Landraces varieties of Mexican maize, Oaxaca, Mexico.
In September 2001 the Mexican government announced that scientists haddiscovered contamination of indigenous varieties of maize withgenetically engineered (GE) varieties. The likely source of thecontamination is imported maize from the US.
The contamination was found in 15 out of 22 communities in the stateof Oaxaca in Mexico, one of the world's centres of origin and diversityof maize. Indigenous and local communities in Oaxaca were horrified,and non-governmental environmental organizations in Mexico started acampaign to bring the contamination to the attention of the world.
One of the first things they did was to request the environmentalbody of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the NAFTACommission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), to look into thematter. The CEC began a process to investigate the contamination;possible impacts on human health, communities, and the environment; andeventually to provide recommendations to the three NAFTA governments onhow to address the contamination.
The CEC established an advisory group to develop recommendations forthe governments. It also commissioned a series of studies to providemore information on which to make recommendations. The studies werepresented to the public during a meeting in Oaxaca, Mexico in March2004. The public spoke back - indigenous groups, local communities, andenvironmental organizations in Oaxaca presented the CEC with amanifesto "Defend our maize, guard our life," declaring "in ourterritories there will be no transgenics."
There are hundreds of local and wild varieties of Mexican maize.Loss of these varieties puts the world's food security at risk sincefarmers around the world rely on these genetic resources to create newvarieties adapted to changing environmental conditions.
Conclusions from the CEC Mexican Maize report (unoffical English translation)
The CEC report on GE maize contamination in Mexico (Spanish)
Confidential comments from US and Canadian governments on the CEC report.
Further reading:
Mexican Maize: the Truth
The CEC's scientific findings on Maize contamination in Mexico
CEC website
JPAC letter to the CEC council of ministers
Oaxaca Manifesto presented by the local farming and indigenous groups
Maize Under Threat - GE Maize Contamination in Mexico
The CEC advisory group - who are they?
History of the CEC report on Mexican maize