More about GMO

Here you have some more information about GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) and the main problems their use entails:

- This poster shows how GMO crops are made: 

Source: http://www.pub.ac.za/resources/cartoons.php

- This is a short video of the environmental NGO Greenpeace about GMO: 

Greenpeace has led an international campaign to present a petition to the European Union Commission to stop GMO crops in the European Union. This has been the first European Citizens´ Initiative. More than 1 million people have signed this petition:  

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/over-a-million-eu-citizens-finally-have-their/blog/29331

On the other hand, we have the Spanish case: Spains belongs to the few European countries that have allowed GMO crops. Spain produces 75% of the GMO corn produced in the European Union. This GMO corn is used to feed cattle and it represents 30% of all the corn cultivated in Spain. Spain is one of the few European Union members in favour of promoting GMO crops, although the oficial speech of the Spanish government is completely different. Some recent documents revealed by Wikileaks refer to the Spanish government´s policy in favour of GMO:

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/EE/UU/Espana/nos/pide/presionemos/Bruselas/favor/transgenicos/elpepuesp/20101218elpepunac_12/Tes

- On the following links you can read about the pro and against  arguments  used to defend or to demand the prohibition of GMO:  

http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/focus/2003/gmo8.htm

http://www.pigswillfly.com.au/?p=1631

- And finally, here you have some cartoons about GMO and transgenic seeds:

Source: http://redgreenandblue.org/2009/01/15/mean-joe-green-44-caption-contest-2-winner/

Source: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/directory/s/scarecrows.asp

The last one refers to the pollution of non-GMO crops with transgenic seeds:

Source: http://www.seppo.net/e/gm-canola-escapes-into-the-wild

Organic farming

Source: http://organicfarming2008.blogspot.com/

Commercial agriculture has reached the objective of producing a lot of products at a low price. We can choose between a big number of products and we can eat vegetables and fruits all year round. But in order to grow the crops faster, farmers use a lot of pesticides and chemical fertilizers many times.

There is an alternative way of cultivating the land: organic agriculture. Organic agriculture is a type of farming that consists in cultivating the land ecologically. This means taking care of the soil by  using natural fertilizers (manure), natural methods to control the plagues and respecting the natural cycle of plants. The four principles of organic agriculture are Elath, ecology, fairness and care.

As people are more and more worried about health, organic agriculture has increased considerably in the most developed countries. Here you have some maps and graphs where you can observe the evolution of organic agriculture in Europe and Spain:

Source: http://www.organic-world.net/graphs.html#c2239

Source: http://www.fibl.org/en/themen/themen-statistiken.html

Evolution of organic agriculture in Spain in the last 20 years:

http://www.mapa.es/notas/documentos/Presentaci%C3%B3n%20Datos%20AE%20Ministra.pdf

More information about organic farming in the world on the following links: 

- Global Organic Farming Statistics and News:

http://www.organic-world.net/graphs.html#c2239

-  International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)

http://www.ifoam.org/

Organic farmers need a certification to start selling their products as organic. These are the labels that certify organic products in Spain and in Europe.  

 Source: http://www.mapa.es/es/alimentacion/pags/ecologica/introduccion.htm

The following report refutes the idea that organic agriculture can´t produce enough food to feed people. Researchers of the Universite of Michigan have shown that organic agriculture can yield up to three times more than convencional agriculture on the same plot of land:

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Organic_Farming_Can_Feed_the_World_999.html

And finally, the reasons why organic food  is more expensive than conventional food:

  

http://www.fao.org/organicag/oa-faq/oa-faq5/en/

Source: http://www.zazzle.es/amo_la_aduana_del_corazon_de_la_agricultura_biolog_pegatina-217156918613326211

Challenge number 1

This first challenge will consist in guessing the names in English of some of the most common tools and machines used in agriculture. There are some tools you know from last year and some new ones. Please, leave your answers: 

NUMBER 1

NUMBER 2

NUMBER 3

NUMBER 4

NUMBER 5

NUMBER 6

NUMBER 7

NUMBER 8

NUMBER 9

NUMBER 10

NUMBER 11

NUMBER 12

And this last photograph shows one of the most common images in the countryside. What´s this?

We´ll give the correct answers on Monday. Cheer up with the search!

Agrarian landscapes

This is a Powerpoint presentation to review all the concepts we learned about agrarian landscapes last Friday. Pay special attention to irrigation techniques. See you next Friday.

Agrarian Landscapes

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