The eco-feminine tends to be subtle, dispersed all over and non-monetised. Like Nature, women and their offerings are externalised in the economic system. And exploited.
In India, Africa and many other countries, women have preserved and improved seed varieties in millions of homes and according to the FAO, “they use more plant diversity than agricultural scientists know about”.
Dr. Vandana Shiva writes about the amazing and unacknowledged contributions that women have made to food security, and how Monsanto and other ‘macho’ organisations are destroying biodiversity and disempowering women through GM crops.
(This article was written by Dr. Shiva in 2010. We have included it in this issue because it still is extremely relevant today when GM crops are being approved for release in India.)
As yet another example of the desperate ‘science’ of Monsanto, it is now being argued that genetically engineered Bt cotton – introduced in India in 1997 – has liberated Indian women. In a paper* authored by Arjunan Subramanian, Kerry Kirwan, David Pink and Matin Qaim, the argument is that the crop produces massive gains for women’s employment in India.
But this argument is false on many grounds.
Firstly, women have traditionally been seed keepers and seed breeders, which means that the knowledge and skills related to seed conservation and seed breeding have been women’s expertise. The seed economy was a women’s economy. As long as seed was in women’s hands, there was no debt and there were no suicides. Women have acted as custodians of the common genetic heritage through the shortage and preservation of grain.
Denne historien er fra April - September 2017-utgaven av Eternal Bhoomi.
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Denne historien er fra April - September 2017-utgaven av Eternal Bhoomi.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Sharing Economy: Capitalism's Last Stand?
Is the sharing economy the first part of a New Economic Paradigm or is it capitalism’s latest trick to survive at all costs? Arthur De Grave shares his views.
Embrace Nature by Climbing Trees
When was the last time you climbed a tree? Or have you ever climbed any tree in your life? Meet Verhaen Khanna, a young Delhi resident who connects people with the environment by teaching them how to climb trees, hug them, plant them and a lot.
Is There Life Before Death?
Living primarily in the future could make us psychologically “extinct” long before climate catastrophe does so biologically. It’s time to ask ourselves whether there is life before death, says Carolyn Baker.
Walking Is A Metaphor, As Well As An Act!
Satish Kumar walked over 4000 miles from India to UK and the US in the early 1960s. He still loves walking and says that thanks to walking he lacks no energy, enthusiasm or passion...
The Refugee Crisis
The world community will be facing an ever-increasing stream of refugees. Is it a sign of a Planet in trouble? asks David Korten, the famous author of “When Coporations Rule the World”.
The Growing Importance Of Eco - Feminism
The central tenet of Eco - Feminism is that social and environmental issues are not seperate and it is therefore best to view them collectively. Jessica Schmonsky writes about Eco-feminism - which she believes is a new term for ancient wisdom.
Women Tales From Tehri - Garhwal
Meenal Tatpati wrote this article because she was riveted by the fact that all the villages she travelled to in Uttarakhand had one particular thing in common. There were no men! There were only women of all ages, as they worked at home and on farms, tended cattle and looked after the family.
Piplantri Story
A powerful story of transformation of a village brought about by a systemic approach and a committed community.
Women: The Unsung Heroes Of The Environment
As we waver on the cusp of various global crises, the services women provide to environmental protection become more indispensable every day. Bianca Jagger traces the deep connections women have had with the Earth from time immemorial.
In Search Of A New Ethic To Live By
“Though a new term, it is embedded in ancient wisdom. Archeological evidence suggested that there were many ancient societies where women were not considered subordinate to men; where Earth was treated with respect and reverence and not as an object to exploite and dominate. ”
