What does a computer enthusiast using Linux or other free software in the developed world have in common with a farmer in the developing world?
At first glance there may not seem to be much these two people have in common, but the latest issue of Seedling magazine looks how intellectual property rights issues are affecting many people in many different disciplines, and how increasingly people are realizing that these issues must be tackled on a common front.
The free software community benefits from a large and well organized support base, but farmers in the developing world don’t. These farmers are quickly losing the right to save and regrow their own seeds, and instead are being forced to purchase seeds from companies like Monsanto. These farmers are losing their cultural and genetic heritage, are being forced into an ever continuing cycle of poverty and don’t have many people to help them stand up for their rights.
