La Concentración Corporativa en la Industria de Semillas Hortícolas

Translated title of the contribution: Corporate Concentration in the Horticultural Seed Industry

Maria Elizabeth Bravo Velasquez

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

In the process of capitalism's incursion into agriculture, the control of seeds plays a vital role, since it is the beginning of the productive process. However, turning the seed into a commodity presents some difficulties: the first is that the seed is a living being that can be saved and reproduced infinitely, on the other hand, since the beginning of agriculture, cultural practices of conservation, improvement and free exchange of seeds have been developed. In addition, seeds carry genetic information that is directly linked not only to the ecological conditions of production and reproduction, but also to the history of cultural practices and social exchange relationships. In order to overcome these obstacles, the seed industry developed legal and technological strategies throughout the 20th century. Legal strategies include tightening of intellectual property rules, compulsory registration and certification of seeds, phytosanitary measures and contracts (between companies and consumers of genetic material).
Translated title of the contributionCorporate Concentration in the Horticultural Seed Industry
Original languageSpanish (Ecuador)
Title of host publicationEcología política latinoamérica. Pensamiento crítico, diferencia latinoamericana y rearticulación epistémica
PublisherConsejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales (CLACSO)
Pages385-402
Number of pages18
ISBN (Print)978-987-722-280-7
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2017

CACES Knowledge Areas

  • 118A Agricultural and livestock production

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