Monsanto has cornered the market for genetically modified organism (GMO) seeds. In addition, they also conveniently offer weed killer that will not harm their seeds. Generous application of herbicide eliminates the need to till the soil prior to planting. What a sweet deal for Monsanto and the farmers who pay and work less to harvest their crops. And it is environmentally friendly by reducing the carbon footprint of the farming industry. What could go wrong?
What does India think about Monsanto?
Exactly where Monsanto’s trail across the globe that has left so many dead and dying begins is not known, nor is the future this model agency of the American military industrial complex known.
The above excerpt comes from the report at the end of this article. Here is some information from Monsanto and “Sustainable” agriculture.
Monsanto Company: Committed to Sustainable Agriculture, Committed to Farmers
producing more conserving more improving lives
That’s sustainable agriculture. And that’s what Monsanto is all about.
What does Monsanto think about India?
Monsanto announces Project SHARE (Sustainable Harvest – Agriculture, Resources, Environment) – a sustainable yield initiative to improve farmer lives in India. Project SHARE, a pilot project in association with ISAP (Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals), aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of 10,000 small-marginal cotton and corn farmers in 1,100 villages across three states within four years, by increasing their crop productivity.
It seems that India is standing up against Monsanto.
David DeGerolamo
Monsanto official Beaten by farmers in India over Failed GMO Bt Cotton Seeds
We have reported in the past an alarming suicide rate among farmers in India that is connected to the failure of American GMO (genetically modified organism) cotton seeds.
Monsanto stands accused of having an international monopoly of the notorious bio-engineered Bt cotton seeds. Advocates for the agricultural industry say they never dreamed of the tragedy to come, when a 2005 decision was announced to allow the seeds in India.
Now an agrarian crisis has hit Maharashtra itself thanks to the Monsanto program. Farmers are buying 11 packets of 450 gm per hectare as per the company’s guide for the recommended “population method” but the sudden demand and ill-managed Indian sub agents have brought the company big trouble as 50% of the Bt cotton seeds failed to germinate even after its second sowing. Now cries are being heard in other part of India too.
The Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti farmers advocacy group has approached the local state Govt. of Maharashtra to arrange a high level probe of all complaints received from farmers of west Vidarbha where more than 10,000 cotton farmers have committed suicide since June 2005 after the introduction of the killer Bt cotton seeds in this region.
…
The Monsanto Bt cotton seed crisis heated up in early June when all Bt cotton seeds ordered by Maharashtra dealers sold out it to the adjourning Andhra farmers and there was no seed available to cater to the local market. Monsanto sub-agents had failed to respond to a state government request, and then suddenly Bt cotton seeds were freely available in the market by the third week of June.
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When news of a Monsanto senior official’s arrival from Mumbai reached the nearby village of Munjala, cotton farmers of the village Karanji, about 140 K.m. from Nagpur located the Monsanto official and took him to their field where a complete failure of ‘Paras Sudarshan’ Bt cotton seed was shown to him.
When the Monsanto representative failed to admit the lapse, he was severely beaten up by the farmers. It was reported that even a local agriculture officer did not
come to his rescue.
This, from accounts in daily papers in Vidarbha and the Marathwada region of Maharashtra where more than 4 million hectares under Bt cotton cultivation are reporting the flood of bogus seed supplied local agents of American cotton seed MNC giant Monsanto.
Exactly where Monsanto’s trail across the globe that has left so many dead and dying begins is not known, nor is the future this model agency of the American military industrial complex known.
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