Balay-Kalinaw, UP Diliman - Reaffirming their rights and control over land, genetic resources and traditional knowledge, farmers, indigenous peoples and other peoples' organizations denounced globalization policies such as the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) and the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which exploits the people and plunder against the genetic resources.

Around one hundred farmers, indigenous peoples and representatives from peoples' organizations and non-government organizations participated in the National Conference in Defense of Farmers' Right to Land, Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge held last October 16-17 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

The conference, headed by MASIPAG, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, EED-Task Force on Indigenous Peoples Concerns and RESIST Against Agrochem TNCs aimed to serve as a launching pad for a national policy advocacy campaign to defend and protect farmers' rights on genetic resources and traditional knowledge.

Resource persons from different organizations helped shed light on contentious issues revolving around the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its imposition of patenting systems that are threatening farmers' and indigenous peoples' rights.

Danilo Ramos of KMP talked about the true nature of WTO and how it affects the agriculture sector in the Philippines. Che de Jesus of SEARICE discussed the implications of PVP and UPOV on the traditional seed systems. Renee Vellve of GRAIN discussed Bilateral Free Trade Agreements which are supposed to be worse than the WTO agreements since it covers more and essentially places the nation's sovereignty at stake.

Implications of TRIPs and WTO to farmers and their ownership of seeds, health and pharmaceuticals, indigenous knowledge and animal protection were also discussed. Current actions and alternatives that promote farmers' and indigenous peoples' rights were shared, such as MASIPAG's organic farming system, SEARICE's community seed registry, SIBAT's Peoples' Technology and the best SA practices documented by the Montañosa Research and Development Center.

Meanwhile, Atty. Daymeg Lepiten from the Cebu-based Kalikupan Legal Association discussed the promotion of farmers' rights in the local and national legislation, and the possible policy advocacy strategies that POs and NGOs can undertake.

"People's rights are inherent and indivisible, and we should strive to defend and protect it," said Atty. Lepiten. "We could advance these rights by creating a legal space and through creative strategies."

Workshops were held later for the participants to share experiences in campaigning and lobbying and to come up with common action points in advancing farmers' and indigenous peoples' rights. Two workshop groups were formed to cover both community-based campaigns and national policy advocacy lobbying. A unity statement agreed upon by the participants vowed to continue the campaign against globalization policies which threaten farmers' and indigenous peoples' rights. #

Download Conference Unity Statement