Greenpeace Unveils Giant 'rice Art' In Thailand

[churchill]

MANILA - An international environmental organization recently unveiled a massive rice sculpture in honor of "Southeast Asia's rich natural heritage in rice production."

Greenpeace's "Rice Art", which depicts farmers in straw hats harvesting rice, was sculpted on a 16,000 square meter field in Thailand's fertile Central Plains.

The sculpture was made with 2 varieties of organic rice, both showing different colors, planted by Greenpeace volunteers and local community members.

The two rice varieties are Chai-nat 1, an irrigated local rice variety, and Khum Phayao, a black rice variety.

The sculpture was also "a visual call and a reminder" to Southeast Asian governments to protect the food crop from genetic engineering and climate change, according to a statement by Danny Ocampo, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner.

Harmful, risky GMOs

Ocampo said that the genetic modification of rice is harmful and risky, since genetically modified organisms (GMO) and products "have never been proven safe for human consumption, threaten farmer's livelihoods, and pose irreversible risks to the environment."

He said the Philippines may have laws and agencies regulating the entry of GMO products in the Philippines, but that there has been no clear assessment of whether these products are safe.

In fact, Ocampo said, the Department of Agriculture has approved 50 GMOs either for direct use in food, feed, processing, or commercial propagation since GMOs were legalized in December 2002.

"The agency and its attached bodies have never rejected an application for importation or propagation of GMO despite documented cases on questions of their safety and rejection by other countries," he said.

Sustainability

The organization also believes the technology contaminates the environment and threatens biodiversity. Instead, Greenpeace is actively campaigning for GMO-free food production and sustainable agricultural practices.

Rice-producing countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand and their neighbors produce 25% of the world's total rice production, according to 2008 data by the United States Department of Agriculture.

However, Greenpeace members believe that the region is also one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Dinah Fuentesfina, campaign spokersperson for the Tcktcktck campaign in the Asia-Pacific, said that 70% of the world's extreme poverty is found in agricultural areas where farmers depend on rain for harvests.

"Too much or too little rain spell disaster. The world must recognize that agriculture is a sector that is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Thus, governments must ensure adaptation strategies based on sustainable agricultural techniques," she said in a press statement.

The Tcktcktck campaign reportedly aims to push for a climate change treaty in the United Nations meeting to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark this December.

Greenpeace, which has an estimated 3 million financial supporters and offices in 46 countries, is a member of the campaign

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/09/04...ce-art-thailand

[Gonzo the Face]

While I haven't seen the Thai , 2 color rice art, here is a snap of two of many works of multi color rice art in Japan

Must have super patience and also talent....