1 Seed Patenting Mahé Guillerminet Marine Leduc-Soudan Samy YatimAhmeth Coly Neil M’zoughi

2 How did agriculture originally work?“The cultivation of animals, plants, fungi, and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life” The Neolithic Revolution was the first agricultural revolution. (8,000-5,000 B.C.) The wide-scale transition of many human cultures from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to agriculture and settlement. “Farms not factory” Small farms, driven and defined by different climates, cultures… Sustainable agriculture

3 Subsidence AgricultureFarming for your own survival. Not mass farming to sell on for cash, but producing enough vegetables yourself to survive. Industrial agriculture a form of modern farming that refers to the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops. The methods are “technoscientific”, economic, and political. It includes: Innovation in agricultural machinery and farming methods Genetic technology, the creation of new markets for consumption The application of patent protection to genetic information, and global trade.

4 What is a patent? A grant made by a government that confers upon the creator of an invention the sole right to make, use and sell that invention for a set period of time. We are living a Gene Revolution! Application of bio-technology in food production by modifiying living organism. Great potential to farmers as it provides them with disease-free planting material and develops crops that resist pesticides and diseases. Reduces use of chemicals that harm the environment and human health.

5 The Nutraceutical AspectStands for Nutrition and pharmaceutical It includes: A food fortification A food enrichment: Exemple of the most common enriched/fortified food: Cereals, cereal based products Milk, fats and oils, Tea and other beverages Controversy: Fortification of nutrients in foods may deliver toxic amounts of nutrients to an individual The WHO states that fortification may include human rights issues indicating that consumers has the right to choose if they want fortified products or not.

6 Seed patented by huge corporationsProtects technological advances: Multinational corporation are able to finance researches whereas independent farmers could not. Problem: Many of the innovations of the Gene revolution are held under patent Intellectual property protections have greatly stimulate private-sector research in developed countries It restricts access to research tools for researchers in developing countries

7 Map highlighting the 23 countries which have adopted biotech CropsThe countries which we can see the name are the top ten producers. For ex: Indian production increased by 63% between 2006 and 2007 Top 10 seed companies control over 57% of the global seed market

8 The World According to MonsantoA US based multinational agricultural biotechnology Corporation, owning more than 400 separate plant technology patents Patents, like copyrights, are form of intellectual property protection that legally prohibits unauthorized duplication of a product. A Film by Marie-Monique Robin: A French reporter willing to better understand Monsanto Very controversial: Too Much power? FDA (Food and Drug Administration) & Monsanto appeared to be too linked Too many damages?Anniston’s example; Many deaths & people condemned with PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) chemical used in paints, ciments… A Chemical and Agricultural company? Monsanto is the leading chemical producer for agricultural products.

9 PCB Contamination PCB's - You Are Contaminated1929: Monsanto began production of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in the United States. PCBs were considered an industrial wonder chemical - an oil that would not burn, was impervious to degradation and had almost limitless applications. Today PCBs are considered one of the gravest chemical threats on the planet. PCBs, widely used as lubricants, hydraulic fluids, cutting oils, waterproof coatings and liquid sealants, are potent carcinogens and have been implicated in reproductive, developmental and immune system disorders. The world's center of PCB manufacturing was Monsanto's plant on the outskirts of East St. Louis, Illinois, which has the highest rate of fetal death and immature births in the state. Monsanto produced PCBs for over 50 years and they are now virtually omnipresent in the blood and tissues of humans and wildlife around the globe - from the polar bears at the north pole to the penguins in Antarctica. These days PCBs are banned from production and some experts say there should be no acceptable level of PCBs allowed in the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says, “PCB has been demonstrated to cause cancer, as well as a variety of other adverse health effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system and endocrine system.” But the evidence of widespread contamination from PCBs and related chemicals has been accumulating from 1965 onwards and internal company papers show that Monsanto knew about the PCB dangers from early on.

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12 Seed Industry Montsanto, Dupont, Bayer and DOW Buying up half the world’s Seed Supply

13 Consequences in developing countriesImposed monopoly Impact of farmer Suicide Impact on environment Roundup Herbicide Insect resistance

14 Consequences in developed countriesOn people On the environment

15 Case of Persy and his wifePercy Schmeiser: A long time farmer from the small rural community of Bruno Sask, Canada. For 40 years he has grown canola on his farm. Usually sowing each crop of the oil-rich plants with seeds saved from the previous harvest. In 1997, Monsanto's genetically modified “Roundup Ready Canola” plants were found in Percy's field. Monsanto him of patent infringement and demanded restitution for its seeds. Schmeiser clamed trespass and contamination of his fields with Roundup Ready The Supreme Court determined that Monsanto's patent was valid Percy Schmeiser: “The question is, where do Monsanto's rights end and mine begin?”

16 Demonstrations Speak about people demonstrating about that process.Pictures/ figures Where? How? Are they supported by NGOs? Green peace?

17 Benefits Controversies Crops: resistance to diceases, enhanced taste and quality & reduced maturation time On Safety: potential environmental impact: unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination, and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity New products & growing techniques Potential human health impact: allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance Animals: Improves resistance, productivity and feed efficiency Access and intellectual property:Domination of world food production by a few companies Better yields of meat, eggs, and milk & Improved animal health and diagnostic methods Increasing dependence on industrialized nations by developing countries Society: Increased food security for growing population Ethics: Violation of natural organisms' intrinsic values & Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species Environment:  “friendly” bioherbicides & bioinsecticides, Conservation of soil, water, and energy & Better natural waste management Labeling :Not mandatory in some countries (ex: United States) Society: New advances may be skewed to interests of rich countries

18 Halting the corporate takeover of seedCenter of food safety (CFS) has been taking actions toward halting the corporation takeover of our seed supply: Using anti-trust actions to halt monopolistic takeover of seed Limiting use of gene banks in favor of seed protection and local seed saving. Re-configuring gene bank agreements to protect against corporate exploitation of collections Working in collaboration with NGOs across the world, CFS is taking action to: Pass national and international legislation declaring seeds to be non-patentable. Ensure seed saving is a fundamental right of all farmers & promote local seed saving effort around the world. declare an International Ban on Terminator Technology.

19 « Who ever controls the seeds controls the food »

20 Sources http://www.garden-of-eatin.com/how-to-avoid-monsanto/