LET NATURE'S HARVEST CONTINUE

'Advertisement'

You probably know of our enterprise. Between us, we produce most of the world's food-the wheat, rice, maize, cassava, sorghum, vegetables and fruits that sustain life. In some ways we are the world's first scientists. Based on our rich experience of growing food, we and our ancestors have-for centuries-experimented in our fields to develop farming systems and crop varieties that yield more and can resist pests and disease. And we've continued nature's harvest, mostly without pesticides.

But our enterprise is under threat. Large multinationals have developed genetically modified food crops. No one knows how safe these are to eat. No one knows what they might do to the environment. Once released, there would be no recalling them, no second chances. We're concerned that our crops could be contaminated, and our harvests badly affected.

One multinational has also developed seeds which only germinate for one season. This would mean we have to buy new seeds each year. And this is something they have no right to impose on us.

We know the world has too many hungry people. Many of us would grow more if we had secure tenure of our land. Millions go hungry because they are too poor to buy food. It's overcoming poverty that will end hunger, not genetic engineering. It's farmers who feed the hungry, and we want to feed more. One thing's for sure-we can't feed anyone if big brother puts us out of business.

The world's 1,400 million small-scale farmers

Safe food - for you and the environment. Under threat from big brother

We don't have a web-site Most of us have never made a telephone call.
We just concentrate on what we do best.

Monsanto is spending £1 million in the UK alone to advertise GM products. Its advertisements invite public debate. But concerned groups, farmers, scientists and the public cannot respond in kind. This ad may be freely reproduced.

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 41, September 1998, page 4]