Vandana Shiva x3

In this interview for CSSC Encounters, Dr. Vandana Shiva gives the history of her engagement and explains the situation we are in now, facing a new fascism as corporations and governments merge. Still, she is always using an optimistic tone, in spite of corporate grabs of our common heritage, the natural world — a world caught in a system where the ecology and the economy are fierce enemies, when they should have been best friends. How to reunite them? Vandana gives the answer, through true community!

I was also lucky to come across two more recent videos of Dr. Shiva from Eco Walk the Talk. Take your time to read their introduction article: Vandana Shiva: Traditional Knowledge, Biodiversity and Sustainable Living.

While Geoff’s main focus is upon the microbiological diversity of soil life, his female counterpart has her main focus upon the diversity of native seeds. Today these seeds and their properties are patented on a large scale, before being sold back to those they were stolen from by the GMO corporations.

I’ll let a quote from the article referred to above introduce both these videos:

In the following interview, she explains the work done at the organzation she founded in 1987 – Navdanya Biodiversity Conservation Farm and Bija Vidyapeeth, the research and training arm. She reiterates that ecological farming is pro-peace, pro-biodiversity, pro-culture and pro-livelihood for the poor. — Eco Walk the Talk

Here’s a recording in part, of a session by Dr Vandana Shiva at Navdanya, where she clearly explains four kinds of seeds – open pollination, green revolution varieties, hybrid varieties and GM seeds. This distinction is fundamentally important to understand the arguments against genetic engineering. She also describes how the cost of GM seeds and pesticide use soar astronomically, which are major factors behind the indebtedness and consequent suicide of farmers. (Kindly excuse the poor lighting conditions in the room, which is more than made up by Dr Shiva’s articulate discourse) — Eco Walk the Talk

Further reading:

• Navdanya.org
• Vandanashiva.org
• Time to End War Against the Earth
• The Failed Metaphysics Behind Private Property: Sharing our Commonhood. By James Bernard Quilligan. Kosmos Journal, May 2011
• Markets and Antimarkets in the World Economy
• Visioning County Food Production – Part Six
• Keepers of the seeds
• Three Major Reports
• The Original Green

This article is published at The Permaculture Research Institute of Australia on May 28, 2011. Also published at Energy Bulletin, USA, on May 31, 2011.