Side Event

Dysfunctional Philanthropy: African Responses to the Gates Foundation's "Green Revolution in Africa"

Organizer
Washington Biotechnology Action Council (lead) African Centre for Biosafety

Date and Time
12 October 2010 13:15 - 14:45

Meeting
Fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (BS COP MOP 5)

Northern foundations have mounted aggressive programs to influence the evolution of African agricultural practices, including the substantial promotion of the planting of GMOs. These actions are congruent with the agendas of some governments and corporations. Many African civil society organizations, farmers' co-ops, environmental conservation associations, agricultural schools, etc. object strongly to these interventions. A community organization in Seattle (where Gates and its "AGRA" program have headquarters) has been working for several years with African and other US organizations to promote sustainable agroecological practices instead--to re-establish African control of the continent's agriculture, demand transparency and accountability of the foundations, and strengthen grassroots organizations. A case study from Kenya will be analyzed within this framework.