on extensive inputs, fuels climate change and seed-saving legacy. including open-pollinated varieties. Heirloom is not resilient to climate shocks. It simply seeds are traditional varieties that have evolved is not the best choice anymore, “ said UN special rapporteur Olivier de Schutter. by farmers over millennia. They embody bioThis seems appropriate on the 40th anlogical and cultural diversity and are the seeds niversary of biologist Rachel Carson’s beston which our food security rests.” She spoke of “freeing the seeds” as the way seller, Silent Spring, where she wrote, “Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such to liberate farmers. In the mid-1980s, Shiva launched Navdan- a barrage of poisons on the surface of the ya (www.Navdanya.org)—meaning “nine earth without making it unfit for life? They seeds” or “new gift”—a seed-saving organi- should not be called ‘insecticides,’ but ‘biocides’... For the first time zation that has helped in the history of the world, rescue thousands of every human being is now Yo, Mother Earth is calling YOU plant varieties from subjected to contact with Be part of history. Join me in extinction. The group dangerous chemicals from making a pledge to collect signais presently working in the moment of conception tures so we can include the “Label more than 5,000 Indian GMOs—It’s Our Right to Know” until death.” Outspoken villages, has created 60 initiative on the California 2012 scientists such as Carson, community seed banks ballot. Sign up at www.labelgmos. along with growing public and has trained more org. Let’s go! demand for a cleaner, safer than 400,000 men and environment, led to the women in conservaformation of the Environtion, biodiversity and mental Protection Agency under President organic farming. Nixon in 1970. How did we get so far away from the “Every scientist and every United Naorigins of our food? Shiva believes the first step was to separate those who produce food tions agency and all the people who work in organic agriculture recognize that only from those who eat it, which made most of through organic growing can we protect society indifferent to what was happening the planet’s resources, have farmers have a with the seeds. She also touched on the idea viable life and bring safe and healthy food to that food used to be “women’s business.” people,” concluded Dr. Shiva. “It’s the only Most farmers in India are women. “The viable system for the future. Either we make processing industry, the feed industry and it, or there is no future.” < agribusiness convinced women that getting Visit Annie at dirtdiva.com. out of food and agriculture was their liberation,” says Shiva. “I think what we need to do FOOD, FAMILIES, FARMING & is say that agriculture and food in women’s HEALTH: PROTECTING YOUR hands is the most important liberation. Men can join them.” HEALTH & THE FOOD WE GROW She also vigorously defended organic MOMS Advocating Sustainability farming. “We have to get rid of chemicals presents critical information from a dynamin farming and bring back organic farmic and informative panel—Jeffrey Smith of ing, and with that bring back native seeds,” the Institute for Responsible Technology, said Shiva. “The big debate of our times is Kari Hamerschlag of Environmental Working Group, Myrto Ashe, M.D., Michelle Perro, industry lying and saying that organic can’t M.D., and Mark Squire of Good Earth Natural feed the world. At every level, there’s a lie, Foods—about emerging health concerns a distortion. We are being driven into an related to our food supply Wednesday, Oct. absolute catastrophe. These corporations 12, 7-9pm at the Strawberry Recreation Disknow petri dishes, not plants!” She cited the trict Community Room, 118 E. Strawberry 2008 “International Assessment of AgriculDr., Mill Valley. tural Knowledge, Science and Technology A $10 donation is requested at the door. for Development” (IAASTD) report, which
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