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A Call to Protect Food Systems from Genetic Technology: The Global Food and Movement Says NO to Release of Drives

Gene drives are new tools that force genetically engineered traits through entire populations of insects, plants, animals and other organisms. This invasive technology represents a deliberate attempt to create a new form of genetic . Gene Drives may drive species to extinction and undermine sustainable and equitable food and agriculture. Gene drives threaten natural systems. If released experimentally into the environment they may spread engineered uncontrollably through wild and domesticated species. This could alter ecological systems and food webs, harm and eradicate beneficial organisms such as pollinators. Gene drives could disrupt lands, waters, food and fiber economies and harm Indigenous and peasant agroecological practices and cultures. Gene drives are being developed for use in agriculture. If applied, they may make farms even more genetically uniform and foreclose farmers’ rights, as enshrined, among others, in the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and other People Working in Rural Areas. Use of gene drives may further entrench a system of genetically-engineered industrial agriculture, extend agro-toxin use and concentrate corporate control over global food systems, undermining the food sovereignty of farmers, food workers and consumers. Gene drives hinder the realization of including rights to healthy, ecologically-produced and culturally appropriate food and nutrition.

We, the undersigned, call for a global moratorium on any release of engineered gene drives. This moratorium is necessary to affirm the precautionary principle, which is enshrined in international law, and to protect life on Earth as well as our food supply.

Letter continued on next page...

Organizational signatories include:

The Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives We urge governments to establish participatory We oppose current experiments to ‘test’ risky technology assessment processes and to respect transgenic organisms as a step towards future and fulfill the full free, prior and informed consent of release of gene drive organisms.1 Indigenous Peoples and other affected populations We commit ourselves to the protection of food for all emerging , including gene systems, cultures, ecosystems and the rights, drives - as enshrined in the UN Declaration on the livelihoods and food sovereignty of those who work Rights of Indigenous Peoples and other international in and depend on agriculture and food production. agreements. This is to protect our rights to preserve biodiversity and traditional knowledge.

Join the growing list of those opposing gene drives in agriculture. If your organization would like to sign on please email: [email protected] to add your or your organization’s name.

International and Regional Organizations IFOAM Organics International Heinrich Böll Foundation GRAIN IFOAM Asia Navdanya International Groupe international d’études transdisciplinaires (GIET) IFOAM Europe Indigenous Environmental Network Centro Internazionale Crocevia IFOAM North America FIAN International ActionAid International Global Forest Coalition La Via Campesina International International Center for Technology Third World Network Action Group on , Technology Assessment and Concentration (ETC Group) () Forest Peoples Programme The Society for International Alianza por la Biodiversidad en América IUF International (The International Development (SID) Latina Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, The ProTerra Foundation Restaurant, Catering, and Allied Focus on the Global South Workers’ Associations)

1 The multi-million dollar ‘Target Malaria’ project from London, UK is currently releasing non-gene drive transgenic mosquitoes in West Africa as a means to ‘test’ the regulatory systems for a future release of gene-drive equipped mosquitoes.

The Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives Africa Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Fellowship of Christian Councils and Jinkun (reseau National Pour Une HOMEF () Churches in West Africa (FECCIWA) Gestion Durable Des Resources Génétiques Biowatch (South Africa) Friends of the Earth Africa (FoEA) Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement PELUM (Kenya) Friends of the Earth Cameroon/ (JVE International) Centre pour l’Environnement et le Earth Life Africa (South Africa) Développement La Via Campesina Africa (LVC Africa) African Center for Biodiversity- ACB Friends of the Earth Ghana/ Network of Farmers’ and Agricultural (South Africa) Environmental Rights Action (ERA) Producers’ Organizations of West Africa Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (ROPPA) Friends of the Earth Togo/ Les Amis de (AFSA) la Terre Togo Participatory Ecological African Biodiversity Network (ABN) Management (PELUM) Association Friends of the Earth Mozambique/ Association Ouest Africaine pour le Justica Ambiental (JA!) Plate-forme Régionale des Organisations Développement de la Pêche Artisanale Paysannes d’Afrique Centrale (PROPAC) Friends of the Earth / NAPE (ADEPA) (National Association of Professional Réseau Africain pour le Droit à Biodiversity and Biosafety Coalition of Environmentalists) l’Alimentation (RAPDA –Togo) Kenya (BIBA) Friends of the Earth Liberia/ Sustainable Rural Women’s Assembly (RWA) Coalition pour la Protection du Development Institute (SDI) Tanzanian Alliance for Biodiversity Patrimoine Génétique Africaine Friends of the Earth Sierra Leone (TABIO) (COPAGEN) Groundwork/Friends of the Earth South Union Africaine des Consommateurs Comité Ouest Africain de Semences Africa (UAC) Paysannes (COASP) Lawyers’ Environmental Action Team World Neighbours Comparing and Supporting Endogenous (LEAT)/Friends of the Earth Tanzania Development (COMPAS Africa) Terre à Vie () Guamina / Friends of the Earth Mali Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Maudesco/Friends of the Earth Mauritius Farmers Forum (ESAFF) Groundswell West Africa (GWA) Dajopen Waste Management Eastern and Southern African Pastoralists Institut Africain pour le Développement Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Network Economique et Social (INADES- Biodiversity (ZAAB) Formation) Fahamu Africa Banlieues Du Monde Mauritanie Indigenous Peoples of Africa Faith & Justice Network of the Mano Coordinating Committee (IPACC) River Basin (FJN) Institut Panafricain pour la Citoyenneté, Farm-Saved Seeds Network (FASSNET) les Consommateurs et le Développement Fédération Agroécologique du Bénin (CICODEV Africa) (FAEB)

Asia / Oceania Mothers Against - GE FREE NZ Taitokerau () Friends of the Earth (Australia) MAdGE (Australia) GE FREE New Zealand (New Zealand) Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance GM-Free Australia Alliance (Australia) La Via Campesina-South Asia Consumers Union of Pesticide Action Group WA (Australia) Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice NO! GMO Campaign (Japan) FoodWatch WA (Australia) (, Right Livelihood Award GM-Free 2003) Gene Ethics (Australia) Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic SEARICE - Southeast Asia Regional Environment Support Group (India) Agriculture (ASHA) (India) Initiatives for Community Empowerment Hazards Centre (Sanchal Foundation) UBINIG () (India)

Europe Biofuelwatch () A Sud - Ecologia e Cooperazione ONLUS Pole-Risques () () Initiative for GE-free Seeds and Breeding Sativa Rheinau AG () () Slow Food Deutschland (Germany) ReinSaat KG () Kultursaat e.V. (Germany) Foundation on Future Farming (Germany) Forschung & Züchtung Dottenfelderhof Family Farmers Organization Germany Save our Seeds (Germany) (‘Research & Breeding Dottenfelderhof’) (Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche (Germany) GM Watch UK (United Kingdom) Landwirtschaft (AbL) e.V.) (Germany)

The Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives Europe (continued) Swiss Alliance for GE Free Agriculture Corporate Europe Observatory Le Potazer de Villard (Switzerland) Sciences Citoyennes (France) Demeter e.V. (Germany) We Effect () Friends of the Earth Europe Agrar Koordination (Germany) ELTE Nature Conservation Club () Biodiversité échanges et diffusion Friends of the Earth Austria - GLOBAL Friends of the Earth France/ les Amis de d’expériences (BEDE) 2000 la Terre Foll’Avoine Bread for the World Friends of the Earth Bosnia and Mouvement de l’Agriculture Bio- Bundesverband Naturkost Naturwaren Herzegovina/ Centar za zivotnu sredinu Dynamique (BNN) e.V. Friends of the Earth Germany/ Bund für Association for Farmers Rights Defense, Dachverband Kulturpflanzen- und Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland AFRD Nutztiervielfalt e.V. (BUND)

Latin America Acción Ecológica (Ecuador) Asociación Red de Coordinación en Instituto de Estudios Ecologistas, Biodiversidad (Ecuador) Associação Brasileira de Agroecologia (Brasil) Iniciativa Amotocodie () Instituto de Salud Socioambiental de la Facultad de Cs. Médicas, UNR, Via Organica () Heñoi (Paraguay) () CESTA Amigos de la Tierra El Salvador REDES-AT, REDES-Amigos de la Tierra BASE-IS, (Paraguay) (El Salvador) (Uruguay) Agricultura Familiar Centro Ecológico ()

North America Hawai’i SEED (US) Vigilance OGM (Canada) National Family Farm Coalition (US) Non-GMO Project (US) Fair World Project (US) Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners (MOFGA) (US) Nature’s Path Food Inc. (US) Friends of the Earth US Next7 (US) Natural Grocers (US) Dr. Bronner’s (US) Food Secure Canada (Canada) Organic Seed Alliance (US) Sustainable Agriculture of Louisville (US) Canadian Action Network National Farmers Union (Canada) Urban Tilth (US) (CBAN) Farm Aid (US) Insitute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Family Farm Defenders (US) (IATP) (US) RAFI USA (US) The Land Institute USC Canada (Canada) Community Alliance for Global Justice The Oakland Institute (US) Movement Generation (US) Pesticide Action Network North America BioScience Resource Project (US) The National Organic Coalition (US) InterPares (Canada) Food Integrity Now (US) HEAL Food Alliance (US) Center for Food Safety (US) Moms Across America (US) Food and Water Watch (US) Sierra Club (USA) Nutiva (US) Northeast Organic Farmers Association: New Jersey / Vermont / Inter State Eden Foods’ (USA) Organics Consumer Association (US) Council / Connecticut / Massachusetts / Merville Against GDO (Canada) Canada Organic Trade Association and New Hampshire (US) (Canada) GMO Free Florida (USA)

Individual signatories so far Navdanya International, Bob Scowcroft Co-founder, Executive Geneticist, Environmentalist Activist, Scholar, Author, Right Livelihood Director, Research and Broadcaster laureate (1993) Foundation (retired) Claire Hope Cummings Writer, Caroline Lucas Member of Parliament Nell Newman President, Nell Newman Broadcaster, Environmental Lawyer , United Kingdom Foundation Anna Lappé Co-founder Small Planet Hilal Elver United Nations Special Tom Goldtooth Executive Director, Institute, Real Food Media Rapporteur on the Right to Food (current) Indigenous Environmental Network Severine Von Tscharner Fleming Founder, Jean Ziegler United Nations Special Thuli Makama Swaziland, 2010 Recipient Greenhorns Rapporteur on the Right to Food (2000- Goldman Environmental Prize Lauren Baker Professor, University of 2008), Vice-president of the Advisory Chee Yoke Ling Director, Third World Toronto Committee to the United Nations Human Network Rights Council

The Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives Individual signatories so far (continued) Raj Patel Writer, Activist, Academic, IPES- Annelis Allain for IBFAN (international), Beth Burrows Retired President/Director, Food panel member Right Livelihood Award 1998 Edmonds Institute Ocean Robbins Co-founder and CEO, Martin Almada (Paraguay), Right Didi Pershouse Soil Carbon Coalition, Food Revolution Network Livelihood Award 2002 Founder, Center for Sustainable Medicine John Robbins Author, Founder EarthSave Dipal Barua (Bangladesh), Grameen Aruna Rodrigues Sunray Harvesters Shakti, Right Livelihood Award 2007 Million Belay Coordinator, Alliance for Uma Shankari Naren Author and activist Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), IPES- Ruchama Marton (), Physicians for Suma Josson Documentary film maker Food panel member Human Rights, Right Livelihood Award 2010 Bart Staes European Member of Nicolas Bricas Senior Scientist at CIRAD, Parliament, /European Free IPES-Food panel member Shrikrishna Upadhyay / SAPPROS Alliance (), Right Livelihood Award 2010 Hans Herren Millennium Institute, World Maria José Guazzelli Co-director Centro Food Prize winner (1995), Right Livelihood Martín von Hildebrand COAMA, Right Ecológico, Brasil laureate (2013), IPES-Food panel member Livelihood Award 1999 Simone Lovera Executive Director Global Steve Gliessman Founding Director of Wes Jackson (USA), Right Livelihood Forest Coalition, Paraguay the University of California Santa Cruz, Award 2000 Agroecology Program, IPES-Food panel Leonardo Melgarejo Vice-president of the Erik Damman / The Future in our Hands member Associação Brasileira de Agroecologia, Right Livelihood Award Laureate 1982 Região Sul, Brasil Pat Mooney Co-Founder ETC Group, David Bronner CEO, Dr. Bronner Right Livelihood Award laureate (1985), Miguel Lovera Author, former Director of IPES-Food panel member Wenonah Hauter Executive Director, Food National Seed Institute, Paraguay and Water Watch, Author Olivier de Schutter United Nations Pablo Galeano Facultad de Química, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Thierry Kesteloot Policy Advisor, Oxfam UDELAR, Uruguay Belgium (2008-2014), Co-chair IPES-Food Marielle Director BASE-IS, Paraguay Gustavo Esteva Founder, Universidad de Lim Li Ching Senior Researcher ,Third María Fernanda Vallejo Researcher la Tierra (Uniterra) World Network, IPES-Food panel member agroecological systems, Ecuador Maurizio Farhan Ferrari Biodiversity Phil Howard Author, IPES-Food panel Barbara Unmüßig President, Heinrich Böll Policy Advisor, Forest Peoples Programme member Foundation Karin Nansen Chair, Friends of the Earth Jennifer Franco Transnational Institute, Henk Hobbelink Co-founder GRAIN IPES-Food panel member International Mariann Bassey Chairperson, Alliance for Silvia Rodríguez Emeritus Professor, Yan Hairong Polytechnic Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) University, IPES-Food panel member Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica Pete Shanks Writer and Activist Joji Carino Forest Peoples Programme, Damián Verzeñassi Director of the IPES-Food panel member Institute of Social and Environmental François Warlop Agronomist Health, Universidad del Rosario, Argentina Will Allen Farmer, Activist Vincent Delobel Member Generation T Emmanuel Gónzalez-Ortega Doctor Jose “Pepe” Esquinas Professor, Former Didier Meunier Membre du réseau des of Biotechnology, Biosecurity, National Secretary, Secretariat of the International agroécologistes sans frontière Institute of Ecology and Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources, and Union of Scientists Committed to Nori Ignacio Executive Director, SEARICE Former Secretary of FAO’s Commission on Society (UCCS) Genetic Resources Devon G. Peña, Ph.D. President and Elizabetta Recine Coordinator of the Founder, The Acequia Institute. Ida Kuklina (), The Committee Observatory of Food Security and of Soldiers’ Mothers of Russia, Right Nadia El Hage Senior Officer, Organic Nutrition Policy- Universidade de Brasília Livelihood Award 1996 Agriculture Programme (FAO) Rubens Nodari Professor, Universidad Swami Agnivesh (India), Right Livelihood Jean-Paul Sikeli Executive Secratary Santa Catarina, Brazil Award 2004 COPAGEN Juliette Majot Executive Director, Institute Angie Zelter (UK), Right Livelihood Martin Häusling Memeber of the for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) Award 2001 European Parliment Jaime E. García González, sc.agr. Nnimmo Bassey (Nigeria), Right Rosemary Mason Profesor, Catedrático de la Universidad Livelihood Award 2010 Estatal a Distancia (UNED) y de la Veronica Rudio Executive Director Anwar Fazal (), Right Livelihood Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) ProTerra Foundation Award 1982 Elizabeth Bravo Founding member, Manfred Max Neef (), Right Acción Ecológica, Senior Fellow, Oakland Livelihood Award 1983 Insitute, Instituto de Estudios Ecologistas Zafrullah Chowdhury (India), Right Brian Baker President, IFOAM North Livelihood Award 1992 America Raul Montenegro (Argentina), Right Andrew Mushita Executive Director, Livelihood Award 2004 Community Technology Development Trust ()

The Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives