The Second Green Revolution for Africa and the 7th World Social Forum Response
The seventh annual World Social Forum (WSF) in Nairobi, Kenya in January 2007 brought thousands of delegates from both the global North and South together to discuss the mounting problems affecting the poor and marginalized in the 'globalized' world. Sessions ranged from HIV/AIDS to food security and sovereignty; from global trade to agrarian movements, and a host of other pressing social justice issues.
Still the Achilles heel for Africa, food insecurity and hunger, took center stage at this year's WSF. On day two of the Forum, the world-famous activist-researcher, Dr.Vandana Shiva, gave an emotional and eloquent presentation on the Green Revolution in India and its disastrous effects on the environment, human lives, and farm communities.
Following Dr.Shiva's talk, the issue of the “New Green Revolution for Africa” recently funded by the Gates and the Rockefeller Foundations was discussed and debated by delegates. Food First’s Policy Brief entitled Ten Reasons Why the Rockefeller and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations’ Alliance for Another Green Revolution Will Not Solve the Problems of Poverty and Hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa was distributed to many participants.
Day Four of the Forum took place under the theme “The New Politics of Food in Africa: Gates Foundation, the Second Green Revolution and the Role of International Institutions.” Food First’s “10 Reasons” spiced up this debate and attracted a large crowd.
The presentation was led by Pat Roy Mooney, Executive Director of the Action Group on Erosion, Technology, and Concentration (ETC) based in Ottawa, Canada; and co-facilitated by Ethiopian scholar, Mulugeta L Handino, representing Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy in Oakland, CA. Mooney gave an overview of the historical and political aspects of the first Green Revolution. He then described the new Green Revolution plan for establishing biotechnology laboratories and research centers in Kenya. This is a multi-million dollar undertaking, aimed at developing genetically engineered food crops for Africa, and proposed by the multinational biotech companies. Mooney warned the audience against the dangers of a biotech “fix” for Africa’s food shortages.
The session continued with Handino presenting The 10 Reasons Why the New Green Revolution Will Not Solve Africa’s problems of poverty and hunger. He showed how the Green Revolution did not “bypass” Africa, as is claimed by the AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa) proponents. In fact, Handino said, the technological changes grouped under the name “Green Revolution” have been underway for years in Ethiopia and other parts of Africa, and have utterly failed to solve hunger, malnutrition, or poverty.
After these presentations, the floor was opened to debate, discussion, and proposals for action against the AGRA plan.
Lawrence Sismka is a representative of PELUM, a regional network of 160 civil society organizations in East, Central and Southern Africa working towards sustainable agriculture, food security, and community development in that region. Sismka proposed:
“We should not totally refuse the initiative of the Gates Foundation in offering an intervention for Africa’s food shortages. We should rather make an effort to promote talks between the foundations, African farmer-led organizations, and civil society to share the thoughts and priorities of farmers, as the food effort belongs to them. There are great examples of farmer-led alternative development initiatives which are environmentally sound and sustainable, and need to be supported and encouraged.”
Mrs. Sarah Mujuri of a small indigenous non-governmental organization (NGO) called Volunteer Efforts for Development Concerns (VEDCO) Uganda offered her perspective on the shortcomings of the proposed Green Revolution. “If the Bill Gates and Rockefeller Foundations are going to introduce this plan, it is going to have a heavy consequence on the environment and the indigenous seed preserving culture of farmers, and also possible social costs.” Mujuri concluded by suggesting that delegates should mount a persistent campaign against the plan and say no to the Green Revolution.
Another representative from the African Biodiversity Network (ABN) announced that his organization is preparing a position paper against the plan that will be presented to the members of AGRA. Finally, the participants discussed strategies for a way forward on addressing the proposed new Green Revolution. These are:
•Develop a letter by the ABN and other organizations coming out against the AGRA plan
•Write a position paper and present it at the Via Campesina conference in Bamako, Mali in February 2007
•Develop a position and campaign paper and present at the G8 Summit in June 2007 in Germany
•Collaborate and work in solidarity with research institutes in the Global North such as Food First and others who work in food security, sovereignty, and farmers' movements.
Read the final letter-statement titled “Africa's Wealth of Seed Diversity and Farmer Knowledge Under threat from the Gates/ Rockefeller "Green Revolution" initiative” which is a statement signed by 70 African organizations from 12 African countries at the World Social Forum 2007. http://www.foodfirst.org/node/1610
