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A Call to Protect Food Systems from Genetic Extinction Technology: the Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives

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A Call to Protect Food Systems from Genetic Extinction Technology: the Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives A Call to Protect Food Systems from Genetic Extinction Technology: The Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene 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 pollution. 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 genes uncontrollably through wild and domesticated species. This could alter ecological systems and food webs, harm biodiversity 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 human rights 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 biotechnologies, 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 Navdanya International Centro Internazionale Crocevia IFOAM Asia Indigenous Environmental Network ActionAid International IFOAM Europe FIAN International International Center for Technology IFOAM North America La Via Campesina International Assessment Global Forest Coalition Action Group on Erosion, Technology and The Society for International Development (SID) Third World Network Concentration (ETC Group) (Canada) The ProTerra Foundation Forest Peoples Programme Alianza por la Biodiversidad en América Latina WeEffect IUF International (The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Focus on the Global South AgroEcology Fund Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ GRAIN Global Justice Ecology Project Associations) Groupe international d’études Heinrich Böll Foundation transdisciplinaires (GIET) 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, HOMEF Friends of the Earth Cameroon/ Centre Participatory Ecological Land Use (Nigeria) pour l’Environnement et le Développement Management (PELUM) Association Biowatch South Africa (South Africa) Friends of the Earth Ghana/ Environmental Plate-forme Régionale des Organisations PELUM Kenya (Kenya) Rights Action (ERA) Paysannes d’Afrique Centrale (PROPAC) Earth Life Africa (South Africa) Friends of the Earth Togo/ Les Amis de la Réseau Africain pour le Droit à Terre Togo l’Alimentation (RAPDA –Togo) African Center for Biodiversity- ACB (South Africa) Friends of the Earth Mozambique/ Justica Rural Women’s Assembly (RWA) Ambiental (JA!) Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa Tanzanian Alliance for Biodiversity (TABIO) (AFSA) Friends of the Earth Uganda/ NAPE Union Africaine des Consommateurs (UAC) (National Association of Professional African Biodiversity Network (ABN) World Neighbours Environmentalists) Association Ouest Africaine pour le Terre à Vie (Burkina Faso) Friends of the Earth Liberia/ Sustainable Développement de la Pêche Artisanale Development Institute (SDI) Maudesco/Friends of the Earth Mauritius (ADEPA) Friends of the Earth Sierra Leone Dajopen Waste Management Biodiversity and Biosafety Coalition of Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Kenya (BIBA) Groundwork/Friends of the Earth South Africa Biodiversity (ZAAB) Coalition pour la Protection du Patrimoine Banlieues Du Monde Mauritanie Génétique Africaine (COPAGEN) Lawyers’ Environmental Action Team (LEAT)/Friends of the Earth Tanzania ENDA-Pronat Comité Ouest Africain de Semences Paysannes (COASP) Guamina / Friends of the Earth Mali Femmes Environnement nature Entrepreneuriat Vert Comparing and Supporting Endogenous Groundswell West Africa (GWA) Development (COMPAS Africa) Institut Africain pour le Développement Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Economique et Social (INADES-Formation) Association Tunisienne Des Femmes Farmers Forum (ESAFF) Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Democrates (ATFD) Eastern and Southern African Pastoralists Committee (IPACC) World March of Women Tunisia Network Institut Panafricain pour la Citoyenneté, La Via Campesina Southern and Eastern Fahamu Africa les Consommateurs et le Développement Africa (LVC SEAf) (CICODEV Africa) Faith & Justice Network of the Mano River The Kenyan Peasants League (KPL) Basin (FJN) Jinkun (reseau National Pour Une Gestion CAUSE RURALE-asbl Durable Des Resources Génétiques Farm-Saved Seeds Network (FASSNET) Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement Fédération Agroécologique du Bénin (JVE International) (FAEB) La Via Campesina Africa (LVC Africa) Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in West Africa (FECCIWA) Network of Farmers’ and Agricultural Producers’ Organizations of West Africa Friends of the Earth Africa (FoEA) (ROPPA) Asia / Oceania Mothers Against Genetic Engineering- GE FREE NZ Taitokerau (New Zealand) Friends of the Earth Australia (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 Japan Pesticide Action Group WA (Australia) Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice NO! GMO Campaign (Japan) FoodWatch WA (Australia) (South Korea, Right Livelihood Award GM-Free India 2003) Gene Ethics (Australia) Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Environment Support Group (India) SEARICE - Southeast Asia Regional Agriculture (ASHA) (India) Initiatives for Community Empowerment Hazards Centre (Sanchal Foundation) (India) UBINIG (Bangladesh) Europe Biofuelwatch (United Kingdom) Save our Seeds (Germany) ELTE Nature Conservation Club (Hungary) Initiative for GE-free Seeds and Breeding GM Watch UK (United Kingdom) Friends of the Earth France/ les Amis de la (Germany) Pole-Risques (France) Terre Kultursaat e.V. (Germany) Sativa Rheinau AG (Switzerland) Friends of the Earth Bosnia and Herzegovina/ Centar za zivotnu sredinu Family Farmers Organization Germany ReinSaat KG (Austria) (Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Friends of the Earth Germany/ Bund für Forschung & Züchtung Dottenfelderhof Landwirtschaft (AbL) e.V.) (Germany) Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (‘Research & Breeding Dottenfelderhof’) (BUND) A Sud - Ecologia e Cooperazione ONLUS (Germany) (Italy) Corporate Europe Observatory Swiss Alliance for GE Free Agriculture Slow Food Deutschland (Germany) (Switzerland) Sciences Citoyennes (France) Foundation on Future Farming (Germany) We Effect (Sweden) Friends of the Earth Europe The Global Food and Agriculture Movement Says NO to Release of Gene Drives Europe (continued) Biodiversité échanges et diffusion Friends of the Earth Austria - GLOBAL 2000 SWISSAID d’expériences (BEDE) Bread for the World Schola Campesina Aps Foll’Avoine Bundesverband Naturkost Naturwaren (BNN) Eremurus Club, Russia Mouvement de l’Agriculture Bio-Dynamique e.V. National Association for Genetic Safety, Association for Farmers Rights Defense, Dachverband Kulturpflanzen- und Russia AFRD Nutztiervielfalt e.V. Ecological Club Tapan, Armenia Le Potazer de Villard GM Freeze Demeter e.V. (Germany) le réseau Solimence Agrar Koordination (Germany) ViAgroforestry Latin America Acción Ecológica (Ecuador) Biodiversidad BASE-IS, (Paraguay) Associação Brasileira
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