Greenpeace protests outside the New Zealand Embassy in New Delhi to uphold the ban on terminator technology. The Terminator, sterile seed technology, would compel farmers to buy their seed every year from seed companies. New Zealand is supporting the de facto lifting of the ban agreed by governments in 2000.
The protestors are part of a world-wide network of citizens
concerned about the 1.4 billion people across the world dependent
on seeds saved by farmers for survival. The Terminator, sterile
seed technology, would put an end to this practice and compel
farmers to buy their seed every year from seed companies.
New Zealand, along with only Canada and Australia, is supporting
the lifting of a de facto ban agreed by Governments in 2000. The
ban prevents farm trials of terminator technology because of the
threat this technology poses. New Zealand facing the wrath of the
developing world on this issue as the Convention on Biological
Diversity talks continue in Brazil. 300 environmental and farmers
groups from across the world have signed an international petition
to ban Terminator.
"Indian farmers can ill afford to gamble with new technologies -
especially those designed to line the coffers of seed companies
while impoverishing farmers further," said Divya Raghunandan, GE
campaigner, Greenpeace India, "If Terminator technology is allowed,
anywhere in the world, it is certain to have a cascading impact on
farmers everywhere."
New Zealand is arguing that Terminator ought to be considered on
a "case by case" basis but this approach is being slammed as a move
which could undermine - and eventually eliminate - the defacto
ban.
"Over centuries, generations of farmers have nurtured and
protected biodiversity, innovating and creating new varieties, then
sharing that wealth of knowledge unselfishly. Introducing
corporate-controlled Terminator technology would rip apart the
community fabric that we have so carefully woven," said Krishan Bir
Chowdhary, President of Bharat Krishak Samaj (Indian Farmers'
Forum, a premier organization bringing together Indian farmers),
"Terminator technology is a direct threat to farmers' rights, to
our biodiversity and to our food sovereignty."
Greenpeace is calling on New Zealand to oppose Terminator
technology in any form, including its so-called case-by-case
basis.
For further information, and for visuals from today's protest
contact:
Divya Raghunandan, GE Campaigner, Greenpeace India: +91 98455
35406
Namrata Chowdhary, Media Officer, Greenpeace India: +91 98108
50092
For more background information you can download documents from
this
Also visit Benny
Hearlin's webpage which has exhaustive reports: greenpeace link