[Ngo-sanrm] Fwd: [VIN] Monsanto and GMO's in Viet Nam

Thu Jun 13 09:07:56 BST 2013

Dear Chuck,

This is interesting. Do you know these people in the exchanges? If yes, what organizations do they represent? 

Eduardo

From: ngo-sanrm-bounces at ngocentre.org.vn [mailto:ngo-sanrm-bounces at ngocentre.org.vn] On Behalf Of Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources Management Working Group
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 7:26 PM
To: SANRM Working Group
Subject: [Ngo-sanrm] Fwd: [VIN] Monsanto and GMO's in Viet Nam

Hi everybody,

I suppose some or all of us will meet together Tuesday at the workshop.

As a matter of passing interest, since a number of us have been paying close attention to the GMO issue, you might be surprised that this question is being picked up and discussed in a lot of places -- not just among NGOs or those involved in agriculture or food production.

This string of messages is from a group called the Vietnam Information Network, with a focus mostly on technology and innovation.

CHUCK SEARCY

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Thu Hương Phạm <phamthuhuong1010 at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 10, 2013 at 7:04 PM
Subject: Re: [VIN] Monsanto and GMO's in Viet Nam
To: VNinfonet at googlegroups.com

Dear chị Linh, anh Duyên and all family,

Thank chị Linh and anh Duyên for sharing.

"GMO infiltration is much more prevalent in Viet Nam than I thought. -Kieu Linh" 

Yes, GMO products on the Vietnam market for more 10 years, after we import corn, soybeans .. from U.S and others countries.

But why is Vietnam - an agricultural country - import a large quantity of corn and soybeans so? Because Vietnam can not grow these plants? 

I think GMOs in Vietnam has impact very much, besides the health impact.

1. The export impact:

The importation of corn, soybeans .. will create a series of genetically modified food (GMF) in the country.

According to the classification of Department of Agriculture in U.S., animals which are fed by GMF also be classified as GMF. Corn and soybeans are the main raw materials for livestock and fisheries.  So, livestock and fisheries Vietnam will be classified as GMF.

People in in-country maybe use GMF because they don't know. But when we export, people in out-country (specially, in Japan and Europe), they will hardly use. Our exportation will be impact.

2. The livestock and fisheries impact

The importation of corn, soybeans and other agricultural products - are the main raw materials for livestock and fisheries -  will make cost of livestock and fisheries higher.

And when the cost in in-country rise high, people usually will eat pork, chicken, eggs.. from other countries (for example: cheap food from China).

Especially in 2015, when ASEAN becomes a single market, barriers will lift off, the livestock and fisheries of Vietnam will impact very much.

So I think the solution to this problem is: Reduce plant rice - rice is not high productive, increase plant corn, soybeans .. and other plants.

There are many agricultural countries have major production - is not rice.

For example in Philippines. 

Every year, Philippines has to import rice. However, exports of major agricultural production such as coconut, tobacco, sugar ... are not only offset the import rice costs but also redundant billions of dollars each year.

There are my little opinion. They have many errors. Thank you very much for reading. I look forward hear your voice.

Have a great day.

Em Hương,

2013/6/9 Kieu Linh Valverde <kieulinh at gmail.com>

Hi, em Huong and Others,

Corporations have long known to run amok in the US so we do not have GMO labeling either. In fact, companies like Monsanto are suppose to be "self-governing," that means they are to conduce their own scientific research on the (potential) dangers of their products. All they really do is hire their own people to create reports that say their products are safe. 

I teach at the #1 agricultural school in the nation and Monsanto has deeply embedded itself in "research" here. So, dissent on the matter is crushed and departments like the humanities and social sciences will be eventually pushed out. These departments are in danger of extinction because we are the units that traditional investigate social ills/injustices and are the least funded. My "public" university takes in less than 10% government funding so the university increasingly falls into the hands of corporate agenda, including hiring professional managers and executives to make university policy instead of bringing them in from faculty ranks.

Beyond this vignette, GMO products are extremely harmful! Monsanto products, specifically, have caused cancer, birth defects, obesity...These are serious issues. At the very least, countries like the US and Viet Nam have to adopt GMO labeling. In both countries, Monsanto, and other like companies, have bought the policy makers.

In the long term, there is push back internationally. Even poor countries like Zimbabwe and citizens groups in Bolivia, Guatemala and Nicaragua are resisting U.S. supplied foods that contain transgenic corn, or maize. In this example, bringing in GMOs will wipe out the diversity of corn/maize in these countries. These are the staples for thousands of years for these people. Watch out for GMO rice in Viet Nam!

Viet Nam can potentially be a leader in producing organic foods and stake a market in the higher end and safe food export (and for in-country use) production. There is always some sacrifice a nation and its people must take for it to grow prosperous over time. The problem is the upper echelons of government are profiting at the expense of its people and the people are duped into thinking they are getting good food at cheaper prices, both proven false by research.

Kieu Linh

On Sun, Jun 9, 2013 at 3:09 AM, Thu Hương Phạm <phamthuhuong1010 at gmail.com> wrote:

I like tofu, soy milk, peanuts, corn.. Will I eat and drink them the least? Oh no.

Regards,

Em Hương,

2013/6/9 Thu Hương Phạm <phamthuhuong1010 at gmail.com>

Hi chị Kieu Linh and all,

Thank chị Linh for sharing the news.

In the news of ndhmoney (date: 11/3/2013) http://ndhmoney.vn/web/guest/s17/-/journal_content/map-mo-san-pham-bien-doi-gen 

Although the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development does not allowed to plant GMOs but GMO products already on the market for years .

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Lan Dung, General secretary of the Vietnam biology said, like it or not, Vietnam is also using GMO products. 

For example:

1. Vietnam need about 3 million tons of soybean to produce : cooking oil, soy sauce, tofu, soy milk, peanuts, animal feed processing ... But total production of the domestic soybean harvest is only 250,000 tons / year, so each year to import 2.5 to 2.7 million tons of of soy products. 

To import from the countries: USA, Argentina, Brazil. Paraguay. And more than 90% of the soybeans are GMO.

2. Corn is also the similar. Every year we import more than 1.6 million tons of genetically modified corn.

And almost, GMO products on the market did not have labels - "GMO".

Em Hương,

2013/6/9 Kieu Linh Valverde <kieulinh at gmail.com>

Hi, All,

The evils of Monsanto <http://fracturedparadigm.com/2013/04/15/monsantos-dirty-dozen-the-12-most-awful-products-made-by-monsanto/>  with a history of producing genetically modified crops, DDT, agent orange, plastics and synthetic polystyrene,...has returned to Viet Nam <http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/pages/20130119-genetically-modified-organisms-worm-their-way-into-vietnam.aspx> . Does anyone have news on this trend?

Regards,
Kieu Linh

-- 
Kiều-Linh Caroline Valverde

Author of Transnationalizing Viet Nam <http://www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/2151_reg.html> 

Associate Professor, UC Davis

Asian American Studies Department

kieulinh.com

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Kiều-Linh Caroline Valverde

Author of Transnationalizing Viet Nam <http://www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/2151_reg.html> 

Associate Professor, UC Davis

Asian American Studies Department

kieulinh.com

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