Biodiversity and seed saving are complex topics which require a varied cross-section of materials to begin to comprehend the depth and breadth of the issues involved. The following annotated bibliography presents a combination of resources including readings, films and websites.
When researching biodiversity resources, it is important note that biodiversity and cultural diversity are not mutually exclusive, but interconnected and complex topics, and were researched together. The topics are interconnected to the extent that studying one without the other does not give the justice deserved to either. Since this understanding is only a recent claim, there is still much to be learned about the dynamics of how the two areas of biodiversity are connected; especially with the multitude of circumstances in which the two are “inextricably linked” (Persic & Martin, 2008, p.8).
Introducing the vocabulary associated with biodiversity and seed saving also grants a deeper understanding of the topics, and helps readers to become more familiar with the related terms to better understand the material in the annotated bibliography. The following list contains some of the key terms to understand before delving into the readings:
Vocabulary Related to Biodiversity and Seed Saving
· Biodiversity · Biotechnologies · Green Revolution · Monocultures · “Terroirs et Cultures” (UNESCO) · Biological and cultural diversity · Interdisciplinary research · Traditional knowledge · Indigenous and local knowledge · Genetic engineering · Paradigm shift · Taxonomy · Conservation biogeography | · Seed Saving · Seed Sovereignty · Endemism (rarity) · Convention of Biological Diversity (1992) · Biopiracy · Agro-culture · Rewilding · Fair trade · Adaptation · Reserve planning · Landscape connectivity · Resilience · Global warming |
Heller, N.E., & Zavaleta, E.S. (2009). Biodiversity management in the face of climate change: A review of 22 years of recommendations. Biological Conservation, 142(1), 14-32.
This article focuses on biodiversity management as it relates to climate change and is a comparative analysis of 113 scientific papers published in 57 different journals and three books. The list of 524 recommendations was sorted into 113 categories according to the number of times each recommendation was referenced in the initial papers that were analyzed. This list of categories shows the most highly recommended principles to follow in order to manage biodiversity effectively as climate change persists. This list is useful as it gives a ranking order of these principles and provides some specific strategies that can be implemented in any region. These principles identify ways of thinking that communities can adapt to affect positive actions in protecting ecosystems. The areas needed for adaptive thinking include conservation, research, policy planning, governance, and individual and community actions. The practical applications are not included in this article; however, the article does describe the various complexities, including benefits and barriers, needed to be considered in order to make effective adaptations. All of these adaptations can be grouped into four major themes including: regional coordination, management perspectives and system resilience, climate change research in planning, addressing major threats and global change drivers.
Planning for adaptations requires a clear and thoughtful process to be followed. Figure 7 in this article presents a clear visual framework for considering all of the complexities involved in this process. This article emphasizes that over the past 22 years many recommendations have been put forth to stimulate climate change action; however, most of the papers written with this focus have lacked the specific actions that can be implemented directly in any community. It goes on to say that most of the research in the past has largely focused on ecological data, and has overlooked cultural data. As seen in other resources included in this annotated bibliography, researchers are now stating that both biodiversity and cultural diversity must be studied together in order to fully understand both and to give each the recognition deserved. On a positive note, the article did state that many of the recommendations are being followed by government and non-governmental organizations currently.
International Development Research Centre. (1994). Seeds of Change: An Educational Kit on Biodiversity and Food. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: IDRC. [UVIC Library HD9000.5 S435]
This video and teaching guide provides an excellent method for introducing the concept of biodiversity and its importance for preserving varieties of seeds around the world. The video also presents the complexities of food issues in the world in a way that is accessible, engages and inspires students. The teacher’s guide provides a great deal of useful information including: a glossary of important terms to know, background information on the history of agriculture and how it has been affected by genetic erosion (including the Green Revolution), lesson ideas and teaching points, and Canada’s role in creating solutions to the food issues facing the world. The video and guide also emphasize the connection between women and biodiversity and how the knowledge in this area needs to be given more recognition. The guide includes an academic paper entitled, “Biotechnology, patents and the Third World” (Fowler, 1992), which explains how technological advances in agriculture and patenting trade secrets has affected farmers in developing nations. This paper, in conjunction with the video, gives the reader some insightful knowledge about the patent systems for food and pharmaceuticals; and how intellectual property rights and protection play a distinct role in the control of seeds, and ultimately, the food supply.
The video describes how biodiversity is an issue tied to economics, politics and social concerns. It describes how biodiversity in the plant world is highly connected to indigenous knowledge, yet the loss of this cultural knowledge is happening at a rate even higher then the loss of biodiversity. Present rates of extinction is causing “as many as 60, 000 plant species – one-fourth of the world’s total” to be “lost or endangered within the next 50 years” (1991, p.3). Another important point made was that with the higher-yielding crops come fewer options for farmers, increased costs, and a decrease in overall health. Traditional seeds had slower growth without fertilizer, but had inherent designs to withstand disease without the need for additional pesticides.
The guide also provides an extensive list of resources and suggested readings. Permission to copy the entire document is stated within the guide. The use of this resource naturally led to checking out the IDRC website for the most up-to-date information. This is a comprehensive site that houses a variety of research on important topics including biodiversity and seed saving. The guide is no longer available on the main website, but can be accessed at the University of Victoria’s main library.
Juan, A. (Producer), Robin, M. (Director). (2008). [The] World According to Monsanto: From Dioxin to Genetically Modified Crops [Motion picture]. Canada: National Film Board. [UVIC Library HD9651.9 M6W67]
This documentary film focuses on the agricultural multinational company, Monsanto, and the effects it has on the agricultural industry and our food supply. The film begins by showing how Monsanto claims to be a company devoted to helping improve agricultural practices for the greater good. It then takes viewers behind-the-scenes to look at Monsanto’s deceptive marketing, and ability to control a very powerful monopoly within the agricultural industry. Historically, Monsanto has used several toxic chemicals in its products, including Agent Orange, PCBs, Dioxin, and Bovine Growth Hormone. Monsanto is originally a chemical company, hence the reason for using toxic chemicals in their agricultural products. Most recently, Monsanto is responsible for creating Round-Up, and has used genetic modification to produce “Round-Up ready crops”. An issue presented in the film is that the toxicity of Round-Up has been hidden by false advertisements of its biodegradability, a tactic used to protect the GMO research. The biodegradable claim has since been removed; however, collaboration of the FDA and the leaders of the Federal Government in the United States led to unregulated GMO research because of economic and political benefits. In the1990s, Monsanto was allowed to move products into the marketplace without restrictive governmental regulations. In fact, George Bush Sr., in a conversation with Monsanto scientists about marketing products said, “Call me, we’re in the ‘dereg’ business.” As a result, through the use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, GM crops are thriving and taking over traditional seed crops. The film demonstrates this point well by showing the traditional and indigenous farming practices in various parts of the world including Europe, India, Mexico, and Paraguay compared to the highly industrial Round-Up ready practices of many American farmers.
The film also includes an interview with world-renowned scientist, Vandana Shiva, where she describes to Monsanto’s control on the agricultural marketplace as the 2nd Green Revolution, with a focus on patents and profits. It briefly introduces the viewer to her book, Seeds of Suicide, written about poor Indian cotton farmers who commit suicide due to crop failure and financial issues, all of which revolves around the push from multinationals to use their products. The World According to Monsanto highlights the degree to which corporate power has become a huge force within our food supply system.
Lovick, O. (Ed.) & Riise, H. (Webmaster). (n.d.). Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Retrieved on June 6, 2010 from http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/lmd/campain/svalbard-global-seed-vault.html?id=462220
The website for the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway provides extensive information about the history, activities and publications of the organization. The seed vault is the largest of its kind in the world, and is being used as the main store house for global seed saving. At the opening of the vault on February 26, 2008, Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg said, “A global seed vault is necessary to provide a safe haven in the permafrost of Svalbard for the world’s biological diversity. It is a Noah’s Ark for our biological heritage”. This vault is also known as the “Doomsday Vault” as it is being used to prepare for any natural disaster or other world-wide crisis that would create a large-scale food supply shortage in the world. The website includes news stories from before the opening of the vault to the present, the partners involved, a description of the facility, how it is managed and operated, the history of the vault, the location choice, and frequently asked questions. There is a great deal of information about seed saving and the site also links users to related publications and resources. Choosing the location for the vault required the consideration of climate change effects and security. The vault has been designed with specific conditions to keep the seeds viable for potentially one thousand years. However, posting specific details of the vault’s location, the materials from which it is made, and the engineering is slightly questionable. Since the need for food security is emphasized on the site, it is surprising that information that could lead to potential terrorist threats is considered safe to post on-line.
“Navdanya means nine crops that represent India's collective source of food security” (Shiva, 2009). Navdanya is a women-based biodiversity conservation program in India that was started by Dr. Vandana Shiva, a world-renowned scientist and environmentalist. Dr. Shiva initiated this program as a way of preserving biodiversity in a local, respectful, and peaceful way. She was inspired to create this program to protect local Indian farmers and their traditional techniques from the violence and greed that stems from larger scale agricultural companies and practices. Navdanya is committed to revitalizing indigenous knowledge and culture, fighting against biopiracy, and continuing to stock their local seed banks in 54 communities across the country.
As part of this program, Navdanya established Bija Vidyapeeth – The Earth University, also known as, The School of Seed. The university “offers a unique opportunity to explore and practice the art and science of sustainability based on ecological principles at the peaceful pollution-free setting of Navdanya's organic farm in Doon Valley [in North India]” (Shiva, 2009). One example of the university’s efforts is demonstrated by how they were able to transform an 8-acre tract of land that had been devastated by a eucalyptus monoculture, to an area that now farms more than 600 varieties of local plants. The university also offers several courses in seed sovereignty; women, biodiversity, and traditional knowledge; food security related to climate change; and, Ghandi’s philosophy related to globalization.
Navdanya promotes local, organic farming as the most effective way to reduce the human impact on climate change and to sustain biodiversity. Teachers can use the information on this website to promote the value of farmers in our own communities. As this website is very user-friendly and easy to navigate, educators may use it to teach students about specific efforts occurring in India to conserve the biological and cultural diversity. This knowledge can then be applied to constructing plans for helping with local conservation activities in British Columbia. Navdanya’s Diary is also a great site tool that links users to many different conservation issues.
Persic, A. and Martin, G. (Eds.). (2008). Links between biological and cultural diversity-concepts, methods and experiences, Report of an International Workshop, Paris: UNESCO. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001592/159255E.pdf
This is an extensive paper written to summarize the knowledge shared at an international workshop about biological and cultural diversity and how the two are “inextricably linked” (p.8). The paper provides excellent definitions of these terms and expands on a variety of topic areas to show the connection between biological and cultural diversity. The topic areas include: language and linguistic diversity, material culture, knowledge and technology, modes of subsistence, economic relations, social relations, and belief systems. The paper also provides a variety of global examples linking these two areas of diversity. The paper continues with information on conceptual considerations, methodological considerations, research implications, policy implications, and UNESCO’s role making recommendations for future work and research.
For educators, this paper presents a well organized and easy to read document that could be used with students in grades 8-12, and at post-secondary levels. One potential use for it in a classroom would be to divide the various parts up between the students and use a jigsaw approach to have students learn and teach about the various components. Part of this paper also provides guidance for doing research in biological and cultural diversity, and the section on suggested readings lists numerous articles that can be accessed for further understanding. The Annexes also give summaries on some of the various programs, activities, and initiatives under the UNESCO umbrella that relate to biological and cultural diversity; while describing how they are included in various international agreements.
The main premise of this paper is to understand the interdependence of biodiversity and cultural diversity and how they need to be protected together. Interestingly, after reading Monocultures of the Mind (Shiva, 1997), followed by this paper, written in 2008, it seems that there have been significant efforts put forward in the last eleven years to protect biodiversity on the planet. While these efforts are admirable, it is still important to note that people need to make a major paradigm shift in their thinking in order to make the changes that are essential to protecting biodiversity and cultural diversity for many generations to come.
Pimental, D., Hepperly, P., Hanson, J., Douds, D. & Seidel, R. (2005). Environmental, energetic and economic comparisons of organic and conventional farming systems. BioScience 55(7), 573-582.
This paper is a quantitative, objective assessment, providing a comparative analysis of organic and conventional farming systems over a 22-year period of study. The research project actually breaks the research groups into three parts including: conventional cropping, organic animal-based cropping, and organic legume-based cropping. The main difference between the two organic systems is that the animal-based system used livestock as part of the study, and the legume-based system did not. The main purpose of this research was to look at how conventional farming techniques could be incorporated into organic techniques to make farming more sustainable over the long term. The comparative analysis included many different aspects of research including: crop yields, normal rainfall, drought conditions, energy inputs, economics, soil carbon, soil nitrogen, nitrate leaching, herbicide leaching, and soil biology. The paper discusses the challenges and limitations of organic farming, but concludes with the argument that organic farming techniques are an essential tool towards sustainability. It reflects on the knowledge that many of these techniques have been used for over 6,000 years; demonstrating sustainability by conserving precious resources and producing yields that are comparable to those of conventional farming. In addition, the practice of organic farming techniques encourages crop rotations and cover cropping which makes organic crops more naturally resistant to disease.
In terms of teaching, this paper would be most useful for educators to understand the basic differences between conventional and organic farming systems before conducting a unit or lesson on this topic. However, the use of this paper in a non-university school setting is not recommended due to its highly technical nature as it may be difficult for many students to understand. Having the scientific evidence to draw upon can help educators to support the argument for organic farming, which would make for a more powerful lesson overall.
This website is very user friendly and focuses on practical actions that people can take to save seeds to preserve biodiversity in Canada. Their slogan is “People protecting the people’s seeds”. Although most of the information available concerns the actual seed saving, it also emphasizes public involvement to promotes be in control of the varieties of seeds that have been grown, and to protect these seeds through seed saving and sharing. Seeds of Diversity states two main objectives involving heirloom and endangered species of seeds: Firstly, to research these seeds to gain as much information as possible about each, and secondly, to educate the public on the need to save seeds and the techniques on how to do so. They also provide a forum for people to get involved in projects and exchanges. The website also has a comprehensive database for heritage plants and lists 19,000 cultivars with descriptions and links to the varieties available in Canada. By navigating through this site, a reader can be connected to many different sites that promote preserving biodiversity through buying, selling, and trading local organic seeds. The Seeds of Diversity website is clear about purposefully linking to sites that are not connected to genetically modified seed programs.
On the home page of the site under the Library and Introduction, there is a simple, yet powerful slide show entitled, “Seed Library Partnership” that would be useful for teaching students about the need to save seeds. It shows how the rapid decline of locally adapted varieties of seeds has brought us to a point where only 10% of the original varieties of seeds are available. The message is clear: we are running out of time to save ourselves from a world-wide food crisis.
Shiva, Vandana. (1997). Monocultures of the Mind: Perspectives on Biodiversity and Biotechnology. New York, NY: Zed Books Ltd.
This book is a compilation of five essays focused on monocultures, biodiversity, and biotechnologies written from Vandana Shiva’s extensive research and travel experience studying these issues in various parts of the world. The five essays make up each chapter of the book and provide the reader with a wealth of background information on the different topics. Throughout the five essays, Shiva reiterates the main points within different contexts, allowing the reader to become more absorbed in the topic, and therefore; develop a deeper understanding of the negative effects monocultures have on biodiversity. Shiva argues that monocultures begin in the minds of people who are only focused on money and power, and who are in the position to assert themselves in this way. The narrow focus of the monoculture philosophy then transfers from the minds of those in powerful positions, to their practice of developing monocultures in various ecosystems around the world. They focus on monocultures with high yielding varieties (HYV), as they are only interested in the profits and power that such monocultures can yield in the short term. There is little or no regard for how their practices affect the lives and livelihoods of the people living in that locality. Generally speaking, countries in the Majority are most affected by the ecological exploitation of monocultures due to the abundance of biodiversity occurring in more tropical and poverty stricken areas of the world. This constant erosion of biodiversity stems from the TINA mindset – “there is no alternative” (p.5).
By promoting the necessity of conserving biodiversity, Shiva states that “conservation of diversity is, above all, the production of alternatives, of keeping alive alternative forms of production” (p.6). Biologically diverse areas are sustainable because the life forms within it work symbiotically to maintain and nurture itself. She also describes how local and traditional knowledge of any given region is much more comprehensive than the understanding that the monoculture mindset brings. She provides an extensive number of examples of agricultural practices and how mixed farming systems thrive with biodiversity. In contrast, the ‘Green Revolution’ monoculture crops are narrowly focused on fast-growth and high-yields, while the need for biodiversity is disregarded. Shiva strongly supports the impetus to protect biodiversity in the various ecosystems around the world stating that we are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis of which we all will be affected sooner or later.
This book is useful for teachers who are interested in gaining more background knowledge for themselves before teaching a unit on biodiversity to students. The majority of the book would not be appropriate for high school students, given the reading level; however, teachers could use some of the tables within it to summarize information for students.
UNESCO Web site. (2010, May). Natural Sciences Section. Retrieved May 22, 2010 from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/
This is a highly comprehensive and dynamic website that provides a great deal of current, globally oriented information hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. There are several subsections under the biodiversity theme including: Science and Policy, Biological and Cultural Diversity, Education, and Great Apes. Within each section there are related links, documents, and news sites.
UNESCO also focused on making 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. The international biodiversity target that was set for 2010 has not been met at this time, but there are several projects, conferences and research projects taking place to determine and implement actions to address the biodiversity crisis at a global scale. The crisis is that biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate and has, and will continue to have, a severe impact on human life and activities.
With 2010 being a focus year for protecting biodiversity, more efforts were put forth to protect and access indigenous and local knowledge. This step is essential to the protection and conservation of biodiversity as people living close to the land in any given area have a deeper understanding of the intricacies of their local ecosystems. Through collaborative planning at international conferences and continued connections, specific recommendations have been made to work together towards conserving biodiversity, and in particular, those life forms that are on the verge of extinction. The importance of connecting biodiversity science with local and global policy decision-making is also being recognized more in papers and policy recommendations on the site.
In terms of teaching tools, this website provides educators with a variety of different approaches from which to plan a unit or lesson. There is also great deal of background information about biodiversity and cultural diversity in a variety of papers and related links. One important note is that in October 2010, there was an international meeting in Nagano, Japan, regarding the Convention of Biological Diversity. At this meeting there was the launch of a Biodiversity Learning Kit. This “educational kit on biodiversity [is] for teachers and trainers to raise awareness and educate young and wider public audiences through an easy-to-use and appealing tool.” For teachers with little background in this area, the kit is a great introduction and a good resource to begin lesson planning.
Additional Recommended References:
Cheney, I. & Ellis, C. (Co-Producers). (2006). King Corn:You are what you eat [Motion Picture]. USA: Mosaic Films Incorporated.
Nadudvari, T. (Producer/Co-Director) & Curry, A. (Co-Director). (2006). Bad Seed: The truth about our food. [Motion Picture]. Venice, CA: UFO Video, Incorporated.
Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore’s dilemma: A natural history of four meals: New York: Penguin Press.
Springbett, D. (Producer/Director). (2008). Hijacked Future: Who controls the seed, controls the food [Motion picture]. Victoria, BC: Ashnan Films.
No comments:
Post a Comment