Be a Zapatista wherever you are

“When the Zapatistas found out the corn was genetically contaminated, they took a stand to defend it. Corn can’t stand up for itself.”

Benjamin Fahrer, 31, manager and instructor, Oceansong Farm, Sonoma County, California, USA.

Above: Benjamin Fahrer, 31, manager of Oceansong Farm, and his wife Gabriel Tirabani, 31, Sonoma County, USA. Benjamin lives in a dome (right) that he built for his thesis on sustainable building.

On both sides of the border between the USA and Mexico, genetically engineered corn is fueling resistance and allegiance to indigenous Chiapas corn. The movement is both agricultural and political. The Zapatista National Liberation Army is at the center of the conflict in which seeds are the weapons. Mother Seeds, a seed bank in Chiapas, Mexico, provides farmers around the world with corn seeds that haven’t changed since the time of the ancient Mayans.

In turn, Zapatista philosophies, as well as the corn, are kept alive by those who plant the seeds and ward off genetic imposters. “Before planting the seeds, you sign an agreement with the Mayan people of Chiapas,” says Benjamin Fahrer (right), 31, manager and instructor, Oceansong Farm, Sonoma County, California, USA. “In solidarity with them, you agree that you will not exploit them in any way. It’s all about protecting an ancient variety of corn from the agricultural genocide that’s been happening to indigenous crops on this planet.” The corn takes more time to grow, and Oceansong Farm uses Chiapas techniques wherever possible. “Normal hybrid corn takes 60 days to grow and mature, but this corn needs more than 200 days,” reports Benjamin. “In late September, when the stalks are about 12 feet [4 m] high, we grab hold of the stalks and shake them to allow pollination.” The farm gets a lot of attention for its efforts.

“We’re a living seed bank outside of Chiapas. We receive exposure in the political and social arena because of our location.” Still, there are other worries besides the genetic change in corn. Genetic engineering also opens up the possibilities of superweeds and superbugs that could be resistant to everything. Benjamin concludes, “We don’t know the long-term effects of genetic engineering on the development of people and plants, and this ignorance could be very costly in the future.”

Above: Benjamin Fahrer's goats behind solar-powered electric fencing.

“After World War II, big corporations took tanks and turned them into tractors. They took planes that were used for bombing and turned them into sprayers for pesticide bombs. They basically turned the war against the planet. The green revolution wasn’t about growing more vegetables and food but it was really about putting more money into their pockets. Other negative impacts are more social, and have damaged the livelihood of small farmers. The suicide rate of farmers is rising. The big industries come in and privatize everything. They make people grow the food for export without allowing them to make enough money to live. The small farmers are not allowed to grow their own food and they don’t have anywhere to go. The everyday effect of these industrial practices on people’s lives is enormous and a whole indigenous culture is being lost. That’s why the Mayan people resisted when NAFTA [the North American Free Trade Agreement] went into effect. Basically NAFTA was going to open up more jobs, create more abundance, but really it was the opposite of that. It was putting more money into the pockets of a few.”

Benjamin Fahrer, 31, manager and instructor, Oceansong Farm, Sonoma County, California, USA.