Stolen Harvest: the Hijacking of the Global Food Supply

by Vandana Shiva

Culture of the Land

On This Page

Description

For the farmer, the seed is not merely the source of future plants and food; it is a vehicle through which culture and history can be preserved and spread to future generations. For centuries, farmers have evolved crops and produced an incredible diversity of plants that provide life-sustaining nutrition. In India alone, the ingenuity of farmers has produced over 200,000 varieties of rice, many of which now line store shelves around the world. This productive tradition, however, is under show more attack as globalized, corporate regimes increasingly exploit intellectual property laws to annex these sustaining seeds and remove them from the public sphere. In Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply, Shiva explores the devastating effects of commercial agriculture and genetic engineering on the food we eat, the farmers who grow it, and the soil that sustains it. This prescient critique and call to action covers some of the most pressing topics of this ongoing dialogue, from the destruction of local food cultures and the privatization of plant life, to unsustainable industrial fish farming and safety concerns about corporately engineered foods. The preeminent agricultural activist and scientist of a generation, Shiva implores the farmers and consumers of the world to make a united stand against the genetically modified crops and untenable farming practices that endanger the seeds and plants that give us life. show less

Tags

Recommendations

Member Reviews

3 reviews
Lots of good information but rather repetitive for such a small book.
In her latest book, "the South's best known environmentalist" (New Internationalist) and 1993 Right Livelihood Award winner, Vandana Shiva, continues her path-breaking work on uncovering the devastating human and environmental impacts of corporate-engineered international trade agreements. In "Stolen Harvest", she charts the impacts of industrial agriculture and what they mean for small farmers, the environment, and the quality and healthfulness of the foods we eat. A short, impassioned, and inspiring book that will shape the debate about genetic engineering and commercial agriculture for years to come.

About the Author:

Vandana Shiva (b. November 5, 1952, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, India), is a philosopher, environmental activist, eco show more feminist and author of several books. Shiva, currently based in Delhi, is author of over 300 papers in leading scientific and technical journals. She received her Ph.D. in physics from the University of Western Ontario, Canada, in 1978 with the doctoral dissertation:“Hidden Variables and Non-locality in Quantum Theory”.

Shiva participated in the nonviolent Chipko movement during the 1970s. The movement, some of whose main participants were women, adopted the approach of forming human circles around trees to prevent their felling. She is one of the leaders of the International Forum on Globalization, (along with Jerry Mander, Edward Goldsmith, Ralph Nader, Jeremy Rifkin, et al.), and a figure of the global solidarity movement known as the alter-globalization movement. She has argued for the wisdom of many traditional practices, as is evident from her interview in the book "Vedic Ecology" (by Ranchor Prime) that draws upon India's Vedic heritage.
show less
I've recently started reading Stolen Harvest by Vandana Shiva, who is a dedicated activist, prolific writer, and seriously cool lady.

Members

Recently Added By

Lists

South End Press Favorites
26 works; 2 members

Author Information

Picture of author.
105+ Works 2,848 Members
Vandana Shiva is a world-renowned environmental leader, activist, and scholar who has dedicated her life to defending the sovereignty of biological and Indigenous knowledge.

Awards and Honors

Series

Common Knowledge

Canonical title
Stolen Harvest: the Hijacking of the Global Food Supply
Original publication date
2000

Classifications

Genres
Economics, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Business, Sexuality and Gender Studies, Food & Cooking, History
DDC/MDS
338.47664Society, Government, and CultureEconomicsProductionSecondary industries and servicesServices and specific productsTechnology
LCC
HD9000.5 .S454Social sciencesIndustries. Land use. LaborIndustries. Land use. LaborSpecial industries and tradesAgricultural industries
BISAC

Statistics

Members
391
Popularity
79,487
Reviews
3
Rating
(3.81)
Languages
English, German, Spanish
Media
Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
ISBNs
13
ASINs
6