Vandana Shiva

**Biography and Career**:
– Vandana Shiva was born in Dehradun to a father who was a conservator of forests.
– She studied physics at Punjab University and completed her PhD in philosophy at the University of Western Ontario.
– Shiva founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, established Navdanya in 1991, and started Bija Vidyapeeth in 2004.
– She challenged biopiracy of neem, basmati, and wheat and received the Right Livelihood Award in 1993.
– Shiva has been active in agriculture since 1984 and has authored works like ‘The Violence of the Green Revolution’.

**Activism and Advocacy**:
– Vandana Shiva supports seed freedom, rejects patents on new plant lines, and advocates for biodiversity conservation.
– She emphasizes the importance of traditional seed saving and fights against corporate control of seeds.
– Shiva works on introducing ecocide to the International Criminal Court and has been a founding councillor of the World Future Council.
– Her activism includes citing data on pesticides in the food system and challenging the Green Revolution’s impacts on agriculture.

**Opposition to GMOs and Golden Rice**:
– Shiva opposes Golden Rice, citing potential harm and promoting alternatives like diverse greens consumed in Bengal.
– She links soaring seed prices in India to farmer debt and suicides, criticizing GM seeds for exacerbating the issue.
– Economists estimate over 1.4 million lives lost in India due to the absence of Golden Rice, while Shiva raises concerns about its efficacy and safety.
– Shiva’s stance on GMOs has led to debates within the scientific community, with critics questioning the scientific accuracy of her claims.

**Ecofeminism and Environmental Impact**:
– Vandana Shiva advocates for a woman-centered agricultural system for sustainability and co-authored the book ‘Ecofeminism’ in 1993.
– Her ecofeminist perspective explores the intersection of gender and environmental issues, critiquing capitalism’s impact on women’s roles.
– Shiva’s work emphasizes the need to address environmental degradation through a feminist lens and calls for a reevaluation of traditional development models.
– She campaigns against corporate control of agriculture, promotes food sovereignty, and raises awareness about the negative impacts of industrial agriculture.

**Criticism, Recognition, and Media Engagement**:
– Vandana Shiva has faced criticisms like accusations of plagiarism and questions about the scientific accuracy of her claims.
– She has been involved in conflicts with organizations like Greenpeace over agricultural practices and has been criticized for her anti-GMO activism.
– Shiva’s work has been recognized through awards like being named one of BBC’s 100 women in 2019 and providing a foreword in the Extinction Rebellion Handbook.
– She engages with the media through documentaries, films, interviews, and public appearances to raise awareness about ecological issues and sustainable development.