Hunger and Poverty - Protect the Land, Seeds and Water

Communities around the world lose millions of acres of farmland every year through land grabs by governments and corporations. The world’s precious supply of fresh water is increasingly being privatized. Much of the world’s agro biodiversity is threatened as corporations patent life forms and increasingly control the world’s seed supply.
~ from Ten Things to Reduce Hunger and Provide Good Food For All in The Nation ~

As I mentioned previously -- in relation to some of the aspects noted above -- war over dwindling resources is a REAL concern. If you think the US (and to a lesser extent, European) quest for diminishing oil reserves is bad now, imagine what the world could look like if the battles become for arable land or potable water. Long time allies could quickly turn into bitter foes.

While the specter of all-out war should not leave our minds, the aspect that worries me far more is the commodification of seeds. I've previously shared 15 posts on GMOs and each one conjures up a scary picture! If corporate agribusiness has its way, in another generation or two, we may find ourselves in a situation in which all major foodstuffs have been irrevocably compromised. Once that happens, war won't matter that much as we find we have poisoned that which we cannot live without.

If it comes to that, then hunger and poverty might lose their substantive meanings because being hungry and poor will become part and parcel of everybody's life!

To read the introduction to this mini-series, go here.