Daily Archives: April 8, 2015

The World Health Organization’s Report says Glyphosate in Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Herbicide is Carcinogenic!

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The shocking statement from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an organ of the World Health Organization (WHO) that glysophate probably causes cancer in humans further verifies the concerns of the farmers organizations such as the Pakistan Kissan Mazdoor Tehreek.

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According to IARC “Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide, currently with the highest production volumes of all herbicides. It is used in more than 750 different products for agriculture, forestry, urban, and home applications. Its use has increased sharply with the development of genetically modified glyphosate-resistant crop varieties. Glyphosate has been detected in air during spraying, in water, and in food.”

This herbicide is used in the Monsanto’s Roundup Ready which can be sprayed on genetically-engineered plants resistant to Glyphosate. This of course provides further food for thought to the Pakistan Senate as it in the process for approving the Pakistan Amended Seed Act 2014 passed by the National Assembly on March 16 last month.DSC02591

There have been recent concerns raised by the Director General, Environmental Protection Agency on the safety of GM seeds and crops in the country; similar concerns have also been voiced by the Foreign Office to the Climate Change Division stating that “GM seeds can be used as biological weapon of mass destruction to destroy Pakistan’s major crops such as potatoe, wheat, rice, corn, cotton and vegetables through modified viruses, bacteria, and other parasite.”

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Roots for Equity along with many other peoples’ organizations and farmers’ organizations has sent a letter to the Pakistan Senate early this month, highlighting the many political, environmental an economic issues pertaining to acceptance of genetic ally engineered seeds and crops.

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The breaking news by WHO on further harm caused by the use of GE seeds and related technologies should be taken into grave consideration and help in rejecting the Amended Seed Act 2014, to be replaced by legislation which guards farmers seed sovereignty and national food sovereignty.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(15)70134-8/fulltext

http://www.dawn.com/news/1175542/farmers-or-corporate-sovereignty

http://www.dawn.com/news/1173928/50-ngos-urge-senate-to-block-bill-on-seeds

http://www.dawn.com/news/1174415/minister-concerned-over-gm-crops-in-pakistan

http://www.dawn.com/news/1174330

http://www.dawn.com/news/1172653

http://www.dawn.com/news/1170209/farmers-most-affected-by-new-law-on-seeds

PKMT holds a Protest on the Day of the Landless March 29, 2015

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Pakistan Kissan Mazdoor Tehreek joined thousands of farmers in the Asia Pacific Region to mark March 29 as the Day of the Landless. In Pakistan, the issue is of critical importance as more and more cases of land grab are being reported by farmers across the country.

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Only recently, the government officials and the police has unlawfully tried to evict farmers from nearly 2000 acres of land in Rakh Azmat Wala, an area close to Jampur, Rajanpur.

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In addition, thousands of farmers in Pakistan are forced to live by river banks spread from Punjab to Sindh. Each year, they face many hardships due to rains and floods which are increasing in intensity based on climate change.

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The protest was marked by slogans such as “Jagirdari Murdabad” (Down with Feudalism) and “Sarmayadari Murdabad (Down with Capitalism)”. Farmers from Rajanpur were shouting “Goli Manzoor, Jail Manzoor, Zameen per Qabza Namanzoor (We Accept Bullets, We Accept Jail, But Will Not Accept Land Grab).

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Pakistan Kissan Mazdoor Tehreek Solidarity Visit to Riverine Area Farmers

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Roots for Equity is working with small and landless farmers settled on river banks in Multan. In early March, heavy rains caused flooding of the rivers in Multan which led to flooding of many fields, especially those which were just next to the river bank. Many farmers lost their wheat crop completely, or partially. According to the local communities such an unexpected disaster has come after more than 5 decades.

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All farmers in this village were landless. In fact they were sitting in this precarious area, just next to the river because they have not been able to find land anywhere else. Even here they had leased land just so that they could grow wheat that is a most sought after crop by all farmers across the country. What they grow they save for their household food security.Therefore, their loss is very heavy not due to the economic cost of the crop but its critical importance as a food crop.

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PKMT farmers paid a solidarity visit to the riverine area farmers after hearing of the their loss. According to the PKMT farmers, the loss suffered by farmers due to unexpected rain-floods was based on the changing weather patterns due to climate change. The loss should be demanded from the government of Pakistan.

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PKMT farmers visited the wheat fields many of which had suffered from the floods. The riverine area farmers explained that they had sown only indigenous seeds as part of the work initiated by Roots for Equity. In addition, farming methods were based on sustainable agriculture, using only animal dung as fertilizer and irrigation water was from the river.

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According to the PKMT farmers, many of the wheat fields that were able to escape from the climate change disaster were in very good condition. The wheat grain is very big and healthy. They hope that the production will not only be very good but also yield very good quality seed for next season sowing.

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A lunch was served for the visiting farmers. Farmers from the community had also arranged a musical program in honor of PKMT. The day ended in folk dance and local music and songs.

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