The Greed Revolution

Here's an important report from the ETC group.  It may be a bit complex and/or dry for people not versed in agricultural research and development terms and infrastructure, but it's good to read.  Basically the article demonstrates how over the past few decades international organizations that are supposed to look out for the general public interest (ensuring access to seed genetic resources, providing policy frameworks for agricultural development, etc.) are being increasingly hijacked by international agribusiness corporations.  It is important because most of the research and other investments that have greatly improved food supply in the past 50 years have been publicly funded, with mandates for the public interest.  If instead of serving farmers and consumers, these research and development organizations (the CGIAR and the FAO) start to look out for the interests of food processors, petrochemical input suppliers, grain speculators, and the like, then we're all in trouble.

On a somewhat related note, here is a withering critique of the TED conferences, claiming that they are frivolous, self-congratulatory, and basically little more than a cheerleading squad for the status quo.