GM's charm offensive

As a society, we need to ask: Who is telling us that GM can solve world hunger? Not surprisingly, it’s those who stand to benefit financially.

But surely we don’t believe that Monsanto, the company that gave the world PCBs, Agent Orange, dioxins and GM crops, is now a benevolent philanthropist out to save needy people? If GM crops were truly about feeding the hungry, then why does Monsanto so aggressively assert their intellectual property rights by suing farmers for the simple act of saving seeds from their crops? Third world farmers simply cannot afford this legal risk, much less the royalty fees, expensive seeds and chemicals that GM agriculture mandates.

In response, we are starting to see a seismic change in people’s attitudes when it comes to food. People are connecting the dots between a genetically modified, industrialised, global farming model and the impact to human health, the environment and global food security. Truly sustainable farming systems that nurture people, their soils and communities through a harmonic resonance with natural systems are experiencing a renaissance across the world as witnessed by the phenomenal growth of the organics sector and the proliferation of farmers markets in every city, town and village across the globe.

Most importantly the renaissance is helping to feed people where it’s needed most - in the third world. In stark contrast, the only thing that GM crops are feeding is corporate profits.