IFOAM Seeds Platform Joins as a Regeneration International Partner

The IFOAM Seeds Platform has partnered with Regeneration International to scale up a global movement toward seed sovereignty. Seeds are a critical component of truly regenerative systems. By joining forces, we shall be able to reach a vast network of people to bring a shift in benefit sharing of one of humanity’s most fundamental resources.

The genetic diversity of plants, animals, and other organisms human civilization has used over millennia for food and non-food purposes is vital to our well-being – but our biological heritage is at risk. Consolidation of seed sources under fewer and fewer large companies threatens the diversity of available varieties on the market and goes in the opposite direction to sustainability, fairness, and innovation. Utility patents on varieties limit the ability of breeders and farmers to save and improve varieties through their efforts.

The disruptively rapid development of new GMOs (e.g., gene-edited varieties) without adequate risk assessment, safety controls, or traceability threatens the purity of stocks and risks genetic pollution. False or unproven promises of the benefits of gene editing and other new genomic techniques threaten to dupe people into making uninformed choices and accepting potentially unsafe varieties.In response to these challenges, the IFOAM Seeds Platform has conceived a strategy to coordinate efforts to co-create a true alternative to the current dominant paradigm of multinational consolidation of genetic resources and wealth with the corresponding loss of biodiversity. We aim to build a distributed, diversified alternative that puts power and responsibility in many people’s hands, increases quality and diversity through safe and appropriate techniques, and shares benefits more equitably.

Learn More
 

High Court Decision on GM ‘bogus’ Drought Tolerant Maize – Significant Blow to Advancement of Environmental Law in GMO Decision Making

On 27 June 2023, Justice Tolmay handed down her judgement on the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)’s application to review the decisions of South Africa’s Executive Council (EC): Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Act, the GMO Appeal Board, and the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, which approved Monsanto/Bayer’s genetically modified (GM) drought-tolerant (DT) maize variety MON 86470 for commercial cultivation in South Africa (SA).

According to the ACB, these decision-making bodies merely rubber-stamped Monsanto’s application for authorisation, uncritically accepting its evidence that the GMO poses no threat to human health or the environment and ignoring the contrary expert evidence tendered by ACB’s experts.

In this regard, the ACB contends that the EC had failed to evaluate and engage critically with the lack of evidence of claimed drought tolerance, as well as the information furnished by Monsanto, and conduct a rigorous scientific assessment when it was under a legal duty to do so.

Learn More
 

Stories of Regeneration

Right under our feet, living soils enable us to regenerate ecosystems, replenish waterways, and draw down atmospheric carbon. In Canada, many farmers are implementing regenerative practices that allow them to increase resiliency on their farms as well as in our communities while protecting our planet and ensuring a healthy food system for all.

With Stories of Regeneration, our team is visiting farmers from across the country—listening to diverse voices, exploring changing landscapes, learning about different practices, connecting with local communities through 8 farm events, and producing educational content in the form of 10 short films, 10 podcast episodes, 6 webinars and 10 articles.

Join one or more of our pan-Canadian events from July until October 2023!

Learn more

Farmers’ Seeds: The Key to Agroecology

We’re thrilled to announce the final episode of ‘THE LAST SEED’ film, “Farmers’ Seeds: The Key to Agroecology.” This production is a result of a partnership between the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, Biowatch South Africa, and PELUM Tanzania.
This compelling documentary takes a deep dive into the world of farming, agriculture, and most importantly, the critical role of seeds. Through a diverse set of voices, including farmers, consumers, and agricultural experts, the film emphasizes the role of seeds as the basis of life and sustainable agriculture.

The film opens with a powerful quote, “They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.” encapsulating the resilience inherent in farmers’ seeds. The film underscores the importance of farmer-managed seed systems, highlighting their crucial role in sustainable, agroecological practices. It celebrates the resilience of these seeds that have nourished communities over generations. The film stresses that preserving indigenous seeds extends beyond ensuring a food supply—it also includes protecting our environment and maintaining a vital relationship between earth and its inhabitants.

One of the core messages conveyed throughout the film is the rejection of the colonization of African food policies, agricultural practices, and governance. Instead, the documentary proposes agroecology—a sustainable approach to farming that embraces farmer-managed seed systems. By empowering farmers to take control of their seeds, agroecology represents a departure from dependency on corporate entities.

A fundamental tenet of the film is the importance of diversity and how it can help us transition towards a more sustainable, agroecological approach. By encouraging farmers to experiment with diversifying their crops, we can increase the productivity of the entire farm, not just one crop.

Learn More