Sorry this may sound a bit ... narrow-minded but my reaction to this farmer leader's letter is :
- we don't need all these chikens - we don't need more eggs - we don't need all this milk - we don't need more variaty of paddy, wheat, ... At least I and I believe, most indians neither. They have never needed them and now suddendly they would ?. The standards have been brought in, imported from western country. They create new demands that didn't exist, most of the time, they are useless. So, Mrs Vandana, do not deviate and take up this challenge. It's of no use. You have so much more to fight against !. It's huge but you're bound to win. All the innocent victims are behind you and when the time will come, you will win very easily. Keep up the peacefull resistance ... My 2 cents, Roelof > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On > Behalf Of Barry Lia > Sent: mardi 4 d�cembre 2001 19:40 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Fw: [biotech_activists] Fictional Agriculture of > Environmentalists > > > > --------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 12:30:15 -0600 > Subject: [biotech_activists] Fictional Agriculture of > Environmentalists > > Biotech Activists ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Posted: > 11/29/2001 By > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ============================================================ > This farmer will give organic activists "100 acres in > every district. Let them show us practically how > organic cultivation increases farm yields and our > income levels." > > Any takers? > > Alice > > ########## > > Fictional Agriculture of Environmentalists > > The Hindu > By Chengal Reddy (A farmer leader) > Letter to the Editor > > THE ARTICLE by Vandana Shiva "Biotech as bio-terror" > (, November 11) was appallingly biased. The visual in > the article showed "anti-globalisation activists" (a > glorified term for environmental activists) gleefully > vandalising a farmer's field in France. Alas, the > environmental activists appear to be doing the same > thing throughout the world. They pick up and attack > hapless subjects under the glare of media, of course. > Agriculture is their first choice and the victims? > Poor farmers! > > I am pained at the growing number of environmental > NGOs in India which preach through private > publications and popular media what Indian farmers > should do or should not do. I am using the term > "pained" because almost all these NGOs are > non-agriculturists. What do they know about Indian > agriculture? Most of them do not understand the > difference between agriculture and farmer. > > They say in some forums that certain chemical > pesticides should not be used in India. Ask them why, > they say "because they are banned in western > countries." Well, going by this logic, GM crops should > be immediately allowed for use in India because many > western countries permit their cultivation. > > It is my opinion the environmental activists in India > (aided considerably by foreign funds) rarely relate to > Indian realities. Take, for example, the article by > Vandana Shiva. It is about cultivation of Bt cotton in > Gujarat. But the accompanying visual is from France! > Thanks to her international contacts. She speaks about > > the plight of monarch butterflies and ladybirds in > distant countries. But, what's notably missing in her > article is a simple interview with Bt cotton growers > in Gujarat. Had she cared to meet the Bt cotton > growers of Gujarat, she would have known the home > truth. The (November 12, 2001) quotes farmers (in > Gujarat) who have used Bt cotton saying that they > swear by its virtues. > > The environmental NGOs in India, especially those who > seek to be > heard in the field of agriculture, are known for not > having adequate grassroots level contacts in India. A > Delhi-based NGO published a book on pesticides in > India. Its cover page shows a farmer in rice fields of > South East Asia! Well, that speaks volumes about their > > contacts! > > Here some of the suggestions of Vandana Shiva sound > comical. She says "in the absence of bio-safety > capacity building, commercial introduction of > genetically modified organisms (GMOs) amount to > bio-terrorism". > > She also lists the departments/institutions that must > be involved in the so-called "bio-safety capacity > building" (a skilful choice of phrase to frighten the > common man). They are: gram sabhas, panchayats, > district administration, State Government and Union > Ministries. > > Look at the length of the list! It appears that the > environmental activists want to promote red-tapism to > protect their interests and, in the process, block > agricultural progress in our country. People want more > and more de-controls, but environmentalists propose > more and more controls on agriculture. "We do not want > to see our biodiversity destroyed and farmers ruined," > says Vandana Shiva. She does not seem to know that > biodiversity and food production need not -- in fact > do not -- go together. > > * Chicken production phenomenally increased in our > country after the introduction of broiler breeds. > * Egg production increased after the introduction of > prolific layers from abroad. > * Milk production increased after large-scale > artificial insemination of local breeds with HF breeds > (from Europe). > * Indian grain production (paddy, wheat, etc) > productivity shot up since the 70s after the > introduction of many exotic lines not native to India. > > Had our farmers continued with "desi breeds" in the > name of preserving "biodiversity", India would still > be importing milk and milk products from other > countries and foodgrains, eggs and chicken would > continue to remain beyond the reach of many in lower > income groups. > > The job of the farming community is to produce more > foodgrains and allied items to meet the requirements > of rapidly growing population. Farmers cannot be > burdened with the task of preserving the biodiversity. > This will ruin our farmers. Perhaps environmentalists > can do some productive work in this regard by > establishing "biodiversity parks" in every district > using millions of dollars they receive by way of > donations. > > Vandana Shiva states "organic cultivation produces > more cotton... organic cultivation brings a double > benefit to farmers" lowering costs on expensive seeds > and chemicals and increasing income by producing a > quality product." > > We welcome Vandana Shiva and other environmentalists > to come to our villages to demonstrate what they claim > in our local conditions. We will give them 100 acres > in every district. Let them show us practically how > organic cultivation increases farm yields and our > income levels. Till then, please do not tell us what > we, the farmers, must do/use. > ============================================================ > How to Use this Mailing List > ============================================================ > > You received this e-mail as a result of your registration on the > biotech_activists mailing list. > > To unsubscribe, please send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In > the body of > the message type: > unsubscribe biotech_activists > > For a list of other commands and list options, please send email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > In the body of the message type: > help >
