Philippines: GM corn bankrupts farmers

18 Sep 2012

Whatever the arguments around the health risks of consuming genetically-modified (GM) food, the conditions under which many GM crop farmers have to toil means this is an issue for anyone who cares about the impact of their purchasing choices.  An estimated 270,000 small-hold farmers in the Philippines are being forced to grow GM corn and ending up in debt as a result.

These are the findings of a recent study by CI member IBON and MASIPAG, a farmer-led network of people's organisations, non-government organisations and scientists.

The farmers are at the mercy of seed suppliers and lenders who are one-in-the-same in the country.

This despite claims from the country's Department of Agriculture promoting the production of GM corn, claiming that the cost of production is cheaper, therefore, switching will improve farmers' incomes.

However, given that the suppliers and the financiers are the same, the farmers have little choice but to switch if they need help with financing.

The study also indicates that the news being spread by the Philippines' Department of Agriculture that farmers now prefer planting GM Bt-corn is not correct.

More seeds, more cost

As a result of the increased planting of GM corn, the cost of the corn seeds has risen 282% from its introductory price, now accounting for 18-21% of a farmer's total cost of production.

The cost of fertilizer is also on the rise, and now accounts for around 23% of the total cost of producing GM corn. Interest payments now account for 26% of the total.  Even Roundup, the herbicide which had been packaged with the GM corn seeds, is now sold separately.

Bad for the environment, bad for health

The IBON study notes that producing GM corn has an adverse impact on the environment and on people's health. For instance, farmers said that although they would have a good harvest initially, the crop needs increasing volumes of fertilizers and agro-chemicals because of increased pestilence.

Also, the herbicide-tolerant Bt-corn requires increasing use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, the herbicide made by Monsanto, the agrochemical corporation that introduced Bt-corn and later, Roundup-ready GM corn in the country.

With regard to health, the study finds that farmers have experienced stomach pains, diarrhoea, chest pains, itching and skin allergies after prolonged exposure to Bt-corn. Farmers and their families have also experienced numbness of lips and tongue after eating young GM corn.

No monitoring

Despite being standard protocol, the research has found that the Bureau of Plant Industry, the country's GM crops monitoring agency, has not conducted any post monitoring on the impact of GM corn.

IBON calls on the government to follow all protocols before any additional GM crops are released in the Philippines, including conducting a thorough assessment of the effects of GM corn. IBON also asks that they look into the real impact on farmers, including their livelihood, incomes and overall welfare.

The field research includes GM corn areas in Pangasinan, Isabela, Capiz, Iloilo, Bukidnon, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

 http://www.seacouncil.org/seacon/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=455:philippines-gm-corn-bankrupts-farmers&catid=55:farmers-rights&Itemid=85

有机农民专家的有机师傅

 

 

相隔十年再访问哥巴拉克里斯南（Gopalakrishnan）的农场，他已经从一个普通的有机农民，变成生产蚯蚓堆肥的厂家，将以前向我们示范蚯蚓堆肥的农场，改变成农场兼蚯蚓堆肥工厂，聘用的工人增加了三倍，蚯蚓养殖场的空间增加十倍以上，使我们对有机农业的潜能重新洗牌。

特里奇（Trichi）是印度香蕉的名产地，每天有超过500罗里的香蕉运往印度全国各地，但品种相同单一。该省分香蕉虽然亦有传统病害，但情况不如大马，而且产量维持稳定。据哥巴拉说，香蕉只是农民的兼种作物，主要还是种植稻米，轮作为香蕉解决了一些强烈病害的问题。

所言不虚，在这个农村驱车前行，沿途所看见，除了稻田之外，大部分是香蕉园和甘蔗园，其他果园和菜园极为少见。

印度还有一个极为统一和常见的现象，就是在所有村庄，四处可以看见苦楝树（neem tree）的倩影，而且有些农田还以苦楝树包围四方，像坐定四方的护法大神一样。苦楝树叶和种子是制造天然驱虫剂最好的材料，哥巴拉用牛粪与牛尿等5种材料制造的班加卡味尔（pancagavya）就是采用苦楝树叶为药引的。

哥巴拉是印度有机农业创始人南玛尔瓦博士（Dr G. Nammalvar）的得意门徒，承续了老师傅永耕农业（Permanent agriculture）的作业精神，对环境具有爱心，对农业具有永续的执著。虽然没有进过大学，没有一口流利的英语，但是他的名字却响彻印度，成为印度著名的有机堆肥专家。

在南玛尔瓦大师的概念中，农民就是专家，而哥巴拉正是他细心调教出来的专家，不但爱有机农业，尊敬南玛尔瓦大师，也感恩南玛尔瓦大师给了他一个机会，成为印度最杰出的有机农民。从南玛尔瓦大师和哥巴拉师徒的关系中，可以轻易感受到哥巴拉对大师的敬仰和崇拜

2 days in Annadana farm.

Annadana’s founder trustee Sangita Sharma, a self contained organic farmer said "Through a dynamic agro-ecology knowledge model in practice in a 5 acre certified farm, we engage in intensive field-based research and offer hands-on training to farmers from across the country in integrated farming practises from soil regeneration to seed conservation”. The hard reality that farmers today are losing their age-old knowledge of seed saving techniques is also cause for serious concern. “Annadana's mission is to revive this ancient art and science of seed saving, restore the farmers' right to open pollinated heritage seeds and empower them to be debt-free. This, it regards as central to ensuring India’s national food security”.

We had visited Annadana on 13-14 October 2012 to learn and find more on seeds saving. The video show how we are being taught.

种子保存是不能忽略的工作

印度有机农业综合了印度本土，日本和澳洲等国家的有机种植技术，汇集为一，成为印度有机农业的特色。

感觉上，印度农民不像华人农民那么聪明，收成亦不成比例，但印度农民具有朴素诚实的优点，正好弥补了技术上的缺点，获得不菲的种植成绩。

这次考察有机农业，参加印度南部大城市—班加罗的Annadana种子保留技术课程。发现农业的进步，已经离开原点越来越远，越是搞先进科技，就离开原始和本体越远。即如转基因科学家所说，未来的食品和用品，甚至所有的东西，都是转基因的科技产品，但我们真的须要走到这个地步吗？还是，有人在愚弄我们呢？

Annadana发起人莎琪达指出，今天，在我们所有的食物中，除了是真正的有机食物，都有转基因的外来基因。例如老鼠、牛羊等动物、不同的鱼类、蟑螂、甲虫等让人闻之心惊的昆虫，如果宗教人士知道他们的食物拥有动物和昆虫的基因，他们能够吃得安心，活得开心吗？

转基因科技不只是一个宗教问题，也是涉及人体健康，未来人类的疾病学的复杂问题，如果我们今天不醒觉，怎样为我们的子孙，制造一片和平快乐的环境。没有快乐的日子，怎样会有好日子呢？…….

更多资料：http://www.annadana-india.org/

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.363012780448592.87309.251471561602715&type=3

太极拳功行无心

现代练习太极拳进入境界的人，也发现功夫是在于如何全面放松意念，将欲望完全清除，让真气自然的绵绵不绝，像无根的树，下体空荡荡的，却奇妙的开花结果。拳架应势而成，意到力到，心动意随，开合自然，每一个动作都是无为而为，不成而成。

我们相信，心正气也正，心里面平静，气血的运行也会更加畅顺。因此练习太极拳，不但要彻底空绝心志，也要去除平日的贪婪与欲望，才能够进入真正的太极境界。这也是老子教导世人，虚腹强志，无为立命的道德准则。做得到，不但可以强身，增加智慧，也可以确立个人修身养性的方向。因此一些气功师研究老子的哲学，也认为学气功应该知足知止，必须先去名利，再去知见和私欲，才能够精进练气，进入境界。至于导引术是否高明，在老子的这一套哲学里面，这些导引法都是残渣，多为无益，多欲多病。

视屏：万津县太极协会示范太极拳套路。

滨海区太极拳班的主席，也是滨海区菜农公会的主席。他就是洪国清先生了，一身兼任数个职位，是老当益壮。不过，他并不是很好的太极拳师，只是平日爱好太极拳，而被选中担任太极学会的主席，而不是教练或者导师。

谨此祝愿练习太极拳的朋友们，意念轻松，身体健康。