It is much more expensive to produce many diverse locally adapted varieties, and more time-consuming. So big seed companies generally narrow their focus to reduce costs. The more the seed and breeding industries and communities become concentrated in a few mega-companies, the more these harmful trends will be exacerbated. But we’re reducing our adaptability just at the moment when we will need it the most.
Yeah, well, ok, sure. But then there’s foundations. Right? Well…
For the foundations, it appears, the profitability of small farms remains more important than the amount of food they produce.
Ok, but how about public research sector?
Another global organisation over which the BMGF appears to exert strong influence is the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a consortium of 15 research centres which is the world’s most influential network for agricultural research in developing countries.
What’s a poor farmer to do?
