New GM Law Threatens Iraq’s Wheat Heritage

[nosmokes]

original

New GM Law Threatens Iraq’s Wheat Heritage

The GMO Report Volume 6 Issue One
January 2006

www.non-gmoreport.com

A new law authorizing the introduction of genetically modified crops in Iraq threatens to destroy the country’s wheat heritage and diversity and ruin its indigenous agricultural practices, say critics of the law.

“Introducing transgenic wheat means replacing this diversity and leaving it to extinction,” warned Nagib Nassar, a professor of genetics at the Universidade de Brasilia. “It will be replaced by a monoculture with a very narrow genetic base. This is a problem. This will be a catastrophe.”

Order 81, issued in 2004 by Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator L. Paul Bremer, authorizes the introduction of GM crops and gives intellectual property
rights to the developers of new GM seeds. The order makes it illegal for Iraqi
farmers to reuse seed from any crops planted using a GM seed variety, and forces
farmers who use GM varieties to buy new seed every year.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) GRAIN and Focus on the Global South say Order 81 is intended to turn Iraqi farmers into cash crop producers. The NGOs fear that Iraq’s ancient agricultural practices will be lost as farmers are encouraged to replace their
old seeds in favor of new, patented crop varieties requiring heavy doses of fertilizer
and pesticide.

Since the US-led invasion, Iraq’s agricultural system has been stressed to the breaking
point. While 5 million acres of wheat were under cultivation in Iraq before the invasion,
only 1 million are being farmed today.
(SOURCE: The Scientist)
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complete articlehere

[OneBlueSky]

1. of all the atrocities the US is inflicting on Iraq . . .

this may well be the most odious . . .

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. This is NOT NEW

I learned about this atrocity 2 years ago here on DU.

My God, there is SO MUCH to keep track of.

[htuttle]

3. WTF, do the Iraqis think they INVENTED agriculture or something?

Oh, wait a minute...

[MountainLaurel]

6. Bwaaaahaaa!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[louis-t]

4. Thank you, I was searching for the "Order" the other day

couldn't find it. I did not know this "Order" only refers to genetically modified grain (which Iraqi farmers will no doubt be forced to use to increase productivity).

[Al-CIAda]

5. Yes 2 years ago...Monsanto. This scheme is pure evil, which is why

Chavez has kicked them out of Venezuala, and has established the worlds largest non-patented seed bank.