Who is the Basmati Action Group (BAG)?
BAG is a grassroots organization that values life in all its diversity. BAG is opposed to the patenting of any life forms, anywhere, by anyone. This means supporting actions that value and procect ecological integrity, indigenous knowledge and lands, women’s rights, the autonomy and self-determinacy of people and community-based action. Food forms the natural link between community and life. For this reason, recent developments in world trade and agricultural policy, life-patenting and genetic engineering strike us as attacks on the essence of those things we value most. BAG has been formed to raise awareness about biopiracy, life patents and on-going acts of colonialism – and to work to end these practices. Along with many others, we see biopiracy as the “third wave of colonialism” and an entrenchment of sexist and racist practices. We recognize that women in the South (‘Third World Women’) continue to bear the brunt of acts of colonialism. For over 500 years, the North (the ‘First Wo
