Seeds of Suicide The Ecological and Human Costs of Seed Monopolies and Globalisation of Agriculture Dr Vandana Shiva, Kunwar Jalees Navdanya A-60, Hauz Khas, New Delhi – 110 016, INDIA Tel : 2653 5422; 2696 8077; 2656 1868 Fax : 2685 6795; 2696 2589 e-mail:
[email protected] [email protected] URL : http://www.navdanya.org i Seeds of Suicide : The Ecological and Human Costs of Seed Monopolies and Globalisation of Agriculture © Navdanya First edition : December 1998 Second edition : December 2000 Revised Third edition : January 2002 Revised Fourth edition : May 2006 Author: Vandana Shiva, Kunwar Jalees Published by : Navdanya A-60, Hauz Khas New Delhi - 110 016, India Tel: 91-11-2696 8077, 2685 3772 Fax: 91-11-2685 6795 E-mail:
[email protected] Website: www.vshiva.net Cover Design : Systems Vision Printed by : Systems Vision A-199 Okhla Ph-I, New Delhi - 110 020 Ph.: 2681 1195, 2681 1841 ii Dedicated to the Farmers of India who committed suicide, with a hope for a farming future which is suicide free. iii iv Contents Introduction Seeds of Suicides ............................................................................ vii The Changing Nature of Seed From Public Resource to Private Property .......................... 1 1. Diverse Seeds for Diversity ......................................................... 1 2. The Decline of the Public Sector ............................................... 3 3. The Privatisation of the Seed Sector .......................................... 7 4. Big Companies Getting Bigger...................................................