Studie "The GMO-emperor has no clothes" (engl.) - Nabu

A second reason why GM crops are not feeding
the hungry is because they are feeding animals
and cars instead. The overwhelming majority of
GM crops are grown for either animal feed or to
produce biofuels. In large part, this is because
enormous profits can be made from crops that
feed into an industrialized model of agriculture.
Small-scale, agroecological farm systems that
grow food locally for local consumption are
systems of self-sufficiency and do not fit into an
industrial, market-based paradigm.
Third, GM crops are an extension of the current
industrial model that fails to recognize that
hunger is fundamentally a problem of poverty,
food distribution, and inequity. Even though we
currently grow enough food to feed the world,
more than one billion people still go hungry.
Enough food is available to provide at least 4.3
pounds of food per person per day worldwide:
this consists of two and a half pounds of grain,
beans, and nuts, about a pound of fruits and
vegetables, and nearly another pound of meat,
milk, and eggs. 2
Food security begins with equitable and fair
access to land and vital natural resources. The
current system of relying on global markets
and import/export models has dismantled food
security at the household level where it must
begin. Agroecological systems provide the multifunctionality
and self-reliance that will ensure
plentiful and equal access to food and water.
Fourth, proponents of GM seeds and crops either
do not realize—or do not acknowledge—that,
in contrast to the high-tech, very costly GMO
industrial system, there are viable, low-cost
farming methods that better guard against hunger
and poverty. Vigorous research demonstrates that
agroecological, organic methods of farming can
produce yields equal to or greater than industrial
agriculture yields. “Model estimates indicate that
organic methods could produce enough food
on a global per capita basis to sustain the current
human population, and potentially an even larger
population without increasing the agricultural
land base,” states a report based on a long-term,
comprehensive global research project. 3
Based on 293 test cases, the research found
that, in developing countries, organic methods
produced 80 percent higher yields than industrial
farms. 4
A recent study by the United Nations Special
Rapporteur on the Right to Food reported that
agroecological systems doubled crop yields over a
period of three to 10 years in field tests conducted
in 20 African countries. 5 The report also cites
numerous other studies confirming high yields
and reduced chemical use in other regions of the
world due to agroecological farming methods.
Common Threads, Common Visions
Countries and regions discussed in this report
each have distinct experiences with GMOs,
however, there is a common thread to all of the
stories. The main theme is that even though
citizens in every country, in poll after poll, clearly
express that they do not want GMO products,
most government leaders insist on supporting
this technology and even work to hasten adoption
of GM seeds and crops.
Why are so many governments working
to contravene the desires of their citizens?
The collusion between governments and
biotechnology corporations is manifested through
various tactics. Lobbying, marketing, funding
science, education, and research institutions,
“revolving door” political influence, and
blatant disregard for the law are all exposed in
these reports. These reports illuminate the
omnipresence of the industry.
As noted in the report from the U.S., the
leading proponent of GM crops—top food and
agricultural biotechnology firms spent more than
$547 million lobbying Congress between 1999
and 2009. In addition to lobbying efforts, the
biotechnology industry has made more than $22
million in political campaign contributions since
1999. 6
Additionally, there is a “revolving door” spinning
out of control as many former employees of
the biotechnology industry are now working
2
Holly Poole-kavana, 12 Myths About Hunger, backgrounder, 12 (2), oakland: Food First, 2006, http://www.foodfirst.org/
sites/www.foodfirst.org/files/pdf/Bg%20SU06%2012%20Myths%20 About%20Hunger.pdf.
3
Catherine Badgley et al., Organic Agriculture and the Global Food Supply, Cambridge Journals, 9 June 2006,
Introduction, doi:10.1017/S1742170507001640.
4
Ibid.
5
Olivier De Schutter, Food Commodities Speculation and Food Price Crises, issue brief, Geneva, Switzerland: United
Nations, 2010, p. 1-2, http://www.srfood.org/images/stories/pdf/otherdocuments/20102309_briefing_note_02_en.pdf
(accessed 18 January 2011).
6
http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/BiotechLobbying-web.pdf
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