Agriculture

Fertlilsers caused this toxic blue-green algal bloom in Chao Lake,Anhui province. June 2008.

The industrialisation of agriculture is poisoning the planet.

It is making our drinking water toxic and killing wildlife, plants and even livestock.

Farmers across the globe have come to rely on vast quantities of chemical pesticides and fertilisers. Some have even started using genetically-engineered crops.

The science of taking genes from one species and inserting them into another was supposed to be a giant leap forward, but instead they pose a serious threat to biodiversity and our own health.

Greenpeace wants to stop this madness.

We believe that governments should put money into encouraging ecological agriculture which does not harm the environment, produces clean, healthy food and is better able to deal with changes wrought by climate change.

Toxic Farming, Toxic Food

The situation in China is one of the world’s worst.

China is now the biggest user of fertilisers and pesticides.

China is the world's biggest user of pestiides. In 2005 alone, about 1.5 million tonnes was spread over the country's fields. And the use just keeps on growing.

In 2007, China used more than 50 million tonnes of chemical fertilisers, yet crops can only absorb about 25% to 35% of this.

The rest leaks into the environment and along with the vast amount of pesticides used pollutes China’s water sources including rivers, lakes and groundwater.

Every year big lakes like Taihu and Chaohu become choked with poisonous blue-green algae because of fertiliser pollution.

Dead zones -- huge areas devoid of marine life -- are now common along China’s Pearl River and Yangtse River deltas.

China and GE food

Although only GE cotton and GE papaya (in Guangdong province) are grown commercially, China is the biggest government investor into GE crops.

We are concerned that China may become the first country in the world to allow GE rice to be grown commercially.

Last year the State Council announced it would invest 20 billion yuan over the next few years into GE research and development.

Meanwhile, eco-farming, so far, is only practiced in isolated patches.

Greenpeace is the leading non-governmental organisation in China pushing for stronger policies for eco-farming.

•We are lobbying the government to put money into supporting eco-agriculture and to stop intensive chemical farming.

•We are urging the government not to approve GE rice and other GE crops.

•We are working with scientists and conducting our own investigations to reveal the problems of chemical and GE farming and the feasibility of eco-farming solutions.

•We tell consumers about the risks of eating GE and intensively farmed food and are campaigning for supermarkets to respect their cusomers demand for safe food.