Agriculture and Food

How harmful is Genetic Engineering? Is relying on toxic chemicals the only way forward? Can 'business as usual' in agriculture provide food for the future?

Chemical-itensive agriculture is a problem that Greenpeace is campaigning to reduce. We work globally to promote food and agricultural techniques that are good for people and the planet.

The problem

These facts about our global food system demonstrate why we need to advocate for healthy food that is grown in harmony with the environment and is resilient to climate change:

Ten corporations control nearly 70% of the world's seed market, yet small-scale farmers produce the majority of the world’s food. Corporate control of agriculture means farmers have less choice.

Genetic Engineering does not feed the world. Over 99% of farmers around the world do not grow Genetically Engineered crops.

Industrial agriculture uses synthetic fertilizers and toxic chemicals that pollute vital water and soils.

Excessive use of synthetic fertilizers in industrial polluting agriculture contributes to climate change.

The solution 

We believe that ecological farming is the solution. In a nutshell, it refers to ensuring healthy farming and food for today and tomorrow, by protecting soil, water and climate, promoting biodiversity, and not contaminating the environment with chemical inputs or genetic engineering.

Some benefits of ecologic farming:

  • It keeps farming food production in the hands of farmers and away from corporate control.
  • Ecological farming helps cope with climate change.
  • Some 2.6 billion small-scale farmers already produce the majority of the world's food.
  • Ecological farming is proven to be more profitable for farmers in studies from Europe, Africa, Asia and America.

How you can help

Join the Truefood Network: Run by the Safe Food Foundation, the True Food Network is a growing community of everyday Australians, chefs, food experts, farmers and community groups uniting to protect our food from genetic engineering.

Get the facts: Read the latest updates from our expert bloggers working around the world for ecological farming.

The latest updates

 

No financial benefits from GM say Canadian farmers

Feature Story | 20 March, 2012 at 14:30

Last month farmers Peter Eggers and Matt Gehl from the Canadian National Farmers Union (NFU) visited farming communities around Australia to explain why Canada rejected genetically modified (GM) wheat in 2004. They spoke at farmer forums in NSW,...

CSIRO success: new non-GM salt tolerant wheat

Feature Story | 20 March, 2012 at 10:00

Last week CSIRO announced their success at breeding a new type of pasta wheat that can grow in saline soils. Not only is this a tremendous break-through for Australian farmers but the new wheat variety was created using safe conventional breeding...

Why Canadian farmers rejected GM wheat

Feature Story | 13 February, 2012 at 12:12

In 2004, farming and environmental groups in Canada combined their forces to make Monsanto withdraw its request to commercialise genetically modified (GM) wheat. The reason? No-one wanted to buy it.

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