GM plants

Any of the genetically engineered (GE) crops which are already being grown on a commercial scale contain genes which are resistant to antibiotics used for the treatment of diseases in both humans and animals. These genes are unnecessary to the development of the GE plants themselves and could severely undermine the effective treatment of diseases if the antibiotic resistance is transferred to bacteria which are harmful to human and animal health.

Genetic scientists are altering life itself - artificially modifying genes to produce plants and animals which could never have evolved naturally. The products of their labours are already present in the food we eat and the fields around us, even though little is known about the long term effects on human health and the environment.

The risks are enormous and the consequences potentially catastrophic, and yet the new technology is being rapidly introduced into every aspect of our lives with little regard for safety.

Centres of diversity are places where the special interrelation between our crop plants and their wild relatives is still apparent. In such places, tens of thousands of varieties of rice, potato, maize, or other food staples are still grown and used by local people. Centres of diversity are the basis not only for food security, but also for cultural traditions.