Suggest you see: http://www.jatropha.org
as well as....(!!) http://www.goodnewsindia.com/Pages/content/discovery/svo.html Regards, Edward Beggs On Friday, August 8, 2003, at 01:09 PM, Peter wrote: > Did anyone else here the news on the BBC world services yesterday about > vehicles in the USA running of Jatropha weed, I only caught the end but > we are looking at the development of Jatropha as a “fuel crop” for > Biodiesel in Tanzania, along a pilot project running a 300KW gas engine > on methane from sisal waste. > > Does anyone know the potential for ethanol from sisal waste in terms of > litres of ethanol per MT of sisal waste? The combination of Jatropha > and > ethanol means we could establish a serious Biodiesel center in > Tanzania. > > Peter > -----Original Message----- > From: Keith Addison [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, August 08, 2003 12:50 AM > To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [biofuel] Genetically modified oil seeds > >>>> Better in which way? > > ... or maybe, better for whom? > > Keith > > > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-grainpage-en.cfm > > July 2003 | GRAIN supports the struggle against GM crops in Asia > > Seedling GRAIN page July 2003 > > GRAIN supports the struggle against GM crops in Asia > > Having been established in the Philippines since 1996 and India since > 2001, GRAIN has found itself working more and more directly with > different groups in the region. Many of these groups work with > grassroots organisations on sustainable agriculture and local > advocacy. One of the main and present dangers being faced in the > region is the introduction, legally and illegally, of genetically > modified (GM) crops. > > Through the years, GRAIN has worked in partnership with different > organisations on their campaigns, helping to come up with information > and analysis and catalysing actions around GM-related issues. One of > these, The Long March for Biodiversity, was instrumental in > persuading the Thai government to ban open field trials of GM crops > in April 2001. Organised by BIOTHAI, with the active support and > participation from GRAIN, this week-long caravan covered six major > provinces in Thailand, bringing information to and catalysing > campaigns at the grassroots level. It brought in groups from other > parts of Asia and was instrumental in furthering linkages in the > region. > > In 2000, GRAIN embarked on a joint project looking at current trends > in agricultural research and development in Asia with BIOTHAI > (Thailand), KMP (Philippines), MASIPAG (Philippines), PAN Indonesia, > the Philippine Greens, UBINIG (Bangladesh) and a number of > university-based professionals. This project produced a number of > publications on, amongst other things, "golden rice" (rice > genetically engineered to produce vitamin A) and hybrid rice (see > www.grain.org/publications). These groups and individuals continue to > be active players in the fight against GM crops and intellectual > property rights on biodiversity and associated knowledge. > > In April this year in the Philippines, NGOs, activists and > farmer-leaders belonging to the Network Opposed to Genetically > Modified Organisms! (NO GMOs!) launched a hunger strike specifically > demanding a halt on the commercial introduction of Monsanto's Bt > corn. This act drew widespread support worldwide and has raised > public awareness about GM crops in the country. After enduring for 30 > days without food, Roberto Verzola of the Philippine Greens vowed to > continue the fight and deepen the reach of the movement in the > Philippines. > > In India recently, GRAIN has been working with the Andhra Pradesh > Coalition in Defence of Diversity, a coalition of more than 140 civil > society groups has been busy spreading the word about the failure of > Bt cotton in Warangal, India (see p 13). GRAIN has been and continue > to support these and other farmers groups and individuals, NGOs and > activists fighting against the corporatisation of agriculture, which > undermines the rights of farmers and farming communities' and control > over their means of production. GRAIN's role has always been a > supportive one - providing timely and relevant information and > analysis, responding to requests and linking groups in the region. > While the fight goes on, we look forward to establishing more > linkages with farmers groups in the years to come. > > > http://www.grain.org/seedling/ > GRAIN | Seedling - GRAIN's quarterly magazine > Seedling news > > July 2003 issue of Seedling is now available. > > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-en.cfm > > http://www.grain.org/docs/seed-03-07-en.pdf > > In the July 2003 issue of Seedling: > > Editorial: Blinded by the gene > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-1-en.cfm > > by GRAIN > > Earlier this year, the scientific community celebrated the 50th > anniversary of the discovery of the structure and function of DNA by > Watson and Crick. There was a host of parties, conferences and > special issues. Fifty years ago when the 'secret of life' was > unveiled, expectations were high that this milestone discovery had > given us the key to understanding the laws of heredity Š. and the > power to change them. Fifty years later, many believe we have now > reached that point. Scientists are now able to move genes - and the > inherited traits they code for - with apparent ease between species, > families and kingdoms. > > ARTICLE: Unravelling the DNA myth > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-2-en.cfm > > by Barry Commoner > > There is a crucial problem in molecular genetics and in its > applications to agriculture, medicine and the production of > pharmaceutical drugs. This science is based on a 50-year old theory > that says DNA alone governs inheritance. Molecular genetics is now > confronted with a growing disjunction between this widely accepted > premise and an array of discordant experimental results that > contradict it. But this disparity remains largely unacknowledged and > experiments with transgenic plants and animals (many of which are not > even recognised to be experiments) continue on a massive scale. > > ARTICLE: The Bt gene fails in India > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-3-en.cfm > > By Abdul Qayam and Kiran Sakkhari > > Farmers in Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh were excited about > planting Bt cotton, which they saw as a way out of the trap of pests, > pesticides and debt they were stuck in. At the start of the season in > 2002, many were optimistic and hopeful about the new crop, but as the > season progressed their enthusiasm was transformed into > disappointment and, for some, despair. Meanwhile, many women already > disillusioned with Green Revolution agriculture, are rediscovering > the virtues of biodiverse cropping systems and sharing their results > with their neighbours. > > ARTICLE: Public research: which public is that? > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-4-en.cfm > > By Aaron deGrassi and Peter Rosset > > Public research theoretically offers considerably more potential than > the corporate, gene-focused approach to generate crops that meet the > needs of farmers. But in practice, much public research, especially > that undertaken by the world's international research centres, has > also been blinded by the gene. Aaron deGrassi and Peter Rosset assert > that farmers need to be returned to centre-stage to re-assume their > central role as custodians of the world's agricultural resources and > the directors of research and innovation > > ARTICLE: The promise of participation: democratising the management > of biodiversity > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-5-en.cfm > > Michel Pimbert > > Technical advances in breeding - however impressive - are meaningless > without farmers. The corporate research model seeks to turn farmers > into serfs in a feudal agricultural system, a move which will be > devastating to our future food supply. Michel Pimbert identifies some > of the reforms needed to encourage democratic participation and more > genuine local control in the management of agricultural biodiversity. > Emphasis is placed on strengthening diversity, decentralisation and > democracy through the regeneration of more localised food systems and > economies. > > INTERVIEW: with Johnson Ekpere - Agricultural Research in Africa > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-interview-e-en.cfm > > Trained as an agronomist in the US, for many years Johnson Ekpere was > Professor of Agriculture at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Now > retired, he continues to act as a consultant on agricultural and > rights-related issues in Africa. > > SPROUTING UP > > Farmer's privilege under attack > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-6-en.cfm > > GRAIN > > Intellectual property rights (IPR) applied to seeds give breeders, or > whoever claims to have discovered or developed a new plant variety, > an exclusive monopoly right in relation to the seed. Under patent > law, that monopoly right is very strong. It will generally prevent > anyone from using, selling or producing the seed without the patent > holder's permission. > > And with our usual Action!, > http://www.grain.org/seedling/action.cfm > Resources > http://www.grain.org/seedling/resources.cfm > sections. This issue, the GRAIN Home Page is dedicated to struggle > against GM crops in Asia > http://www.grain.org/seedling/seed-03-07-grainpage-en.cfm > > > > > >>> Yes, some institutions in canada are doing a lot of >>> work on Canola. I have started on Ratanjyot seed in >>> India.Tell me more about your Background so that we >>> can exchange notes. >>> Regards >>> Anupam Desai >>> --- Joaquin Brintrup <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>>> Hi, does anybody know if there is someone working on >>>> genetic modification of canola, or any other seed to >>>> make a better oil for biofuels? >> >> So what would you see as "better" Anupam? >> >> Keith >> >> >>> Likely the usual government and seed company folks are, ...but I > don't >>> imagine they'll rush to the phone to talk to you about it - too busy >>> filing patents! >>> >>> And Keith....well, you know...."better!!!" >>> >>> Pass the mustard? >>> >>> ;-) >>> >>> Edward Beggs >>> >>> >>> On Wednesday, August 6, 2003, at 08:45 AM, Keith Addison wrote: >>> >>>> Joaquin Brintrup wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi, does anybody know if there is someone working on >>>>> genetic modification of canola, or any other seed to >>>>> make a better oil for biofuels? >>>> >>>> Better in which way? >>>> >>>> Keith > > > > > > > Yahoo! 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