GMO Seed Refused in Haiti

While researching on the GMO Alfalfa Story, I found this story which is a little old, but still relevant. It goes like this: GMO Giant Monsanto offered to send 60,000 sacks (475 Tons) of seed to Haiti to help restore their farming practices; but Haiti is refusing the deal. Instead, they are choosing to burn them in protest.

Monsanto has a long history of “reaching out” to impoverished nations only to have farmers sign contracts they don’t understand and later, go bankrupt from trying to keep up with the purchase of new seeds (and don’t forget the RoundUp) every year as their terminal-gene technology provides sterile seeds. The donation to Haiti, Monsanto claimed, was not of GMO seed, rather hybrid varieties.

Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, the Executive Director of MPP stated that the donation of Monsanto’s seed is “a very strong attack on small agriculture, on farmers, on biodiversity, on Creole seeds, and on what is left our environment in Haiti.” He further added that the farmers of Haiti are familiar with their soil and without experience of the varieties that Monsanto is donating, may not know how to take care of these particular crops. But that could probably be overlooked if it wasn’t for the following:

According to GlobalResearch.ca

the “non-GMO” hybrid corn seeds Monsanto has donated to Haiti are treated with the fungicide Maxim XO, and the calypso tomato seeds are treated with thiram.[3] Thiram belongs to a highly toxic class of chemicals called ethylene bisdithiocarbamates (EBDCs). Results of tests of EBDCs on mice and rats caused concern to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which then ordered a special review. The EPA determined that EBDC-treated plants are so dangerous to agricultural workers that they must wear special protective clothing when handling them. Pesticides containing thiram must contain a special warning label, the EPA ruled. The EPA also barred marketing of the chemicals for many home garden products, because it assumes that most gardeners do not have adequately protective clothing.[4] Monsanto’s passing mention of thiram to Ministry of Agriculture officials in an email contained no explanation of the dangers, nor any offer of special clothing or training for those who will be farming with the toxic seeds.

Even if Monsanto was attempting to do a kind thing (let’s just forget for a moment the toxicity and pretend…), sending hybrid seeds is not a sustainable option. Hybrid seeds are not (that I know of) genetically modified; rather, they are crossed with their own species to inhabit certain characteristics that would benefit the crop overall. Hybrid seeds, when collected, are unstable in that the collector can’t know what trait the seed will carry. They’re fine for gardeners looking to try something interesting and new, but they’re not so great when a community is looking to build after a natural disaster. Haiti needs sustainable help, not an toxic handout that could potentially ruin what little quality soil they have left.

The best thing to offer Haiti is to find their original crops’ seeds and help them replenish because the farmers there know the soil for these specific crops. Asking them to try a new crop (even a sister crop) is like asking a Volvo mechanic to work on an Audi: It can probably be done, but it takes longer to work out the kinks, and what they don’t have right now is time.

Photo credit: globalresearch.ca

Share:

Author: `

3 thoughts on “GMO Seed Refused in Haiti

  1. Begin Quote:

    “Hybrid seeds are not (that I know of) genetically modified; rather, they are crossed with their own species to inhabit certain characteristics that would benefit the crop overall.”

    End Quote:

    Hybrid seeds are in fact Genetically Modified, and many have genes of fish and other plants merged in with their own, as well as the enhancement and addition of insecticides.

    The author of this article should do their homework.

  2. The problem of HYBRID seeds is a dangerous one.

    It isn’t as though they do not produce good crops or exceptional vegetables.

    The danger lies in the fact that the peasant cannot collect seeds, from his HYBRID crop to plant next season.

    In other words, the use of HYBRID seeds creates a dependence upon MONSANTO or any other HYBRID supplier.

    The peasant will have to buy seeds each season and – in the Haitian model – this is not a practical approach.

    The gift of seeds will see the peasant dependent upon Monsanto for seeds each season.

    What the peasant needs is a supply of HEIRLOOM seeds which produce seeds that can be harvested from season to season.

  3. There is nothing wrong with the generic modification of seeds, or the addition of pesticides, or whatever.

    The problem is found in the fact that seeds cannot be gathered as the crop ripens – to plant next cycle

    Forget all of the crazy talk about creating human deformities for those who eat vegetables from modified seeds, That is garbage.

Comments are closed.