Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Top 10 books on GM

More details on current issue of The Ecologist:

10 FAVOURITES ON GM

1.Jeffrey M. Smith, Seeds of DeceptionTotnes, Devon: Green Books, 2004An account of the GM foods scam that's as riveting as a thriller without compromising on the science.

2.Luke Anderson, Genetic Engineering, Food and Our Environment: A Brief GuideTotnes, Devon: Green Books, 1999The activist's handbook that's stood the test of time - comprehensive, concise and affordable!

3.Andrew Rowell, Don't Worry (It's Safe to Eat): The True Story of GM Food, BSE and Foot and MouthLondon: Earthscan, 2003Definitive accounts of the Pusztai and Chapela affairs from the journalist who broke the news of the dirty tricks campaigns designed to destroy these whistleblowers.

4.Aaron deGrassi, Genetically Modified Crops and Sustainable Poverty Alleviation in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Assessment of Current EvidenceAfrica: Third World Network Africa, 2003,
Damning report exposing the biotech industry's PR use of flagship projects in Africa - projects that are harming the interests of the very African farmers they're supposed to help.

5.Mae-Wan Ho, Living with the Fluid GenomeLondon: Institute of Science in Society, 2003A geneticist explains why genetic engineering cannot work, and tells of her own struggle against a corrupt scientific establishment. I have this book (a very interesting read).

6.George Monbiot, Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of BritainLondon: Macmillan, 2000
For the big picture, a scintillating expose of how corporations have gained control over Britain's schools, hospitals, universities and public assets - and are now consolidating control of the food chain through GM.

7.Helena Paul and Ricarda Steinbrecher, Hungry Corporations: Transnational Biotech Companies Colonise the Food ChainLondon and New York: Zed Books, 2003
A very well documented account of how a handful of multinational companies are using genetic engineering as a tool to control the world's food supply.


8.Devinder Sharma, GM Food and Hunger: a view from the South
New Delhi: Forum for Biotechnology & Food Security, 2004 (orders: dsharma@del6.vsnl.net.in)
A collection of Sharma's passionate essays exposing how the 'gene revolution', just like the Green Revolution, will bypass the hungry.

9.Andrew Rowell, Green Backlash: Global subversion of the environment movement
London and New York: routledge, 1996
Exposes how the multinationals, their PR flaks and right wing supporters work to nullify the critics. See this site (lobby.org) for more on how these actors impinge on GM and other contemporary debates.

THE STINKER
10.The Nuffield Reports: Genetically modified crops: the social and ethical issues, and, the use of genetically modified crops in developing countries
London: Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 1999 & 2004
The Nuffield reports have declared there is a moral imperative to make GM crops available to developing countries. The first report was characterised by George Monbiot as "perhaps the most asinine report on biotechnology ever written. The stain it leaves on the Nuffield Council's excellent reputation will last for years." The update is no better. Despite which, the Blair Government have repeatedly turned to the reports for support for their pro-GM position while ignoring the views and reports of the British Overseas Aid Group (BOAG) member organisations - Action Aid, CAFOD, Christian Aid, OXFAM and Save the Children. For more information, including how to obtain copies:http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=98
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