Open Letter To Joyonline On The NPP Monsanto Manifesto

Dear Web-Administrator,
We know your editorial line on this issue since your company was hailed at the AGRF in Arusha. We will be surprised if you publish this. However, the information here is for your own benefit, even if you choose to deny the reading public from seeing it.

We are not amused that you website refused to publish our feature article, NPP Manifesto on Agriculture is Bogus and Fraudulent! [See: http://www.panafricanistinternational.org/?p=1832]

We shall go public if this comment is censored, and expose your organisation to the light of enlightened public opinion. As a back-up, we are sharing this page on our Facebook, together with our comments.

So where is the Manifesto, and what is it saying on Monsanto's Roundup, and the GM technology the NPP is threatening in their Manifesto 2012 to inundate our four bread basket regions with genetically modified organisms?

Our views on the importance and the urgency of this issue has not changed. As we stated in our Open Letter to the CPP:

Dear Chairperson,
We want to know the CPP position on the threats to introduce GMOs into our food chain as indicated in the NPP Manifesto 2012: Please read for more details: NPP Manifesto on Agriculture is Bogus and Fraudulent!http://www.panafricanistinternational.org/?p=1832

As a petition calling for the dismantling of Monsanto explains:

"Why this is important: Monsanto's pesticides kill bees, disrupt ecosystems, pollute rivers and groundwater and are the source of a number of cancers and malformations. It has been scientifically proven (see photo) that GMOs are responsible for the development of cancer."http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Petition_pour_labolition_de_Monsanto/

The Petition is no doubt, referring to the recent publication of the first peer-reviewed long term study of the toxicity of Monsanto's Roundup herbicide and a Roundup tolerant genetically modified maize, which shows that corn from Monsanto's improved seeds causes tumours, organ damage, and pre-mature death!

That is why this is a big deal! Naturally, we have already asked the NPP "to clarify the nature of the agricultural mandate they plan to execute, if voted into power, as stated in their Manifesto for Election 2012, Chapter Three: Section 7. Modernizing Our Agriculture and Ensuring Food Security." The claims in its 2012 Manifesto, as their plans for Ghana's agriculture must ring alarm bells: NPP's "Improved seeds" allow neo-colonial takeover of Ghana's agriculture! Is the NPP asking for the mandate of Ghanaians to introduce Genetically Modified seeds into our food chain? That is the question!

Here is an excerpt from the relevant section in their Manifesto 2012, Chapter Three: Section 7. Modernizing Our Agriculture and Ensuring Food Security:

“Agriculture is considered to be an anchor of Ghana's economy, and is estimated to creating value of approximately 14.2 billion dollars (roughly 23.9% of the 20141 GDP) and employs approximately, 4.6 million 56% of the workforce. However, the sector lacks sophistication and is dominated by subsistence farmers. Approximatively, three million small-holder farmers with average far sizes between 0,5-2 hectares currently produce 95% of the country's food crops. Further, as indicated by the Ministry of Agriculture and AGRA. Ghana faces increasing food security challenges in the near future. This is due to the pervasively fragmented value chain, inefficiency, and obsolete farming techniques and equipment in the sector.

Our total agricultural land is 13.6 million hectares, however only 7.3 million hectares are under cultivation with less than 35, 000 under irrigation as at 2010.

"Modernizing agriculture is fundamental to our programme of transformation and Ghana needs a breakthrough in agriculture to achieve self-sufficiency in in our food supply, particularly in grains, fish, and meat. Currently, we are only achieving 30% of our rice needs for example, while we have the potential to be 75% self-sufficient. Our farmers are significantly strained by a number of transversal interventions such as expensive and unavailable inputs, poor infrastructure, expensive financing, obsolete techniques and equipment and poor policy support. For example fertilizer usage in Ghana is only eight kilograms per hectare as compared to 20 kilograms per hectare in Asia. Less than 50% of farmers use fertilizers and when available, it is at high cost. Improved seeds are generally not available and are also at a high cost. Farm roads are bad and credit is too expensive when available. [Full Document]: NPP launches 2012 Manifesto | General News › 2012-08-29, www.ghanaweb.com.http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=248958

For those unaware of the significance of the words “improved seeds” and “AGRA” on the same page talking about the “modernization of agriculture”, you could be excused if that does not raise an alarm. AGRA means "Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)", - "a widely hailed U.S. philanthropic effort backed by major foundations, has pushed the promotion of a technology-based agricultural revolution to the forefront of policy debate for the continent. Launched in September 2006 as a joint initiative between the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, AGRA expands on the Rockefeller Foundation's Green Revolution in Africa Initiative. Founded with an initial commitment of $100 million from the Gates Foundation and another $50 million from the Rockefeller Foundation, today AGRA is the biggest grantee of the Gates Foundation. With over $262 million committed, AGRA is poised to become one of the main institutional vehicles for changing African agriculture."

It has been noted that “The appointment of key staff at the Gates Foundation is also indicative of the direction that AGRA intends to steer agriculture in Africa. In 2006, the Gates Foundation appointed Dr. Robert Horsch as the Senior Program Officer in the Global Development Program, which directly supervises the AGRA initiative. Horsch came to the foundation after 25 years on the staff of the Monsanto Corporation, one of the world's biggest biotechnology multinationals and one of the most aggressive promoters of GM crops.

At Monsanto, Horsch was the Vice-President for Product and Technology Cooperation, later Vice-President for International Development Partnership, and also a member of the team that developed Monsanto's YieldGard, Boll-Gard, and RoundUp Ready technologies." See:http://oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/voicesfromafrica_full_0.pdf]

Furthermore, it has to be clear to all that we must not only depend upon the good reputation of Mr. Kofi Annan alone in making life and death decisions of far reaching consequences. Indeed, as commented upon at the time by Voices From Africa:

"The appointment of Kofi Annan as AGRA's chairman was a strategic decision that the Gates Foundation made to silence criticisms that its agricultural development agenda was a “White Man's Dream for Africa.” In fact, this more reeks of Monsanto's campaign: “Let the Harvest Begin.” Launched in 1998 to gain acceptance of GE crops around the world by projecting the benefits of the Green Revolution in Asia and its potential in Africa, Monsanto's campaign managed to draw several respected African leaders, such as Nelson Mandela, to speak for a new Green Revolution in Africa. In response, all of the African delegates (except South Africa) to the UN Food and Agriculture Negotiations on the International Undertaking for Plant Genetic Resources in June 1998 issued a counter statement, “Let Nature's Harvest Continue.” The delegates clearly stated their objection to multinational companies' use of the image of the poor and hungry from African countries to push technology that is not safe, environmentally friendly, or economically beneficial." Voices From Africa: African Farmers & Environmentalists Speak Out Against a New Green Revolution in Africa | oaklandinstitute.org http://bit.ly/LEdRVw

In "Why is Kofi Annan Fronting For Monsanto? The GMO Assault On Africa", Crossed Crocodiles writes:

"Kofi Annan has joined with President Obama, Monsanto, AGRA, and the Gates foundation to promote and execute food aid that replaces bags of wheat, rice and corn (agricultural dumping) with bags of pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers and genetically engineered seeds. The end result will be to starve people in Africa and feed corporations in the US and Europe." [See:http://crossedcrocodiles.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/why-is-kofi-annan-fronting-for-monsanto-the-gmo-assault-on-africa/]

The NPP as a political party is vulnerable to all sorts of external influences which often do not coincide with our national interests as a people. Here, in our humble opinion, is the most serious threat they have ever posed to the good people of Ghana. The CPP cannot afford to remain silent on this matter, if the party wishes to remain relevant to the genuine needs of Ghanaians. We are becoming frustrated and disappointed by the lack of response to this despite several promptings. Our next post might turn into a criticism of the CPP because this is an issue of life and death of Ghanaians in their thousands and millions from generation unto generation! If the CPP is unaware, there is new evidence that so-called "improved seeds" or GM seeds from Monsanto "Cause Tumors, Organ Damage, and Premature Death in Rats"! See:http://www.takepart.com/article/2012/09/19/gmos-give-rats-huge-tumors-organ-damage

Only two days ago, on the 21st of September, 2012, the European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Parma, Italy, to look into a study which found that corn from Monsanto's improved seeds causes tumors, organ damage, and premature death.

This is going on at a time the NPP is busily telling Ghanaians to embrace the so-called "improved seeds" from the Frankenstein food industry. Only yesterday, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announced that the High Council for Biotechnology (HCB) and the Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety have been asked to look into the study, headed by Gilles-Eric Séralini of the University of Caen and published by Food and Chemical Toxicology this week. If the results are confirmed, Ayrault said at a meeting in Dijon, agriculture minister Stéphane Le Foll would defend France's right within the European Union to ban GM crops. Three committees in France's National Assembly will invite Séralini for hearings, Le Figaro reported yesterday.

The news coming in today says "Russia has temporarily suspended the import and sales of Monsanto Co. (MON)'s genetically-modified NK 603 corn until the country gets further information on the safety of the products, the consumer safety watchdog said.

The watchdog, known as Rospotrebnadzor, asked scientists at Russia's Institute of Nutrition to review a French study, which raised questions about the long-term effect of St. Louis-based Monsanto's NK 603 corn on rats, according to a statement on Rospotrebnadzor's website yesterday. Please see: Russia Suspends Import of Monsanto Corn on Health Concerns – Bloomberg http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-25/russia-suspends-import-of-monsanto-corn-on-health-concerns.html

What does the CPP say to the NPP which is seeking the mandate of Ghanaians to inundate our breadbaskets in all the four regions with GM crops and food? Please consult the New Patriotic Party NPP Manifesto for Election 2012, Chapter Three: Section 7. Modernizing Our Agriculture and Ensuring Food Security: [Full Document]: NPP launches 2012 Manifesto | General News › 2012-08-29, www.ghanaweb.com.http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=248958

We avail ourselves of this opportunity to extend to you and the Convention People"s Party of Ghana, the assurances of our highest consideration.

Forward Ever! Backwards Never!
Long live Ghana!
For Life, the Environment, and Social Justice!
P-AI Social Media Campaigns | October, 2012
Pan-Africanist International - a grammar of Pan-Africanism and its manners of articulation!