Sharing on Farmer-led solutions for Food Sovereignty and climate resilience 6 th, Jan, 2011 Vu Lan Huong CARE International in Vietnam

Agenda 11 th – 15 th, Nov, 2010 in Luganda and Luzon, Philipine Participants: NGOs from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Philipine, Indonexia, Malaysia, Nepal Presentation Global imperatives for a paradigm shift in food and agriculture Government food security programs and their impacts on the rural poor GMOs and the impacts on biodiversity and livelihoods: how the seed corporations chain farmers Rural adaptation mechanisms on climate change: towards what direction? Increased people’s participation leads to empowered and sustainable communities Discussion: The main barriers to scaling up sustainable agriculture/ or main challenges to achieving food sovereignty in the communities we work with? How to strengthen our rural communities’ capacity for climate adaptation and resilience The main elements of participation and empowerment Planning Field visit: Back-up farm office in Luzon Interview with farmers Organic fertilizer model visit

Food security and sovereignty GMOs Land issue Climate change Emerging trends in science Patenting Government policies Famer’s technologies BiofuelGreen revolution

Food security and sovereignty Green revolution: Genetic erosion Reduced Biodiversity (rice; associated biodiv.) Soil nutrient imbalance and depletion Pest and disease outbreaks Pesticide poisonings GMOs: conflicts with goal of food security and control of one’s destiny Result more dependence on specialized technologies controlled by agribusiness corporations Crops will be contaminated without farmers’ knowledge or consent Farmers not allowed to save, exchange, sell or improve seeds Genetic engineering technology creates dependency to Companies

Biofuel: Ethanol from corn (in U.S. and Europe) is responsible for 10 to 15% of the rise in global food commodity prices (FAO). 25% to 33% of the rise in global food prices can be explained by ethanol production from corn (IFPRI) Government policies: Land issues: High Yielding Varieties (HYV) Hybrid Rice High Value Crops (for export) Genetically Modified Crops Food security and sovereignty

Famer – led approach Farmer led approach creates venue for farmers to share and discuss their experiences on agricultural biodiversity conservation, low cost adaptable technology transfer and protection of farmer innovations. Farmers led approach recognizes the contribution of farmers in developing technologies as well as intends to bring back farmers control over genetic resources. Farmers are the main key maker of all development interventions Not only draw on farmers’ existing knowledge and practices, but on their assessment of particular circumstances and priorities People’s/ Farmer’s organizations Partnership with NGOs and Scientists

Application from different project Participatory planning and development with farmers Efficient and effective utilization of local resources. Establish rights and control over production inputs (land, seed, knowledge and technology)

Climate change adaptation practices - Floating Agriculture (Bangladesh) - Cultivation of Adaptive Variety (Bang, India, Phi, Indo) - Raising seedling in Water hyacinth boll (Bang) - Local Rice Varietal screening and breeding (Bangladesh, Philipine, Indo) - Diversified integrated farming system (Philipine) - Organic-farming (Laos, Mal, Bangladesh, Indo.) - System of Rice Intensification – SRI (Mal)

Barriers to scaling up SA to achieving food sovereignty Awareness : - Mindset of farmers that GR is better - Lack of education: Knowledge on food sovereignty issues and sustainable agriculture among the other sectors Land tenure: - Dependence to feudal lords, economic bondage and money lenders - Big companies becoming more powerful than the national government Policies: - Lack of government support to SA - Government subsidies to chemical farming, or to organic farming that is centered on Companies - Conflict on the law and practice of the government Climate change Others: - Lack or decreased availability of nutritious and healthy food - Traditional culture is distorted – consumption pattern has changed, lifestyle in general has changed - Lack of interest in farming on part of educated younger generation

Strengthening capacity for climate change adaptation and resilience Push for genuine agrarian reform Collective work Strengthening the education Strengthen the meaningful participation of women in decision-making in agriculture Influencing the government to support farmer-led agriculture Strengthen the peoples’ organization for stronger national- and local-level lobbying Promotion of diversified systems Participatory seed breeding

Identification of (alternative) healthy foods for mothers and babies Increasing the farmers’ capacities to raise small ruminants as source of milk and food Value, acknowledge and support the initiatives of the farmers organization or the traditional practices which are actual climate resilience Biodiversity conservation, Seed exchanges, networking of farmers groups Inform communities regarding existing Government programmes, facilities for dealing with climate change related disasters. Informational documents to be translated in local language Exchange knowledge Networking Advocacy Strengthening capacity for climate change adaptation and resilience

Planning  Workshop report  Networking  Newsletter  Crossvisit among different countries.