MEDIA FOR CHANGE NETWORK
A call for civil disobedience against the privatisation of peasant seeds
Published
4 months agoon
For thousands of years, communities have nurtured and taken care of the crops and seeds that sustain us. Seeds are part of human history, work and knowledge systems, and our relationship with them is a never-ending conversation of care. This mutual nurturing has given rise to specific ways of cultivating, sharing, feeding and healing that are linked to community norms, responsibilities, obligations and rights.
People’s freedom to work with seeds hinges on the responsibility of communities who defend and maintain them, who care for them and enjoy the goods they provide. And this freedom is under threat.
Today there is a strong assault on people’s seeds. It comes from the drive to regulate, standardise and privatise seeds to expand markets for corporations. This is done through plant breeders’ rights and patent laws, as well as seed certification schemes, variety registers and marketing laws. Whatever the form, it is about legalising abuse, dispossession and devastation.
Today’s attack on seeds aims to put an end to peasant and Indigenous agriculture, an end to independent food production. Where peasant food sovereignty prevails, it is difficult to turn us into cheap and dependent labour, people without territory and without history. We face a coordinated political and technocratic crusade to impose uniform and rigid laws and regulations in favour of agroindustry. There is a determined effort to discredit people’s historical practices and ancestral indigenous peasant knowledge in order to make us dependent on corporations. Communities who have resisted have faced criminalisation, repression, and even imprisonment
Whether in Africa, Asia, Europe or the Americas, communities are fighting this pressure and we are united and mobilised to actively support them.
– In Benin, social movements have stopped the national parliament from discussing a law proposal to join UPOV, the Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties. UPOV sets global standards for seed privatisation in favour of transnationals like Monsanto/Bayer, Syngenta and Corteva.
– In Guatemala, Indigenous peoples are in the streets demanding that their government’s proposed bill to adopt UPOV standards be scrapped as well. They call it “the Monsanto Law” and its rejection is part of an ongoing nationwide strike.
– In El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, groups are working together to prevent the adoption of a new ruling that would open the doors to genetically modified seeds in all three countries at once.
– In Thailand, civil society organisations are fighting hard against free trade agreements that impose UPOV instead of protecting the rights of farmers and other rural communities to maintain and use their local seeds.
-In Indonesia, farmers and civil society organisations continue to reject UPOV, which is being imposed through free trade negotiations and under pressure from countries like Japan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4pD_yZG1lc
-In the Philippines, farmers, scientists, concerned citizens and civil society organizations filed an environmental case to the Supreme Court to stop the commercial propagation of the genetically modified golden rice that is patented by Syngenta and other agrochemical corporations. Moreover, Filipino farmers are spearheading the fight for the recognition and strengthening of farmers’ rights to seeds and farmers’ seed system by forwarding seed commoning as an alternative to the UPOV-like laws in the country.
– Internationally, peasant and other social movements are also trying to get the UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP) translated into enforceable national laws.
We are determined to resist the dispossession of seeds from the hands of the people. We vigorously oppose registration, certification, patenting and marketing schemes, treaties, conventions, national and international laws and legal frameworks such as UPOV and other seed laws that promote the dispossession of the common goods and knowledge of our peoples.
We, as peoples in resistance, guardians of the seeds, will continue keeping, sharing and reproducing our seeds so our presence will germinate from our roots.
Signatories (Only organisation name displayed):
ABSDD/Slow Food |
Burkina Faso |
Acción Comunal |
Colombia |
ACDIC |
Cameroun |
AFSA |
Africa region |
Switzerland |
|
AgriMovement |
Lebanon |
AIFFRS |
India |
AKban Mague |
Colombia |
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation |
USA |
A lo Verde Escuela de Huertos Agroecologicos |
Ecuador |
Alliance pour le Développement Durable et pour l’Environnement |
Côte d’Ivoire |
Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture |
India |
Amigos unidos con amor hojas de agricultura |
Colombia |
Anti-mining struggle committee |
India. |
ANAGAVEC |
Ecuador |
APBREBES |
Global/Switzerland |
Aravali Bachao |
India |
ARBA (Asociación para la recuperación del bosque autóctono) |
Spain |
Aseas |
Colombia |
Asoproorgànicos |
Colombia |
Association des Jeunes Agriculteurs de la Casamance |
Senegal |
Asociación de mujeres unidas por el desarrollo juanchopuquio encañada |
Peru |
Asociación Ecoaldea Aldeafeliz |
Colombia |
Asociacion Agroecologia y Fe |
Bolivia |
Asociación PROBIVIR |
Colombia |
Association pour la Défense de l’environnement et des Consommateurs (ADEC) |
Sénégal |
Asociación Shuar Sharup de cuidado y protección de semillas. |
Ecuador |
Association Sénégalaise des Producteurs de Semences Paysannes |
Senegal |
Association Tunisienne de Permaculture |
Tunisie |
Atukpamba y Red de Guardianes de Semillas de Ecuador |
Ecuador |
Audace Institut Afrique |
Côte d’Ivoire |
Bangladesh Agricultural Farm Labour Federation (BAFLF) |
Bangladesh |
Badabon Sangho |
Bangladesh |
Bendito Prashadam |
Colombia |
BioThai |
Thailand |
Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya |
Kenya |
Biodiversity Information Box |
Japan |
Biowatch South Africa |
South Africa |
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) |
India |
Building Futures |
USA |
Cabildo Indígena de la cuenca del Río Guabas |
Colombia |
Cámara Verde de la Amazorinoquía |
Colombia |
Campesinos construyendo futuro |
Colombia |
Caritas Diocese of Malakal (CDoM) |
South Sudan |
Casa de semillas El Origen |
Colombia |
CCPA |
Sénégal |
CEIP |
Colombia |
CENDA |
Bolivia |
CERAI |
Spain |
Chile Mejor sin TLC |
Chile |
Chilis on Wheels |
United States |
C.netzero |
DRC |
City Mouse Garden |
United States |
COAG |
Spain |
Coati |
Colombia |
Cocapeutas Cooperatica Mujeres Medicina |
Peru |
Colectiva de mujeres Muralistas |
Colombia |
Colectivo Agroecológico Del Ecuador |
Ecuador |
Colectivo Cultura Saravita |
Colombia |
Colectivo por la Autonomía / Saberes Locales |
México |
Colombia Humana |
Colombia |
Colectivo Minga de soberanía alimentaria deChia |
Colombia |
Colectivo Semilla Negra |
México |
Colectivo Xiegua |
Colombia |
Comité de Derechos Humanos de la Sierra Norte de Veracruz |
México |
Comité Ouest Africain des semences Paysannes |
West Africa |
Commission of Charity and Social Actions – Caritas Dalat |
Viet Nam |
Comunidad Moneda Luna |
Colombia |
Comunidad Rural de la Buitrera |
Colombia |
comunidad kishuar Amazanga |
Ecuador |
Cooperativa Huacal |
México |
Coordinadora Ambiental Popular de Santa Rosa de Cabal |
Colombia |
COPAGEN |
West Africa |
CORDES MAELA RENAF |
Colombia |
Corpalabra |
Colombia |
CORPONIMA |
Colombia |
Corporación Aluna |
Colombia |
Corporación Creare Social |
Colombia |
Corporación Compromiso |
Colombia |
Corporacion Frutos de Utopía |
Colombia |
Corporación Síntesis |
Colombia |
Corredor biológico Montes del aguacate costa Rica |
Costa Rica |
CREATE |
INDIA |
CSRD |
India |
CSFdeepinnerMusic |
Netherlands |
Cuatro Rumbos Para Ti |
México |
CULTIVISA |
Colombia |
Cultivo Lo Nuestro |
Colombia |
Custodios de Semillas Ancestrales |
Colombia |
Darbar Sahitya Sansada |
India |
DESMI, A.C. |
México |
Ecofeminisarte |
Colombia |
Ecosinergia |
Colombia |
EdibleBristol |
UK |
El Jilote, SPG |
México |
Enda Pronat |
Senegal |
ESAL |
Colombia |
Escuela de Líderesas del Ecuador, y mujeres por el cambio, y defensa por la salud de los pueblos |
Ecuador |
Evobiota Consultancy Corporation |
Philippines |
Extinction Rebellion València |
España |
FAEB / Federation Agroecologique du Benin |
BENIN |
FIAN Indonesia |
Indonesia |
Finca Carrizales |
Colombia |
Frente de lucha Ambiental Delia Villalba |
Uruguay |
Friends of the Earth Nigeria |
Nigeria |
Fundacion Ambiental |
Colombia |
Fundacion Avá |
Argentina |
Fundación Julia Márquez |
Colombia |
Fundacion Biosistemas Integrados |
Uruguay |
Fundación la COSMOPOLITANA |
Colombia |
Fundacion Luna Arte |
Colombia |
Fundación Runakawsai |
Ecuador |
Gealac |
Peru |
Gender Justice |
Zambia |
Glesi |
Netherlands |
Good Food Community |
Philippines |
GRAIN |
International |
Grassroots klimaatboerderij |
Belgium |
Grassroots Trust |
Zambia |
Groupe d’action Écologique pour le développement intégral |
RDC |
Grow Local Colorado |
United States |
Grupo Allpa |
Ecuador |
Grupo Raquira Silvestre SAS |
Colombia |
Grupo Semillas |
Colombia |
HEKS Swiss Church Cooperation |
Switzerland |
Humaine |
Belgique |
Huerta comunitaria y Jardín Polinizador Con Ojos de Amor |
Colombia |
Huerta Marsella |
Bogota |
Huertas Swa Cho |
Colombia |
Huerto Agroecológico Atemajac |
México |
Incredible Edible Lambeth |
United Kingdom |
Indigenous Women and Girls Initiative |
Kenya |
Instituto Agroecológico Latinoamericano México |
México |
Instituto Humanitas |
Perú |
ISRA |
Sénégal |
JAL Diviso |
Colombia |
Joint Action for Water |
India |
Junta de agua vereda laureles |
Colombia |
JVE Côte d’Ivoire |
Côte d’Ivoire |
Kikandwa Environmental Association |
Uganda |
Laboratorio de Tierras |
Ecuador |
La Via Campesina East and Southern Africa |
Zimbabwe |
La Tucaneta |
Colombia |
Lapapaya |
Colombia |
La Cité Idéale |
Burkina Faso |
La Cuica Cósmica |
Ecuador |
La Savia |
Colombia |
Les amis de la Terre |
Togo |
Lideresa social |
Colombia |
Kansas interfaith Action |
USA |
Karnataka State Farmers Association (KRRS) |
India |
Malaysian Food Sovereignty Forum (FKMM) |
Malaysia |
MASIPAG |
Philippines |
Mesa Departamental de Diálogo y Concertación Agraría, Étnica y Popular de Nariño |
|
Methods Lab |
United States |
MINGAnet |
Colombia |
Mink’a Comunicación |
Argentina |
Mirachik |
Ecuador |
Mouvement d’Action Paysanne |
Belgium |
Mouvement des jeunes pour l’agriculture,l’agroécologique,et Agro pastorale (M.J.A.A.P) |
R.D.Congo |
Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) |
Sri Lanka |
Movimiento Agroecológico de América Latina y el Caribe-MAELA |
Colombia |
Movimiento Campesino de Papaye |
Haïti |
Movimiento pacto histórico |
Colombia |
Movimiento Rural Cristiano |
España |
Mujeres que reverdecen |
Colombia |
Munsenga cooperative |
Zambia |
National Alliance for Agroecology The Gambia |
Gambia |
Malawi |
|
Ntaamba Hiinta Development Trust |
Zambia |
Ofraneh |
Honduras |
ojoVoz |
Mexico |
OK Seed Project |
Japan |
ONG YVEO |
Côte d’Ivoire |
Organisation des Ruraux pour une Agriculture Durable |
Benin |
Organización campesinos construyendo futuro (OCCF) |
Colombia |
Panitar Pally Unnyan Samiti |
India |
Paralegal Alliance Network |
Zambia |
Perkumpulan INISIATIF |
Indonesia |
Perkumpulan Kediri Bersama Rakyat (KIBAR) |
Indonesia |
Plataforma del País Valencià per un tren públic, social i sostenible que vertebre el territori i refrede el planeta |
Spain |
Primavera Zur |
Colombia |
Promotores ambientales del eje cafetero |
Colombia |
Proyecto agroecologico familiar y educativo ambiental sueño verde |
Colombia |
PTR Associates |
USA |
Punarchith |
India |
RADD |
Cameroun |
Radio Bénin |
Bénin |
RECHERCHE SANS FRONTIÈRES RSF |
RD Congo |
Red de Agricultores Urbanos Bogotá |
Colombia |
Red de consumo Responsable y consciente |
Colombia |
Red Colombiana de Agricultura Biológica de Antioquía |
Colombia |
Red de Custodia de Semillas Criollas y Nativas (CESTA) |
Colombia |
Red de foresteia análoga |
Ecuador |
Red de huertos agroecológicos de Cali |
Colombia |
Red de huertos urbanos |
Colombia |
Red de Resersvas / Resnatur |
Colombia |
Red de semillas criollas y nativas |
Uruguay |
Red de semillas libres de Colombia |
Colombia |
Red Distrital de Agricultores |
Colombia |
Red en defensa del Maiz |
México |
Red Kunagua |
Colombia |
Redmac |
Colombia |
REDMUNORCA |
Colombia |
Red de Pueblos Hermanos |
Colombia |
Red de jóvenes por la Agrobiodiversidad |
Perú |
Red Yuma |
Colombia |
Regional Schools and Colleges Permaculture |
Kenya |
Reservorio de Semillas Techotiva |
Colombia |
RESNATUR – Red de reservas |
Colombia |
Reseau JINUKUN |
Benin |
Resource Institute of Social Education |
India |
Salt Films |
India |
Sanwad |
India |
Save Earth Save Life Movement |
India |
Save Our Rice Campaign |
India |
Secretaria de educación de Bogotá |
Colombia |
Seed In A Box |
Lebanon |
Semillas de Nuestra Tierra |
México |
Semilla Nativa Colombia |
Colombia |
Semillas de Identidad – SWISSAID |
Colombia |
Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia Kalbar |
Indonesia |
SERVIHUERTA |
Colombia |
Siyada network |
Arab région |
Société civile environnementale et agro-rurale du Congo |
RDC |
Sociedad libre y Neocampesina |
Colombia |
Soil if Cultures |
New Zealand |
South India Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements |
India |
SSN |
England |
Zambia and Africa |
|
Sukrutham |
India |
Synergie Nationale des Paysans et Riverains du Cameroun |
Cameroun |
Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity |
Tanzania |
Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam |
India |
The Ecocene Project |
India |
The Failing Farmer |
Tunisia |
The Hummingbird Foundation |
Kenya |
The Sixth Element School |
India |
The Utopian Seed Project |
USA |
Tierra Fertil |
Colombia |
Tinto to go |
Colombia |
Tlalixpan, sobre la faz de la tierra |
México |
Unillanos |
Colombia |
Unión de Organizaciones de la Sierra Juárez Oaxaca |
México |
Union Démocratique de l’Agriculture |
Maroc |
Unión de Organizaciones de la Sierra Juárez Oaxaca |
México |
Unión nacional de organizaciones regionales campesinas autónomas (UNORCA) |
Mexico |
Union Régionale des Associations Paysannes de DIOURBEL URAPD |
Senegal |
Uruguay Soberano |
Uruguay |
Waia Reserva Sagrada |
Colombia |
We Are the Solution |
Senegal |
West africa sea turtles conservation network |
Côte d’Ivoire |
WFDFFM |
Indonesia |
Wild Webcap |
Australia |
Women’s Alliance MN |
United States |
WMW/ATPA |
Tunisie |
xermoladas |
Spain |
Youth talk |
RDC |
Yuva Kaushal Vikas Mandal |
India |
Zambian Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity |
Zambia |