PHA-Exchange> Letter to Bill Gates

[Aviva]

                                   Stop_Gates at yahoo.com


Dear Bill and Melinda Gates, 

Your generosity for supporting initiatives in education, world health
and population, and community has gained worldwide recognition.
However, your recent announcement that you are donating $25m for
research in GM food nutrition is based on some fallacious premises and
will work against your stated mission and world-wide interest. 

Your investment ignores scientific evidence on the actual and
potential risks of GMO and the benefit of superior alternatives (The
Case for a GM Free Sustainable World, Independent Science Panel on
GM). Citizens worldwide have shown preference for alternatives such as
biodiversity-based organic agriculture. Your contribution is thus NOT
working for a safe and healthy nutrition, but is working AGAINST
science and democracy. We are strongly urging you to withdraw your $
25m to support a failing genetic engineering industry that is making
false claims on improving nutrition

The claim that Genetic Engineering is improving nutrition is
scientifically flawed. GM potato is claimed to contain 45% more
protein than traditional potatoes. The protein content of the ordinary
potato is 1.6 grams per 100 grams. That is still nothing compared to
14.7gms of protein in100gm in Amaranth, or in peas (24.1 gm/100gm) or
lentils (25.1 gm/100gm). According to Ramesh Bhat and S. Vasanthi of
the National Institute of Nutrition at Hyderabad, to meet the RDA
(Recommended Daily Allowance) for protein from GM potatoes alone, 
the
children would need to consume 1.5 kg of potatoes per day! 

The infamous Golden Rice would never solve Vitamin A deficiency
because it only contains 30 microgram of Vit. A per 100 grams of
grain. It is far more inferior compared to carrots (217-434
mcg/100mg), spinach (600mcg) or radish leaves (750mcg).  In fact, one
would have to consume 9 kg of cooked rice everyday to reach the RDA.
Whereas eating 2 carrots a day would more than satisfy the
recommendation.  

Evidence from around the world, again and again confirms the failure
of GM crops to deliver their promises. In 2002, the first commercial
planting of Bt cotton in India was wiped out while non-GM varieties
performed well, leaving GM planting farmers facing serious financial
losses. A recent report from the UK field experiment clearly proved
that GM crops significantly reduce wildlife, and they also find that
contamination through pollination is many times higher than it was
anticipated. (The Farm Scale Evaluations of spring-sown genetically
modified crops, UK). Scientific evidences all point the uncertainty
and instability of genetic engineering. Moreover, no research has been
conducted to determine the long-term effect of GM crops on our health
and the ecosystem. 

By supporting GM food, the industries and agencies that are pushing it
undemocratically, you are threatening the choice of citizens around
the world to have safe food. Only four countries are growing
genetically modified crops, with the US accounting for over 75%. And
across the world, only one company, Monsanto, accounts for 93% of 
GM
crops grown. Most people still firmly reject this technology. More
than 35 countries, including the entire European Union have taken
precautionary steps by restricting the growing and importation of GM
foods, and requiring labeling of all foods with genetically modified
ingredients. Many regions and cities around the world have even 
banned
or imposed a moratorium on GMOs. Your funding of GM, in effect, is
creating a subsidy for Monsanto and undermining people's choice. 

By investing in GM food, you are increasing farmers' dependency on
corporate agribusiness, threatening food security and biodiversity.
Because of this dependency, many farmers are locked into high debts
and as a result, farmer suicides, especially in developing countries,
are increasing at an alarming rate. There are no socio-economic
benefit in GM crops because of the expensive seed costs and royalties
(Field Work: Weighing up the Costs and Benefits of GM Crops Strategy
Unit of the Cabinet Office, UK). Instead of working for the interest
of public good, you are favoring the interests of corporate
agribusinesses.

Millions of farmers around the world have demonstrated that they can
produce sufficient nutritious food in a sustainable manner, without
GMOs. 208 sustainable agriculture projects in 52 developing countries
have shown productivity increases from 50 to 100%. (Reducing Food
Poverty by Increasing Agriculture Sustainability in Developing
Countries, J. N. Pretty et al.). If you really care about improving
the health and nutrition of 3rd world communities we urge you to use
your money to directly support small farmer-centered programs for
biodiversity conservation and agro-ecology. 

Signed, 

Vandana Shiva, Research Foundation for Science, Technology and
Ecology. Mae-wan Ho, Institute of Science in Society (I-SIS) Caroline
Lucas, Member of the European Parliament, Green Party, UK Brian 
Tokar,
Institute for Social Ecology Beth Burrows, Edmonds Institute Philip L.
Bereano, University of Washington

Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy
Californians for GE Free Agriculture
Center for Ethics and Toxics (CETOS)
Organic Consumers Asssociation