{"id":1530,"date":"2021-03-19T17:17:58","date_gmt":"2021-03-19T17:17:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bioleft.org\/?p=1530"},"modified":"2021-04-22T21:45:49","modified_gmt":"2021-04-22T21:45:49","slug":"nuevo-documento-sobre-derecho-a-las-semillas-en-europa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bioleft.org\/en\/2021\/03\/19\/nuevo-documento-sobre-derecho-a-las-semillas-en-europa\/","title":{"rendered":"Practical Manual on the Right to Seeds in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

The new\u00a0Practical Manual on the Right to Seeds in Europe<\/em><\/a>\u00a0focuses on the steps that the European Union (EU) and the EU Member States shall take, via the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas (UNDROP), to better protect the right to seeds in Europe.<\/p>\n

Authored by\u00a0Dr Christophe Golay<\/a>\u00a0and Dr Fulya Batur, this practical manual is the outcome of a series of online events organized in 2020 and 2021 \u2013 with partners such as\u00a0European Coordination Via Campesina<\/a>,\u00a0Arche Noah<\/a>,\u00a0IFOAM Organics Europe<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0FIAN International<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Targeting representatives of EU institutions and EU Member States, peasant organizations, seed networks, academics and experts from Europe, it discusses how UNDROP\u2019s article 19, which recognizes the right to seeds, shall be taken into account in the future revision of EU rules on seeds, with concrete examples on the path forward.<\/p>\n

\u2018EU and EU Member States shall ensure that this revision does not lead to further violations, but to better protection of peasants\u2019 right to seeds in Europe. Our practical manual provides them with the tools to do so\u2019 underlines Dr Christophe Golay, Senior Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy.<\/p>\n

In the EU and EU Member States, seed laws and regulations have been designed to cater to the needs of the agricultural industry, and the rights of peasants have been largely neglected. Peasant seed systems and traditional knowledge have not been recognised, and therefore not adequately supported. This has discouraged, and in some cases hindered the continuation of peasant agricultural activities.<\/p>\n

Dr Christophe Golay explains that \u2018UNDROP\u2019s implementation represents a unique opportunity to rebalance the lack of support given to peasant seed systems in Europe, compared to the support given to industrial seed systems in recent decades. This is essential for the protection of the livelihoods of millions of peasants, as well as the interest of all in the preservation of crop biodiversity\u2019.<\/p>\n

For Dr Fulya Batur, founder of\u00a0Kybele<\/a>\u00a0(Seeds & Biodiversity), \u2018the EU and its Member States shall now act to make sure that peasants\u2019 seed systems not only exist but fully operate and thrive as production and conservation systems. They shall ensure the full and meaningful participation of peasants in decision-making on matters relating to seeds; guarantee the right of peasants to maintain, control, protect and develop their own seeds and traditional knowledge; and make sure that agricultural research and development is oriented towards peasants\u2019 needs\u2019.<\/p>\n

This practical manual builds on a Research Brief on the right to seeds and intellectual property rights available in\u00a0English<\/a>,\u00a0Spanish<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Romanian<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Source: Geneva Academy<\/a><\/p>\n