Find out more information about Monsanto gm corn and the threat it represents for forests in Mekong countries.

1. MONSANTO & GM CORN – A HIDDEN THREAT
TO WATERSHED FORESTS

2. RISKS
• Loss of forest results to lost of culture, village,
school, hospital and cultural identity of
indigenous groups;
• High price for economic growth;
• Devastation of rainforest natural resources
and biodiversity – communal assets of
humans and all living things;
• Inter-generational debts

3. Solutions
1. Securing and preserving rights to forest-village
(Law on forest protection and development has
recognized community rights to forests
(cultural, watershed, spirit and village forests);
2. Promoting nursing, planting, regenerating and
enriching forests with native tree species;
3. Documentation, mapping and promoting media
nationally and internationally.

4. Loss of forest in the Northern Vietnam

5. Loss of forest in the Central Highlands
due to cassava plantation

6. -
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
Changes in forest area in Vietnam
(Unit: ha)
A. Natural forest
B. Plantation
A. Rừng tự nhiên B. Rừng trồng

7. 2012 2013 2014 2015
Plantation area in four provinces of Vietnam
2012-2015 (Unit: thousand ha)

8. CONSEQUENCES OF THE LOSS OF WATERSHED FOREST

9. SALINIZATION DUE TO THE LOSS OF FOREST IN THE
MEKONG DELTA

10. LOSSES IN 2016
• Regional salinization: in the Central, South-
Central of Vietnam and the Mekong Delta:
• 659,476ha of land for secondary crops farming were
severely damaged or totally lost;
• 18 cities and provinces were affected;
• 2 million people were short of water;
• 1,75 million people lost their income
• REASONS OF DEFORESTATION

12. GMOs – A national threat
• The presence of Monsanto and Syngenta in
Vietnam is under the “indirect” registered
company name “Dekalb Vietnam”. Up to 10
products of Monsanto have been registered
and certified as „Bio-safe“ and „Eligibility for
food/feed“ by MoNRE, MoST and MARD
(source: newspaper).

13. Name of registered
companies
Code of products Popular name and characteristics Trial phase
Certificate of „Bio-
safe“
Certificate of „Eligibility
for food/feed“
Limited Already extension
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON89034 Lepidoptera pest-resistant corn 774/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
29/3/2010
402/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
07/3/2011
1836/QĐ-BTNMT
27/8/2014
3498/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
11/8/2014
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON89788 Glyphosate Roundup herbicide-
resistant soybean
– – – 5550/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
24/12/2014
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON87705 Oleic acid reinforced soybean
tolerant to glyphosate Roundup
– – – 1333/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
20/4/2015
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON87701 Lepidoptera pest-resistant soybean – – – 1338/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
20/4/2015
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON87708 Dicamba herbicide –resistant
soybean
– – – 1339/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
20/4/2015
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON87427 Glyphosate Roundup tolerant corn
on selected tissues
– – – 3659/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
09/9/2015
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON87460 Drought tollerant corn – – – 3660/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
09/9/2015
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON87769 Soybean rich in stearidonic acid - a
fatty acid replacing omega 3
– – – 3661/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
09/9/2015
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON88017 Glyphosate herbicide and
stemborer resistant corn
– – – 3662/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
09/9/2015
Dekalb Vietnam Co.,
Ltd.
MON810 Stemborer pest resistant corn 107/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
14/01/2016
– – 3663/QĐ-BNN-KHCN
09/9/2015

14. Leaflets are everywhere in the Central Vietnam

15. Leaflets are everywhere in
the Central Vietnam

16. Herbicide on GM corn fields

17. Do the company leaders really drink herbicide?

18. Young key farmer’s actions

19. Measuring and counting forest trees for further customary law-
based protection

20. Building up nurseries for enriching mother trees in the
Central Highlands

21. Sharing GPS technique

22. Recording, publishing and sharing with
women and children

23. Young key farmers of the Hre ethnic minority
collecting native rice species for preservation

24. Young key farmers of the Ka Dong ethnic minority
saving native rice species

25. Young key farmers enriching native species

26. The Ka Dong’s forest food in Dak Nen commune,
Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province

27. Chi Hờ Rinh (Ranh vegetables)
(for stir-frying or making soup to improve digestive system,
blood cells and heat dissipation)

28. Chi Nhét (nút áo vegetables)
Solanum nigrum L., in Solanaceae family
For stir-frying or making soup, good for heat dissipation and detoxification

29. Pốt Pờ Đeo
For making soup for heat dissipation, also used as a
sacred tree in traditional rituals.

30. Pia hờ dúc
Fruits for stir-frying and making soup

31. Màng tang
Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., 1807 Lauraceae
Fruits used as spices (similar to black pepper) to prevent flu

32. Plo
A ferment for making traditional wine

33. The Hre’s native timber tree species in Po E
commune

34. Ha ăng (Sến - Mimosopselegin)
For making houses in dry places as ridge-beam

35. Long ca xa dong (Dẻ đỏ)
in the Fagaceae family
For making house columns. The timber is resistant to rain, sunlight and woodworm.
Its branches are used in sowing young rice ceremony. Fruits are edible.

36. Ha rô (Nhội – Euphorbiaceae Bischofia
sp.)
Bischofia javanica Blume, 1827 Euphorbiaceae
For making houses (columns, boards, beams). Timber is water-resistant.
Young leaves and ripe fruits are edible

37. Long preo (Chò chỉ)
Parashorea chinensis Wang Hsie in the Dipterocarpaceae family
For making Neu tree in the buffalo sacrifice, and
making house and furniture.

38. Ka lang mít (Giổi mít – Magnoliaceae
family)
For making houses (columns, boards, floor, ceiling)

39. Xoan rừng
in the Meliaceae family
Wood for making boards, and plants for making green fences

40. Forest vegetables in HEPA, Huong Son district,
Ha Tinh province

41. Đơn nem
• Maesa membranacea A. DC.,
1841 Myrsinaceae
• Medicinal vegetables. Fresh
leaves used as food eaten raw or
for making Nem (fresh spring
roll);
• For treatment of injuries, skin
diseases, coughing, respiratory
diseases and women’s bone
pains after childbirth.
• 51, CTT, LVK

42. Cúc tê (common name), Bóoc mẳn lương (in
Tay ethnic language)
• Galinsoga parviflora Cav.,
1795 Compositae
• Leaves eaten raw or with
meat
• Natural anti-biotic for pain
relief. Soak in wine to cure
toothache and make teeth
stronger
• 73, HVT

43. Sông, Tai chua (common name)
• Garcinia cochinchinensis
(Lour.) Choisy, 1824
Guttiferae
• Leaves taste sour, eaten raw
or cooked;
• Green fruits can be sliced
and sun dried for making
soup or braised fish;
• 93, CTT, HVT

44. Tai chua

45. Báng vegetables
• Ficus callosa Willd, 1798
• Used for making soup;
• Rich nutrition containing
protein, minerals and
vitamins (B1, B2, C)
• Improve poor appetite,
poor sleep and nerve
system

46. Rốn (dớn) vegetables
Diplazium esculentum in the Athyriaceae family
The vegetables are cool, diuretics, anti-constipation, and used to stop the dull
pains caused by colitis, help improve sleep and stay healthy.

47. Tàu bay vegetables
Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S.Moore 1912 Asteraceae
Provide multi-vitamins, especially vitamins A & C to prevent oxidation and free radicals. Fibers in the vegetables
are good for digestive system and to reduce absorption of fat, therefore they are good for obesity and diet. In
some places, the vegetables are used to prevent insects and snake bite by pounding and covering the
wounded.