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But biosafety activists in South Africa are calling a program funded by the Gates Foundation a "Trojan horse" to open the door for private agribusiness and genetically engineered (GE) seeds, including a drought-resistant corn that Monsanto hopes to have approved in the United States and abroad.
The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) program was launched in 2008 with a $47 million grant from mega-rich philanthropists Warrant Buffet and Bill Gates. The program is supposed to help farmers in several African countries increase their yields with drought- and heat-tolerant corn varieties, but a report released last month by the African Centre for Biosafety claims WEMA is threatening Africa's food sovereignty and opening new markets for agribusiness giants like Monsanto.
The Gates Foundation claims that biotechnology, GE crops and Western agricultural methods are needed to feed the world's growing population and programs like WEMA will help end poverty and hunger in the developing world. Critics say the foundation is using its billions to shape the global food agenda and the motivations behind WEMA were recently called into question when activists discoveredthe Gates foundation had spent $27.6 million on 500,000 shares of Monsanto stock between April and June 2010.
The eugenicists agenda should have people seriously concerned. Gates & Buffet have been into population control way too long to believe connecting them (via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) to pushing Monsanto GMO is anything other than pure evil.
I wonder how much Berkshire Hathaway has invested in Monsanto?
But biosafety activists in South Africa are calling a program funded by the Gates Foundation a "Trojan horse" to open the door for private agribusiness and genetically engineered (GE) seeds, including a drought-resistant corn that Monsanto hopes to have approved in the United States and abroad.
The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) program was launched in 2008 with a $47 million grant from mega-rich philanthropists Warrant Buffet and Bill Gates. The program is supposed to help farmers in several African countries increase their yields with drought- and heat-tolerant corn varieties, but a report released last month by the African Centre for Biosafety claims WEMA is threatening Africa's food sovereignty and opening new markets for agribusiness giants like Monsanto.
The Gates Foundation claims that biotechnology, GE crops and Western agricultural methods are needed to feed the world's growing population and programs like WEMA will help end poverty and hunger in the developing world. Critics say the foundation is using its billions to shape the global food agenda and the motivations behind WEMA were recently called into question when activists discoveredthe Gates foundation had spent $27.6 million on 500,000 shares of Monsanto stock between April and June 2010.
"Genetically engineered" seeds are a very good thing. Keep in mind that the tremendous yields, disease and drought resistence of modern crops is due to such efforts.
I have no idea why people are resistent to such modified crops, as it is the key to supplying food for an ever increasing population with limited available crop land.
Bill Gates is a massive liberal, yet he to does things to avoid giving a ton his money in taxes to the government through his foundations.
PS: Government now wants to tax income of such foundations (surprise?).
Anyway, genetic manipulations can lead to all kinds of problems down the line IMO, but short term it seems to many better than starvation. So what if you go sterile and grow two extra heads.
What in the world is wrong with seed that has been technologically modified to reduce spoilage, minimize chemical pesticides, increase yields, and resist disease and drought? Technophobia, combined with absolutely no idea what is involved in the technology to improve things, never ceases to amaze me in this day and age.
Or is this the religious cult view that humans shouldn't try to do ANYTHING to improve the world, because the supposed supernatural deity supposedly likes pain and suffering and waste?
Anyway, genetic manipulations can lead to all kinds of problems down the line IMO, but short term it seems to many better than starvation. So what if you go sterile and grow two extra heads.
There isn't a crop on the planet that has not been "genetically" altered. Just thought you ought to know.
"Genetically engineered" seeds are a very good thing. Keep in mind that the tremendous yields, disease and drought resistence of modern crops is due to such efforts.
I have no idea why people are resistent to such modified crops, as it is the key to supplying food for an ever increasing population with limited available crop land.
agreed.
what is so horrible about giving [not 'pushing'] seeds with superior drought tolerance and disease resistance to people who are pretty much starving in some cases?
Well it seems the GMO pesticides have been found in human blood and passes through to the human fetus.
Who knows what it does long term, especially if it's never studied.
Well it seems the GMO pesticides have been found in human blood and passes through to the human fetus.
Who knows what it does long term, especially if it's never studied.
the seeds in question here don't produce GMO pesticides.
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