US govt funding 'dubious PR firm' to discredit anti-GM, anti-pesticide activists?

By Rajiv Shah

The Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) has vocally condemned the financial support provided by the US Government to what it calls questionable public relations firms aimed at undermining the efforts of activists opposed to pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in India.

ASHA said, investigations by Lighthouse Reports, shared with global media partners have unveiled that an American PR firm headed by a former Monsanto employee has been profiling and surveilling anti-GMO activists worldwide. This initiative, which involves a private social network known as “Bonus Eventus,” is only accessible to about 1,000 subscribers, including representatives from biotech and pesticide lobbying groups in India, it adds.

The platform has been tracking approximately 100 activists, scientists, and others in India, in addition to numerous individuals globally. “The US government’s relentless lobbying on behalf of the pesticide and biotech industries is well-documented. The corporate agricultural framework in America is heavily reliant on unsustainable, profit-driven technologies, supported by billions in subsidies, and seeks global acceptance for its products,” ASHA states.

Historical instances, such as leaked documents revealing US government officials in India monitoring decisions regarding Bt brinjal, highlight the problematic nature of American involvement in Indian agricultural policy-making, ASHA said. Notably, the efforts of Dr. Nina Federoff in 2010 to promote Bt brinjal exemplify the blatant lobbying efforts by the US, it adds.

Furthermore, organizations like USAID and philanthropic entities such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have been known to advocate for sustainable practices that pose risks to Indian agriculture, ASHA asserts, expressing concerns about the Indian government’s susceptibility to foreign lobbying, despite its restrictions on “foreign-funded” groups.

“We demand that the US government cease its interference in the sovereign policy matters of other nations and respect the scientifically grounded concerns raised by activists regarding harmful technologies. We also call upon V-Fluence to halt its unethical tracking and profiling of activists, and to extend an apology to those dedicated to public welfare in India,” ASHA insists.

ASHA's statement further says: “The pesticide and GM seed industries, often intertwined, feel increasingly threatened as awareness of the dangers posed by these technologies grows among citizens and governments alike, leading them to reject GM agriculture. In a bid to silence essential scientific and public discussions that highlight the need to forbid these toxic technologies, the industry has employed Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) tactics to suppress scientific research and publications."

It notes, "Our primary concern is that the Indian government may yield to the lobbying pressure and misinformation propagated by these corporations, particularly if public debate is stifled. Repeated reports indicate that international trade agreements and high-level diplomatic engagements are wielded as tools to influence the Indian government in favor of profit-oriented industries, disregarding the interests of ordinary citizens."

"Despite some encouraging announcements and budgetary allocations for promoting natural farming, GMO and pesticide promotion continues, jeopardizing India's trade prospects, including organic produce, and threatening the food safety of its populace”, ASHA adds.

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