Global seed industry concentration – 2005
2005
This brief communiqué from ETC highlights the dangers of the increasing consolidation of the world’s commercial seed manufacturers. Corporate control and ownership of seeds - the first link in the food chain - has far-reaching implications for global food security. Motives are profit driven, and limited suppliers means limited choice for farmers.Currently, 10 seed corporations control around half of the world’s commercial seed sales. Decisions and strategies made by these corporations are not necessarily in the interests of global food security, and further downsizing of the number of players, reducing competition, means less investment in research and development. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of Genetically Modified (GM) is encroaching on conventional and organic farming, and GM crops may actually increase pesticide use as well as pose a hazard to biodiversity.In response, there are civil society groups and farmers’ organisations working to prevent policies and technologies that seek to further privatise seeds. The implications of seed industry consolidation for food security and biodiversity must also be urgently addressed by governments at an international level.
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