Sri Lanka, farmers against the government: No to the privatization of agriculture
Colombo (AsiaNews) - Thousands of people in Sri Lanka,
including farmers, social activists, scientists and religious leaders, Catholic
and Buddhist, are calling for the abolition of a proposed bill that could lead
to the privatization of agriculture. The Seed and Planting Material Act
is a measure which - on paper - would regulate the purchase of seed. However,
some activists tell AsiaNews, that in reality it will "only benefit the
industries controlled by transnational corporations, while it will limit farmers
rights and threaten biodiversity."
More than 1,500 people staged a protest march against the bill on June 25, in
front of the Ministry of Agriculture in Colombo. At the end of the
demonstration, three representatives met with the Minister, handing him over
their petition.
Sarath Fernando, a member of the Movement for National Land and Agricoltural
Reform (MONLAR), described that main problems of the bill to AsiaNews:
"These companies have agents all over the world, to promote modified or
hybrid seeds. The ultimate goal is to entrust the sale of seeds to these
companies. Farmers will be able to buy only from them and the companies only promote
a variety of hybrid or genetically modified seeds. "
The problem, he says, is that "These hybrid or genetically modified seeds often
produce a good first harvest as a temptation to the farmer. But the F-1 hybrid
seed for instance does not germinate and comes within the control of terminator
technology. That means the seed will die and new seeds will have to be obtained
from TNCs or private local companies for every harvest. In crude terms it is a
privatization of agriculture which has been not only part but the very heart of
our culture and civilization for about 3,000 years"
In Sri Lanka, Sarath Fernando said, "they are trying to advocate the purchase
of so-called 'golden rice', to get rid of native species present in our land."
.png)
