Just before the end of 2015, Venezuela passed the Seed Law, one of the world’s most progressive laws in agriculture. The new law bans the production, distribution and import of genetically modified organism seeds. The law will also create a central body to regulate the production of hybrid seeds. GMO seeds can contaminate the land where it is planted and its pollution even outlasts the effects of global warming, not to mention that they are unhealthy for humans. With the new legislation, Venezuela can ensure that food production can be done “under an agro-ecological model that respects the pacha mama [mother earth] and the right of our children to grow up healthy, eating healthy.”
Venezuela bans GMO crops, a bold and unique step to protect agriculture
More of Today's Solutions
Earth Prize 2026 part I: teenage teams tackling big global problems
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every year, The Earth Prize asks teenagers across the world the same question: what environmental problem would you ...
Read MoreEarth Prize 2026 part II: seaweed fabric, hornbill nests, and a healing bandage
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM This is part two of our Earth Prize 2026 coverage. Part one covered four regional winners from Ireland, ...
Read MoreHow the capital of Lithuania is turning itself into a vast open-air cafe
For many cities around the world, the need for social distancing has motivated cities to experiment with different urban planning schemes. Recently, we published ...
Read MoreThis power-free sewer treatment plant was inspired by cow stomachs
80 percent of the world’s sewage is dumped untreated into the natural environment. This is a huge health and environmental crisis, but traditional sewage ...
Read More
