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Declaration
from the “Indian Workshop on Rice” at Kumbalangi
A
national conference on Rice with participants from over
57 organisations was held at Kumbalangi to coincide with
the Second International Year of Rice 2004.
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In the
Second International Year of Rice, 2004, we, the participants
representing 57 organisations, primarily from rice growing
states of India, working on sustainable ways of farming, environment,
policy, consumer rights, farm labour having come together
on a discussion on rice as part of our culture, as a basis
for food security, and as a community heritage and having
deliberated on the traditional practices of rice cultivation,
problems facing its sustenance and the various initiatives
in sustaining rice hereby recognize that
1. Genetically modified rice and lab-hybrid rice have no role
in ensuring food security and sustaining rice in the country.
On the contrary these are known to threaten the food sovereignty
of the farmer community.
2. The green revolution has resulted in the destruction of
agriculture and rural communities and has miserably failed
in providing sufficient safe food and dignity of life.
3. Given the declining yields and harmful effects on human
beings, plants, animals and environment health and the heavy
losses to farmers, the dependence on chemical inputs such
as fertilizers and pesticides should be phased out. Moreover,
it is now proven beyond doubt that to ensure safe food and
to sustain rice, pesticides are not required.
4. The way forward is to work collectively on traditional,
ecological and sustainable agricultural practices.
5. That such an approach has the potential to feed the country
with sufficient and safe food.
6. That the food sufficiency of small and marginal farmer
families is an important priority for us.
7. That farmers, women and tribals particularly with their
traditional and proven indigenous wisdom and knowledge need
visibility and recognition in agricultural decision making,
research and extension work.
8. That livelihood and food sovereignty are essential for
ensuring access to food.
9. That such an approach has the potential to address the
food insecurity of landless labourers, indigenous communities,
artisans, self-employed workers, small and marginal farmers.
10. That the traditional wealth of knowledge and practices
are not properly documented and understood in the terrains
of agriculture in the country.
11. That the traditional spaces of sharing and owning both
experiences and resources without the influences of international
trade, globalization and liberalization policies and market
forces need to be protected.
12. That food sovereignty of the communities is at many a
time met through the commons. The right to the common should
belong to the community.
13. That there must be informed, conscious, collective action
to sustain rice beyond the international year.
Hence, we declare
1.
That the way forward is to adopt, protect, sustain and promote
traditional, ecological agriculture, community wisdom and
local specific practices and methods.
2. That chemical inputs and pesticide use in rice cultivation
be banned.
3. That incentives and supports be provided to support organic
and traditional systems of farming.
4. That the introduction of genetically modified organisms
and lab-hybrid varieties be banned.
5. That the germplasm of rice collected from farmers of this
country in the last 40-50 years and preserved in the research
institutes of the country and international should be given
back to the communities and the information about this precious
wealth should be put in the public domain.
6. That any forms of legislation at any levels intended to
patent/monopolise life forms, products, processes, traditional
knowledge and practices should not be allowed.
7. That agriculture should be excluded from all present and
future trade agreements.
8. That we shall work collectively to sustain rice. |
 Kumbalangi
Declaration
December 9-11, 2004 |
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