A victory for Greenpeace and Indian farmers!
On May 21,2003, The European Patent office in Munich had granted
a patent to Monsanto, better known as the world's largest trader in
genetically engineered plants. The patent covered wheat exhibiting
a special baking quality that Monsanto claimed to be its invention,
which Greenpeace proved in its opposition to be a wheat variety
bred by Indian farmers for improving its baking quality and not a
genetically engineered invention as claimed by Monsanto.
"This was clearly a bio piracy attempt by Monsanto and would
have set a new and dangerous trend . Revocation of the patent in
total reinforces a victory for the farmers in India and a lesson to
learn that we need to be much more proactive to protect our
traditional knowledge. " said Dr. Ashesh Tayal, Scientific Advisor,
Greenpeace India.
"
""This
is a big success for farmers all over the world. Greenpeace showed
that Monsanto took a patent based on Bio piracy, trying to control
important genetic resources, which originate from India. There
should be no patents on seeds, nowhere in the world. For future of
saving world food security it is extremely important to promote
open access to seeds for farmers." said Dr. Christoph Then, Patent
Expert from of Greenpeace Germany from Munich, Germany.
In view of the above Greenpeace demands that
1. Companies making such bio piracy attempt on Indian farmer's
wealth of seeds and traditional knowledge should be debarred from
operating in India.
2. Govt of India shall make sure on an urgent basis that no such
patents have been filed in the Indian Patent office.
3. Govt of India shall move fast and file opposition in
Australia and USA where such a patent is still valid and will not
be revoked unless dedicated attempts are made for it.
4. Govt of India shall make explicitly clear policy of NO Patent
on Life Forms in proposed amendments in the Indian patent Act.
Greenpeace further demands from European Union to go for a
revision of patent law in Europe as soon as possible, to exclude
patents on seeds in general. The Monsanto patent case is already
the second instant that Greenpeace has exposed to be based on Bio
piracy: In 2003 the European Patent Office had to revoke an patent
on Mexican maize corn after opposition from Greenpeace. To prevent
multinationals from further bio piracy, legal action should be
taken to exclude living beings and seeds from patent ability.
For further information: Dr. Ashesh Tayal, Scientific Advisor,
Greenpeace India, Tel: 9845535404, email:
Divya Raghunandan, Campaigner, Greenpeace India, Tel: 9845535401,
email: