Tierramérica

Issue of October, 01, 2003



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Report
The Conquest of Transgenic Crops
By Diego Cevallos
More than 18 million hectares in Latin America are planted with genetically modified crops. The trend is irreversible, say scientists, who are staking their bets that the region will adopt this new technology rather than condemn it.

Accents
'Sea Shepherds' to Cultivate Pearls
By María Isabel García
Pearl production could benefit 30,000 residents of La Guajira, including the Wayúu Indians, who see the ocean as an extensive pastureland.

¿Did you know?
Franken Foods
By
Foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) cause have caused concern among various groups and populations around the world. Most of the scientific community says there is no evidence that GMOs pose a threat to human health or the environment, but the campaigns against transgenics continue to proliferate.

Connect Yourself
Kyoto Protocol
By
The Kyoto Protocol has suffered a setback that threatens its very existence. Russian president Vladimir Putin stated Sep. 29 that his country is undecided as to whether it will ratify the international accord for curbing emissions of greenhouse gases.

Eco-Briefs

COLOMBIA: Fique Plant for Medicinal Use
The fique plant (Furcraea macrophilla), utilized in Colombia in making crafts and packaging material, contains a high concentration of two substances in high demand by the pharmaceutical industry, according to a university study.

PERU: Environmentalists Want to Monitor Camisea
Ecologists have asked the Peruvian government to give them a place on the Environmental Control Commission that will monitor operations at the gas liquefaction plant being built in Paracas Bay, a nature reserve on the Pacific coast.

ARGENTINA: Officials Join Wetlands Campaign
Local and national authorities in Argentina signed a commitment in late September to advance a petition for the country's wetlands corridor to be declared a Ramsar site, granting it international protections.

NICARAGUA: Tilapia Threatens Other Fish
The Nicaraguan government's environmental attorney general warned of the risks of a tilapia fish farm project, saying it would aggravate ecological problems caused by the presence of this exotic fish in the country's waters.

COSTA RICA: Cities Take Environmental Priority
The deterioration of the urban environment in Costa Rica will be one of the central themes of the National Environmental Management System, which is setting an agenda for the priority ecological issues for the coming decade

GUATEMALA:: Organic Farming Lessons
The private University of Valle, in Guatemala, is teaching one hundred peasant farmers, most of whom are illiterate, techniques in organic farming and integrated pest management.

Lessons From a Unique Decade - José Graziano da Silva *
Rio+20 and Beyond: Together for a Sustainable Future - José Graziano da Silva *
Why Inclusive Green Growth Can Sustain Recent Gains in Latin America - Hasan Tuluy*
The Global Food Crisis and the Latin American Paradox - Pamela Cox