December 7, 2014

Pakistan Kissan Mazdoor Tehreek (PKMT) rejects the Draft Seed Bill 2014 that was tabled on August 18, 2014 by the Federal Minster for National Food Security and Research. The Minister has stated that a more modern seed law is required for modern realities in the country and the laws that are present at the moment are backward.

It would not be incorrect to state that the new seeds that are being introduced in the market are ‘owned’ by mega seed and biotechnology corporations, and seed laws are being promoted to protect their profits. Corporations like Monsanto and Syngenta have captured the global seed market that is worth millions of dollars. Only Monsanto controls 87% of the genetic seed market. PKMT fully believes that the draft Seed Act 2014 is being pushed to protect the interests of these corporations so that they have absolute freedom to sell genetically engineered (GE) seeds, crops and foods in Pakistan. It is worth noting that Europe is vehemently opposing GE products. Prince Charles of England has stated that GE crops are the biggest environmental disaster of all times. Countries like Germany and France that are at the height of technological development refuse to produce and consume GE crops and foods.

China has also refused production of GE rice and corn. Russian Prime Minister has clearly stated that they will not allow GE crops in Russian. It is clear that the biggest production of GE crops and products are in the US and that is of course because they have the biggest biotechnology firms such as Monsanto. These corporations with full cooperation of the US government have forced US citizens to eat GE foods. There are 64 countries globally that have laws for labeling genetic foods but not in the US. The GE product market is suffering a setback in the industrialized world and hence seed corporations are increasing their attention on third world countries like Pakistan. New seed laws are being pushed in many countries in Asia and Africa. Various US government agencies such as US AID and USDA are also pushing governments to adopt laws that provide market access to their seed corporations. According to them, adoption of new GE seeds would allow combating hunger and food security for the increasing population, as well increase the economic well-being of nations. It is clear that the government of Pakistan is also following the advice promoted by the US.

PKMT clearly considers that the draft Seed Act 2014 as an imperialist imposition. We can only strengthen our economy by adopting principles of sovereignty. If we want to increase food production for the Pakistani people, provide decent livelihood for our workers, than the first action is equitable distribution of land in the country. No doubt, based on sustainable development and the seed sovereignty as a principle the use and multiplication of traditional seeds is the best course of action.

PKMT demands that the government of Pakistan, instead of safe guarding the interests and profits of the mega transnational corporate seed sector it should protect and promote the rights of small and landless farmers that constitute the back bone of our economy.

November 21, 2014

Pakistan Kissan Mazdoor Tehreek (PKMT) and Roots for Equity strongly condemns the recent move by the federal government to give control of the seed sector to the multinational companies.

The proposed Seed Amendment Bill 2014 was tabled in the National Assembly on August 8, 2014 introduced by Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan. According to the minister “the amendment to the Seed Act 1976 was required as the act in its present form does not fulfill the requirement of modern seed industry.”

 In other words, the earlier Act does not fulfill the wishes of the multinational corporations. The proposed Seed Amendment Bill 2014 in essence hands over food sovereignty to transnational agrochemical corporations. It is important to point out that the 18^th Amendment made Agriculture a provincial subject based on which earlier in the year the KPK and the Punjab government moved a provincial Seed Bills in their respective assemblies; In July through a special resolution the provinces authorized the federal government to be responsible for the enacting legislation on the Seed Act. The provinces got their provincial autonomy after long hard fight, so why did they hand over a critical part of this right to the federal government? Further, the KPK government, which in essence is challenging the federal government in every aspect, has willingly handed over the Seed Act to them. It is clear that the elitist political parties really have no interest in guarding the most oppressed.

The draft seed act is a prime example of obedience of our governments, federal and provincial, to rich countries and their transnational corporations. In this case, the dictation of agro-chemical corporations such as Monsanto, Pioneer, and Syngenta is responsible for the draft Seed Act 2014. The US State Department, in a 2013 statement, has said that Pakistan has made “no tangible progress” in protecting agricultural intellectual property rights (IPRs), (which is needed under the World Trade Organization, TRIPs agreement). It also does not enforce IPRs for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This, it said “deterred US seed companies from entering the Pakistani Market.”

The proposed amended seed bill, which is in compliance with TRIPs, guarantees the private sector taking control over the livelihood of small farmers and is one of the most anti-farmer international law in third world countries such as Pakistan. Such a disastrous step will certainly worsen food insecurity in Pakistan.

The draft seed act states “the genetically modified variety shall have no adverse effect on the environment, human, animal or plant life or health.” If that is the case, why have France and Germany been the most prominent EU countries that have put restrictions on GMOs? Both these countries are one of the most scientifically advanced countries in the world. Russia and China have also banned various forms of GMOs.

The people of Pakistan, particularly small and landless farmers demand the same protection of their livelihood, health and food as the more advanced nations of the world. Farmers in Pakistan are being forced to become pawns of the corporate seed sector. This is imperialism is at its best! Farmers will never allow corporations to control our seeds, the basis of our livelihood.”