CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS FIGHT FOR FREE ACCESS TO SEED AND FOOD AT A CONFERENCE OF THE FAO IN ROME

22 June 2001

From June 25 to 30, 2001, 160 governments making up the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture will hold a make-or-break meeting on an international treaty to keep the genes of the world´s most important food crops in the public domain, with free access for all.

What is at stake: The free exchange of seeds and plant breeding materials is one of the most important mechanisms for promoting world food security.

Free access to these plant genetic resources means access to food and to the means of producing it. The treaty under discussion, the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the IU) has been called for by the 174 governments who are parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), which was brought to life at the Earth Summit in Rio.

One of the central objectives of the CBD is to save biological diversity by financial contributions from the rich countries that benefit from the use of seeds, which originate mostly in the poorer countries of the south.

The International Undertaking (IU): The IU is intended to ensure free access for all who need them to the seeds, and their genes, of the world's most important crop species, and to protect these resources from privatisation through patenting and other intellectual property claims.

It would reconcile the interests of the South with those of the North; industry with farmers; and breeders with international gene banks, which hold some 500,000 accessions.

Under the International Undertaking the genetic resources of the roughly 30 most important food crops shall be kept in the public domain, with no restriction to their access. If they agree, the IU will go forwards to a full Conference of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in November 2001.

The interest groups: These objectives are challenged by countries like the USA, Canada and New Zealand, putting their industry's interest over food security and Farmer's Rights by claiming exclusive intellectual property rights, including patents, which would block the free access to seed and food. Brazil and other countries try to maximise their economical profit by trying to get money in exchange for allowing patents on their genetic resources. The G77, the majority of African countries and the European Union are trying to move ahead with the original idea of a fair and effective multilateral system.

The role of industry: The industry dominated international breeders association ASSINSEL (International Association of Plant Breeders for the Protection of Plant Varieties) withdrew its previous support for the IU and insisted on having patents without restrictions. In this it is acting against clear, legally binding funding arrangements for the maintenance of the international gene banks and the conservation of "centres of origins", specific areas all over the world where diversity of certain species is particularly high thereby threatening their very existence.

The demands of civil society: Farmers, and non-profit organisations working with them, are ringing the alarm. If a fair, equitable and effective IU is not agreed at this crucial Commission meeting, our future will include increasing patenting and privatisation, and consequently increased: loss of food security; loss of farmers' livelihoods and rights; erosion of agricultural biodiversity. A small group of countries and their multinational agricultural and biotechnology industries must not be allowed to turn biological diversity into private property.

Civil society pressure on the negotiations has been growing. Urging agreement of a fair and effective IU, in February 2001 70 European NGOs wrote jointly to all EU agriculture and environment ministers; and in April 2001 over 320 civil society organisations from 59 countries wrote to the Contact Group negotiators.

At the Commission meeting in Rome, 25-30 June there will be a substantial NGO presence led by eight organisations which have campaigned long and hard in support of farmers' rights, biodiversity and food security. They will be lobbying the negotiators to strengthen and then agree upon the IU text -

CPE Co-ordination Paysanne Europeene, BE Declaration of Berne, CH Gaia Foundation, UK Greenpeace International IATP: The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, USA ITDG (Intermediate Technology Development Group), UK GRAIN: Genetics Resources Action International RAFI: Rural Advancement Foundation International, USA

Some of their common demands are: · Free Access to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, no restriction by exclusive intellectual property systems such as patents · Legally binding and internationally controlled payments from those who gain profits to those who conserve and develop biological diversity.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
For further information, please contact:
Greenpeace at the meeting in Rome:
Christoph Then, Greenpeace Campaigner, Mob: +49 171 8780 832;
Arnaud Apoteker, Greenpeace International Genetic Engineering Campaigner, Mob: +33607573160;
Greenpeace International, Teresa Merilainen, Tel.: +31 20 5236637