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<$Project P.E.A.C.E. -- Planet Ecology Advancing Conscious Economics$>
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HIV/AIDS and Food and Nutrition Security : PEACE letter to IFPRI and ODI
Posted: April 14 2005
The following open letter and references have been sent to the INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH
INSTITUTE (IFPRI) and Overseas Development Institute (ODI) regarding the recent report entitled "HIV/AIDS and Food and Nutrition Security
- From Evidence to Action," which can be found at
http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/fpreview/fpreview07.htm
These comments are also relevant to ODI's recent publication entitled "Responding to HIV/AIDS in
Agriculture and Related Activities" (7) which also fails to recognize the true value of the world's most useful and healthful, organic agricultural resource.
I am planning to attend a critically important drug policy meeting at the European Parliament on
the 21st of April. If you know of anyone who might be willing to sponsor my expenses, I will have
digital video and a written report of the meeting to offer in return. Please feel free to share
this material with whomever you think might be interested.
Thank you for your consideration. Naturally, I welcome any comments, observations and suggestions
you may care to send.
for peace,
Paul J. von Hartmann
Cannabis ecologist, biodynamic agriculturist
Project P.E.A.C.E.
USA/France
Planet Ecology Advancing Conscious Economics
http://www.webspawner.com/users/projectpeace/
THC Ministry International
http://www.thc-ministry.org
===========================================================================
Dear Dr. Gillespie, Dr. Kadiyala, IFPRI Associates, and interested parties,
I am in the process of reviewing the IFPRI report entitled "HIV/AIDS and Food and Nutrition
Security - From Evidence to Action." While I find your report tremendously valuable and complete
in presenting the problems we are facing, I am very sorry to say that I am extremely disappointed
in the limitations of your reported policy options. You must be aware that ending prohibition of
the "strategic food resource"(1) known as "hemp" (Cannabis) is the single most achievable and
effective policy change, that ought to have been your first recommendation as an option deserving
primary and immediate, emergency consideration. If Spring of 2005 passes without implementing a
massive planting of Cannabis, millions more will die of malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, starvation and
illness as a direct result.
Contrary to what you have published, Cannabis may actually be a "magic bullet" in the form of an
unique and essential agricultural crop, which is currently prohibited in the United States and
suppressed by ignorance and prejudice, if not by law, throughout much of the world. The "herb
bearing seed"(2) known as Cannabis (a.k.a. hemp, 'marijuana') is the best available source of
vegetable protein and essential fatty acids (EFAs) on Earth. I must assume that consistent with
the limiting influence of "drug war" fanaticism on U.S. government sponsored science, knowledge
of Cannabis has either been immorally suppressed or inexcusably overlooked in your otherwise
excellent work.
I am particularly shocked and disappointed to have found no mention in your report of hemp seed as
a sustainable, organic, globally available and agriculturally beneficial source of critical
nutrition. Neither is there mention of the effectiveness of 'marijuana' as an effective herbal
therapeutic in the treatment of AIDS/HIV patients(3). How tragically unacceptable, for all
concerned.
The practical utility of Cannabis also includes abundant production of feedstock for making
environmentally acceptable fuels, paper, cloth, building materials and agricultural biocides. The
ready economic stimulus and advantages to people living in the depths of hopelessness are
incalculable, considering the effect that raising people's standards of living has on the spread
of this epidemic.
The nutritional value of the most potentially abundant organic crop on Earth has been completely
ignored by IFPRI, the UN/FAO, and other institutions who are responsible for leading society
toward achievable objectives. Your report has presented so many valuable pieces of information,
yet remains incomplete in that it ignores an obvious, though the uninformed may say, radical
measure.
The single most effective change in resource valuation, which could mean the difference between
life and death for millions of people, would be the immediate end of Cannabis prohibition. I
believe it is your responsibility to report this obvious and broadly compelling facet of our
situation with which people in every nation are confronted.
Please see the webpages below for information regarding the nutritional value of Cannabis seed and
the use of 'marijuana' in treatment of AIDS/HIV. Consider to begin with the following:
"Typical nutritional values (mg/100 g) for vitamins and minerals in hempseeds" (4)
Vitamin E 90.0
Thiamine (B1) 0.4
Riboflavin (B2) 0.1
Phosphorous (P) 1160
Potassium (K) 859
Magnesium (Mg) 483
Calcium (Ca) 145
Iron (Fe) 14
Sodium (Na) 12
Manganese (Mn) 7
Zinc (Zn) 7
Copper (Cu) 2
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Please contact me immediately so that we may begin the process of exercising essential civilian
demand, while there is still time to begin cultivation. For more information regarding the
P.E.A.C.E rationale and strategies for reintroducing the incomparable nutritional value of this
unique and essential, "strategic" food resource, please see the webpages and links below.
I also request that a representative of IFPRI formally acknowledge receipt of the Formal
Individual Complaint referred to below(5), according to provisions made in Executive Order 13107,
IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES.(6)
Thank you sincerely for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon in the hope
that we may cooperate in implementing viable solutions toward a universally beneficial outcome.
for peace,
Paul J. von Hartmann
Cannabis ecologist, biodynamic agriculturist
Project P.E.A.C.E.
USA/France
Planet Ecology Advancing Conscious Economics
http://www.webspawner.com/users/projectpeace/
THC Ministry International
http://www.thc-ministry.org
References -
1. NATIONAL DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES PREPAREDNESS. Executive Order 12919. President William J.
Clinton. 1994. PART IX - "GENERAL PROVISIONS (e) "Food resources" means all commodities and
products, simple, mixed, or compound, or complements to such commodities or products, that are
capable of being ingested by either human beings or animals, irrespective of other uses to which
such commodities or products may be put, at all stages of processing from the raw commodity to the
products thereof in vendible form for human or animal consumption. "Food resources" also means all
starches, sugars, vegetable and animal or marine fats and oils, cotton, tobacco, wool, mohair,
hemp, flax fiber, and naval stores, but does not mean any such material after it loses its
identity as an agricultural commodity or agricultural product."
www.archives.gov/federal_register/ executive_orders/1994.html
2. Holy Bible, Genesis 1:29, King James version. www.online-literature.com/bible/Genesis/
3. Cannabis Indications - 3
Illnesses and Indications -- AIDS
http://www.olywa.net/when/indications03.html
4. "Hempseed as a nutritional resource: An overview" J.C. Callaway Department of Pharmaceutical
Chemistry, University of Kuopio, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland. Euphytica 140: 65–72, 2004. Pp. 68.
http://www.hempreport.com/iha/pdf/J237.pdf
5. Formal Individual Complaint to the U.S. Government
http://formalcomplaint.blogspot.com/
6. EXECUTIVE ORDER 13107. IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES. President William J. Clinton.
1998. Sec. 3. Human Rights Inquiries and Complaints. Each agency shall
take lead responsibility, in coordination with other appropriate
agencies, for responding to inquiries, requests for in formation, and
complaints about violations of human rights obligations that fall within
its areas of responsibility or, if the matter does not fall within its
areas of responsibility, referring it to the appropriate agency for
response."
www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo13107.htm
Note: This document is being forwarded to a global network of interested institutions and
individuals who may be interested in, or whom could be instrumental in implementing, essential
civilian demand for strategic food resources.
Cc: Federal Emergency Management Agency
http://www.fema.gov/
FEMAOPA@dhs.gov
Additional References:
7. Responding to HIV/AIDS in Agriculture and Related Activities
by Rachel Slater and Steve Wiggins. ODI, Natural Resource perspectives Number 98, Department for
International Development. March 2005.
http://www.odi.org.uk/nrp/98.pdf
8. Overseas Development Institute. Natural Resource Perspectives
http://www.odi.org.uk/nrp/
posted by projectpeace @
11:41 PM
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Saturday, April 09, 2005  |
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