Forum for Biotechnology & Food Security
G-3F, DDA Flats, Munirka, New Delhi-110 067
Tel: 9811301857; 9811191335
1,727 villages in Orissa declared GM free :
Seven hundred newly elected representatives of Panchayats in Orissa and the Governing Body members of Orissa Nari Samaj - a confederation of 53 block-level tribal women’s organizations - resolved to protect nature, promote biodiversity, and also took an oath NOT to cultivate Genetically Modified (GM) crops.
The elected representatives declared 1,727 villages falling under 130 Panchayats in 12 districts as GM Free villages. These villages are in the districts of Koraput,, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Nawarangpur, Kalahandi, Bargarh, Bolangir, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj in Orissa.
This brings the total number of villages in the country, which have decided to remain GM free, close to 1,900. These GM Free villages are located in Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The oath in Orissa was taken at a conference organized by the Team for Human Resource Education and Action for Development (THREAD) on “Model Panchayats in Orissa” at Siddharth village, Khurda, near Bhubaneshwar on Mar 20. The State Election Commissioner, Shri Sanjib Chandra Hota was the chief guest at the conference and the Regional Coordinator of Institute for Social Studies Mr. K.K Pattnaik delivered the keynote address.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr G.John, Executive Director of ‘Team for Human Resource Education and Action for Development’ (THREAD) informed that the Panchayat leaders have also sent memorandums to the Prime Minister of India and the state Chief Minister stating clearly that they will not cooperate with any activities of either the National Biodiversity Authority or the State Biodiversity Board unless control over local biodiversity and related knowledge is passed on to the communities. Demanding protection of local knowledge against piracy, they insisted that people’s access to natural resources should be given priority over commercial trade.
The leaders expressed hope that their action will be emulated by other villages, which will force Orissa to turn into a GM-free state. They resolved to work towards community control over biodiversity, to preserve and protect biodiversity for the sake of food sovereignty. These leaders have already launched a movement against GM seeds in the tribal belt.
Orissa Nari Samaj had continuously been opposed to the entry of GM crop seeds since 2005. Decrying the seed company’s agenda to lay siege to poor farmer’s livelihood, it had earlier sent thousands of letters from 2,500 villages in 53 blocks to the Chief Minister and the Chairman of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) against the large scale field trials of Bt Brinjal. In its endeavour to make the people of the state aware of the hazards of GM crops as well as the advantages of organic food, THREAD has so far printed and distributed about 40,000 posters throughout the state stating the same.
Attached photograph: 700 elected Panchayat leaders and members of the Orissa Nari Samaj (ONS) taking oath for establishing model GM free Panchayats. These panchayats represent 1,727 villages in 12 districts of Orissa
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Bhaskar Goswami
Forum for Biotechnology & Food Security
New Delhi, India
Mob: +91-98111-91335
Skype: b.goswami
Showing posts with label healthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy. Show all posts
Friday, March 30, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Organic Food Debate in Chennai
Chennai Schools - Students Discuss GM Food
Indian Schools, Students, GM Debates in Chennai -
The School - KFI, under its Urban Outreach Programme, has arranged three talks on different related themes at Ethiraj College, Loyola College, and the Asian College of Journalism between January 18th and 20th. This series of talks in Chennai city around the issue of Genetically Engineered Crops is the beginning of our effort to take important debates around health and food policies to urban consumers and youth in collaboration with CAG (Consumer Action Group). We consider this debate on GE crops as important, as this is a technology that will affect all of us as consumers of food. Ms. Kuruganti will also be attending the TN - State-level Workshop organised by the Consumer Action Group (CAG) on issues and challenges in agriculture in Tamilnadu, as part of CAG's Trade and Livelihoods programme, on the 19th of January.
Indian Schools, Students, GM Debates in Chennai -
The School - KFI, under its Urban Outreach Programme, has arranged three talks on different related themes at Ethiraj College, Loyola College, and the Asian College of Journalism between January 18th and 20th. This series of talks in Chennai city around the issue of Genetically Engineered Crops is the beginning of our effort to take important debates around health and food policies to urban consumers and youth in collaboration with CAG (Consumer Action Group). We consider this debate on GE crops as important, as this is a technology that will affect all of us as consumers of food. Ms. Kuruganti will also be attending the TN - State-level Workshop organised by the Consumer Action Group (CAG) on issues and challenges in agriculture in Tamilnadu, as part of CAG's Trade and Livelihoods programme, on the 19th of January.
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