Organic farming gives Indian farmers greater financial security

Posted on 15 Jun 2010 | 1 Comment

ShareHyderabad, 15th June, 2010: A Greenpeace report released today said the monetary benefits of organic cotton farming are much greater than using the Genetically Engineered variety that makes farmers more vulnerable to financial collapse due to high debts and increased costs of cultivation.
The report titled “Picking Cotton – The choice between organic and [...]

Picking Cotton: The choice between organic and genetically engineered cotton for farmers in South India

Posted on 14 Jun 2010 | 2 Comments

SharePicking Cotton
Poverty and hunger continue to be widespread in India. The majority of these hungry and poor people live in rural areas, with a livelihood dedicated to agriculture. Some 86% of Indian farmers are smallholders, of less than 5 acres (2 hectares). About 65% have rain-fed farms without irrigation facilities.
There is widespread propaganda that genetically-engineered [...]

Citizens demand arrest of Minister Prithiviraj Chavan, demand BRAI bill be withdrawn

Posted on 20 Apr 2010 | 8 Comments

ShareApril 20, 2010 New Delhi: The Minister for Science and Technology, Prithviraj Chavan was demanded to be arrested for establishing the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) today at the Anusandhan Bhavan Premises today. The group of volunteers dropped a 20 feet long banner, which read “Arrest the Minister, Drop the GM food [...]

Citizens uphold their right to know about and reject GM foods

Posted on 16 Apr 2010 | 0 Comments

ShareApril 16, 2010, New Delhi: An overwhelming majority – 94 per cent – of people say that they have the right to reject genetically modified foods (GM foods), revealed a citizens’ opinion poll released today by Greenpeace. The poll on genetically modified foods intended to understand citizens’ awareness and preferences related to GM foods, [...]

The bill to end the right for safe food

Posted on 01 Mar 2010 | 6 Comments

Genetically Engineered (GE) crops are organisms created artificially in labs through a process called recombinant DNA technology. The unpredictability and irreversibility of Genetic Engineering and the uncontrollability of GE crops in the environment coupled with studies pointing at the potential risk to human health and environment has resulted in a controversy across the world around the need for introducing such potentially risky organisms. This had also resulted in most countries in the world putting in place a precautionary approach towards GMOs reflected in their regulatory systems. India currently has a regulatory system in place, the intention and efficiency of which had been under question.

Proposed Biotechnology Authority threatens safe food

Posted on 01 Mar 2010 | 3 Comments

The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India [BRAI] bill is to be tabled in the ongoing budget session of the parliament.

Former Monsanto M.D. says no to Bt Brinjal

Posted on 10 Feb 2010 | 3 Comments

The last and final public consultations by the Minister for Environment and forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh, saw some dramatic developments today the most important being the former Monsanto India Managing Director Mr. T.V. Jagdishan saying no to Bt Brinjal. Scientists in huge majority asking for a Ban on Bt Brinjal and The minister announced that a final decision on Bt Brinjal will be made by him on the 10th of February at 12.30 pm.

Moratorium on Bt Brinjal, not a long-term solution!

Posted on 09 Feb 2010 | 7 Comments

ShareGreenpeace welcomes the minister’s decision not to allow Bt brinjal to contaminate Indian agriculture.
The minister must now reassure the nation that the moratorium will not lead to a back door entry of Bt brinjal or the 55 other food crops which are in different stages of trial in the country.
Stringent monitoring measures should be immediately [...]

Bangalore stands against Bt Brinjal

Posted on 08 Feb 2010 | 4 Comments

After being postponed twice, the Bangalore public consultation finally took place on Saturday. Like all the other consultations this one too said a no to Bt Brinjals. This was the last consultation in the series of seven which took place in different parts of the country.

Bt Brinjal creates furore in Hyderabad

Posted on 03 Feb 2010 | 1 Comment

Approximately 50 activists against Bt Brinjal geared up for the consultation early on Sunday morning in Hyderabad. However, once we reached the main gates of the Central Research institute of Dryland agriculture (CRIDA), we were stopped by the police who saw some of us in Brinjal costumes and carrying placards. One of the inspectors outside even told us that he didn’t want us to go in because we are saying No to Bt Brinjal! After much persuasion that this is a public consultation and we have every right to be there, they let us in.