Rural farmers take a stand against Monsanto
Taking a stand against international heavyweight Monsanto, rural farmers in KZN are urging all communities to return to traditional methods of farming and seed saving.
THE fight against international heavyweight Monsanto and its intention to get all farmers growing genetically modified (GM) crops has hit northern KZN, its ripple effects spreading throughout rural communities.
Farmers from Mtubatuba, Mkhuze, Pongola and Ingwavuma called a press conference recently to spread their message of the need to return to traditional farming and seed saving methods.
Sophiwe Dlamini of Pongola spoke about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the extent to which they appear in our diets.
‘GMOs have cancer causing properties, are harmful to the environment and are present in our staple foods including mielie meal and soya beans,’ said Dlamini. ‘GMOs are produced in a laboratory and are not natural.’
Nomphilo Mkhabena of Ingwavuma discussed the art of seed saving and how important it is in ensuring communities grow and eat healthy, natural foods.
‘GM seeds are infertile, which means a farmer can plant only one crop and is forced to buy more GM seeds from Monsanto every year,’ said Mkhabena.
Apart from GM seeds being expensive, often putting farmers into debt, when traditional seeds are saved, the farmers know their origin and that they are natural.
Petros Makhanya spoke about agro-ecological farming and how this method, which includes seed saving, is beneficial to communities.
‘The seeds we save are strong because no chemicals are used to produce them and we can produce many good harvests without buying more seeds,’ said Makhanya.
Agro-ecological farming cuts out chemicals entirely, as fertiliser, homemade from only natural products, is used to grow crops and no pesticides are sprayed on crops.
This year’s March Against Monsanto, a worldwide event on 23 May, was introduced to the farmers by Nthombithini Ndwandwe of Mtubatuba who urged everybody against GMOs and their associated environmental and health risks, to take part in saying, ‘Down with GMOs’.
Farmers in Mtubatuba, Mkhuze, Pongola and Ingwavuma will participate in the march and urge all community members to join in.
