The Long March for Biodiversity. Mobile campaign on the threat of GMOs and the promise of peoples' alternatives for food security and agricultural biodiversity in Asia (6-16 September 2000)

The Long March for Biodiversity

Mobile campaign on the threat of GMOs and the promise of peoplesÂ’

alternatives for food security and agricultural biodiversity in Asia

BACKGROUND  

Genetically modified crops and foods being introduced into Thailand and other countries in South and Southeast Asia have stirred up a huge debate since 1997.  The controversy focuses on the implication of genetic engineering for food security, the increasing domination of transnational corporations in the region, and the impact on local bio-diversity.

In the past few years, transnational corporations, which develop genetically modified crops, have collaborated with governments in countries such as Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia to bring GM cotton, corn and soon rice seeds for field testing.  This poses many problems.  There are many uncertainties about the technology and regulatory systems in these countries are so weak and lacking in public participation that GM seeds are introduced with insufficient oversight and information. Already, Bt cotton seeds from Monsanto have been found growing illegally in Thailand.  While NGOs blew the alarm on this finding in 1999, no one has yet claimed responsibility for the dissemination of the seeds nor solved the problems it raises.

The challenge at hand is for Asian countries to better define their options and set directions for agricultural research and development that are most appropriate to the people. 

Northern governments, transnational corporations, private foundations and international agricultural research institutes have played a major role in guiding and informing policy-makers to influence their decision-making as well as conducting mass media campaigns to boast “the bright side” of this technology and win over Asian scientific and political consent through the lure of funding. So the governments and institutes for science and technology in these countries are likely to support this technology.  For example, researchers in Switzerland who developed vitamin-A rice now claim that scientists and policy-makers in Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and Bangladesh are eager to embrace this new technology, despite the total lack of discussion on the implications for – and with! – farmers and local people.

Farmers and people in Asia have learned and experienced the failure of the Green Revolution.  Therefore, agricultural development should not take that direction any longer.  At present, transnational corporations, international agricultural research institutes and some schools of scientists rationalize their slant with the problems of increasing populations, lack of food, drought and pests.  This was the same justification for the Green Revolution four decades ago – although now we have soil infertility, genetic erosion, debt, landlessness and much greater dependency on external inputs because of that Green Revolution.  Farmers, consumers and local people in these countries have been marginalized from these discussions and decisions, despite the fact that they are the first and most directly affected.  So they should be encouraged and empowered to play a more significant role at national and regional levels in these discussion and to generate more people-oriented ideas for action.

CAMPAIGN PROFILE

Objectives

1. Advance strategies among Thai farmers and participants from other countries in the region regarding genetic engineering and peoplesÂ’ alternatives based on the principles of food security, local bio-diversity and public participation in research and development.

2. Exchange experiences and analyses about the roles and actions of farmers and local people in the participating countries regarding the problems posed by GM crops and food.

3. Further develop farmersÂ’ and communitiesÂ’ positions regarding GE, biodiversity and IPR for public policy work at the national and regional levels.

4. Build alliances between Thai farmers and local people and those in other countries in the region to enforce their policy and measures.

BioThai (Thai Network on Biodiversity and Community Rights) and the Thai Network for the Protection of Traditional Varieties (200 organizations), with support from Genetic Resources Action International (GRAIN).

Target groups  

1. Representatives of farmers and activists involved in this issue in South and Southeast Asia.  Some 15-20 representatives will be invited to participate from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam.

2. FarmersÂ’ organizations, NGOs, local academics, state officials and consumersÂ’ groups from the five provinces in Thailand. A total of 200 organizations or 1,000 persons is expected to participate.

3. Mass media, both domestic and foreign, will also be invited.

 In addition, a small number of international resource persons will also participate.

ACTIVITIES  

The Long March is a continuous caravan-type of mobile campaign that will traverse six areas of Thailand (five provincial sites plus Bangkok) from 6-16 September. The sites that will be visited are all areas where farmers and other local organizations have already initiated their own activities concerning these issues. Local groups will host the campaigners and will organise the scheduled events. All events are open to the public.

The Long March is designed to bring information from the national and international levels to the grassroots people and, at the same time, generate information, ideas and concrete planning proposals from the local perspective that can feed the national and international campaigns. In each site, the programme involves a mixture of activates: speeches, panel presentations, cultural shows, seed exchanges, distribution of research reports, exhibits, dialogues with the media and open fora. It is expected that the foreign participants will engage in constant sharing with the Thai communities to enrich peoplesÂ’ strategies on GE and IPR across the region.

The Long March will be captured on video in order to share the experience with other groups and countries.

See the programme in Annex 1 for details.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & PARTICIPATION  

For media inquiries and other information on The Long March, please contact:

Mr Witoon Lianchamroon
BIOTHAI
801/8 Ngamwongwan 27 Soi 5
Muang, Nonthaburi 11000 Thailand
Tel: (66-2) 952 7371 or 952 7953
Fax: (66-2) 952 8312
Email (new!): mailto:[email protected]
Web hosting of this document: http://www.grain.org/adhoc.htm

Aside from the invited participants, there will be a limited number of slots available for anyone else who wishes to take part in the campaign. The main limitations have to do with logistics (size of the bus, available accommodations). Absolute priority will be given to representatives of farmersÂ’ organizations from the Asian region. Secondary priority will be given to people who have something to contribute from their own activism on these issues or those who feel that participating in the campaign will help them to get more active. To the extent possible, people such as NGOs or journalists who want join in from their own initiative should mobilize their own funding. However, there will be small funds available for those who cannot do so.

Anyone wishing to come on their own initiative has until 30 August to contact BIOTHAI.

ANNEX 1

THE LONG MARCH  
PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES
as of 4 August 2000  |  subject to modifications