GMW: Asians Call for Ban on GM Rice

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GMW: Asians Call for Ban on GM Rice

" GM WATCH " <info

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 17:37:41 +0100

 

 

 

 

 

 

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UN World Food Day - Asians Call for Ban on GE Rice

 

BANGKOK - A coalition of 17 organisations from across Asia today issued

a World Food Day statement calling for a global ban on the introduction

of genetically engineered (GE) rice.

" Rice is the world's most important staple food crop and we simply

cannot allow a small number of biotech companies and GE scientists to

determine the future of rice development, " said Varoonvarn

Svangsopakul of

Greenpeace Southeast Asia. " GE rice is not a solution to world hunger.

It poses unacceptable risks to health and the environment, as well as

people's livelihoods. "

 

The aggressive push from biotechnology companies wanting to introduce

GE rice in Asia is facing increasing criticism from civil society

organisations concerned about negative impacts on farmers, on the

environment, health and agricultural sustainability.

 

The theme of this year's World Food Day sponsored by the United Nations

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is Agriculture and

intercultural dialogue - celebrating the contribution of different

cultures to

world agriculture.

 

" GE rice poses threats to the centre of origin and diversity of rice in

Asia, as well as the cultural diversity of rice-growing communities

across the region. The introduction of GE rice is contradictory to the

theme of this year's World Food Day celebration, " said Dr Suman Sahai

from

Gene Campaign, India.

 

" The real way forward for sustainable agriculture and solution for

hunger is through the protection and use of biodiversity rather than

genetic engineering, and the promotion of ecological agriculture based

on the

traditional knowledge of farming communities, " said Paul Borja,

SEARICE, based in the Philippines.

 

" Bangladesh farmers have a long tradition of maintaining local rice

diversity and they are resisting Syngenta's move to introduce Golden

Rice, " said Palash Baral, from UBINIG Bangladesh.

 

" With breeding and growing local rice varieties, Thailand farmers are

able to enjoy nutritious food and stabilize their income, " said Supanee

Taneewut, RRAFA, Thailand.

 

Following a 2-day meeting outside Bangkok, representatives from 10 rice

growing countries wearing traditional dresses will today deliver the

GE-Free Rice Declaration to the FAO headquarters in Bangkok, along with a

collection of rice varieties as a demonstration of the importance of

maintaining rice diversity.

 

In the declaration, the group called for a ban on the development and

cultivation of GE rice, and called upon the FAO to cease support for GE

crops, and to instead support the development of sustainable,

ecologically sound farming systems. "

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GE-Free Rice Declaration

Supanburi, Thailand, October 14th, 2005

 

We the participants representing organisations from 10 rice growing

countries across Asia, having come together for a discussion on rice and

genetic engineering, hereby declare that:

 

1. Rice is the world's most important staple food crop and forms the

basis of the diet for over 3 billion people. It has played a central role

in the cultural, social and spiritual life of communities throughout

Asia for thousands of years;

 

2. Tens of thousands of rice varieties have been developed by farmers

over millennia and farmers continue to develop and breed new varieties

adapted to diverse ecosystems, economic and cultural requirements. GE

rice threatens to undermine this diversity;

 

3. Women play a significant role in the conservation and development of

seeds and as holders of traditional knowledge. With the advent of GE

crops the role of indigenous knowledge and community led farming systems

is likely to be destroyed;

 

4. GE rice cannot be a solution to hunger since the causes of hunger

are the lack of access to productive resources to produce food, or lack

of income to buy food.

 

5. Genetically engineered rice poses unacceptable risks to human and

animal health and to the environment, particularly the contamination of

gene pools in the centres of origin and diversity of rice in Asia;

 

6. The segregation of genetically engineered from non-genetically

engineered rice cannot be implemented. Therefore co-existence is

impossible;

 

7. The undue influence of transnational corporations such as Monsanto,

Bayer and Syngenta on international agricultural production, trade and

policies serves to undermine local access to food and the right of

peoples and nations to democratically determine the use of their food

resources;

 

8. Corporate influence is further directing public sector agricultural

research away from public and towards commercial interests;

 

9. The future of our world's most important staple food crop will be

secured through the protection and use of biodiversity rather than

genetic engineering, and through ecological agriculture based on the

traditional knowledge of farming communities;

 

For World Food Day 2005, we therefore call for a ban on the development

and cultivation of genetically engineered rice, and call upon the

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to cease

support for

genetically engineered crops and food, and to instead support

comprehensive research and development of sustainable, ecologically sound

farming systems.

 

Signatory organisations:

 

Biotani Indonesia Foundation Cenesta (Centre for Sustainable

Development and Environment), Iran Consumers' Association of Penang,

Malaysia

Friends of the Earth Malaysia / Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) Gita Pertiwi

Foundation, Indonesia Gene Campaign, India Green Net, Thailand

Greenpeace Khao Kwan Foundation, Thailand No! GMO Campaign, Japan Save

Our Rice

Campaign (PAN AP) Reclaiming Rural Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Action (RRAFA) Thailand South East Asian Council for Food Security and

Fair Trade (SEACON) Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community

Empowerment (SEARICE) Third World Network (TWN) UBINIG (Policy

Research for

Development Alternative), Bangladesh VECO Vietnam

 

 

 

 

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