International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity
Convention on Biological Diversity
Nine Conferences of Parties
Statement on Agriculture Biodiversity
Thank you Madame chair.
The agricultural biodiversity of Indigenous Peoples has a unique relationship with the land, territories, culture, traditional food systems and spiritual expressions of Indigenous Peoples. The discussion on agriculture cannot be limited to the conservation of seeds and cultivations. The debate must include a holistic approach that includes Indigenous Peoples’ traditional agricultural landscapes, biocultural systems, food sovereignty and their right to life as peoples. Our families are attached to our homes, our seeds learn to thrive in their place of cultivation by developing a relationship with soil, water, agricultural practices, ceremonies, and prayers; thereby giving seeds a sacred place in our families and communities. This is our agrobiodiversity.
The importance of indigenous traditional knowledge, innovation and practices is clearly evident in light of the current climate and food crisis. Local food systems, traditional seed exchange systems and maintaining ecosystem and seed diversity are examples of how Indigenous Peoples use their traditional knowledge to respond to climate pressures and be food self-sufficient. In the face of climate change, indigenous farmers are doing better with more genetic variation and are selecting from a larger pool of local material -- rather than waiting for breeders to supply them with varieties that will be at best only narrowly adapted.
To protect the diversity of our food systems and agrobiodiversity we call for the ban of GMO in our territories. GMO crops have escaped into the environment with maize in Oaxaca, Mexico and Canola in Canada and crossed into native seeds and wild plant. Therefore we call for the end of GMO/GE technologies; in particular we call for termination of “terminator seed”. We also call for the outlaw of biopiracy and the ban of patents on seed, we believe corporate ownership claims of landrace crop genomes and patent law represent a legal framework for the justification of the possession and destruction of our stolen cultural property.
The IIFB and the Indigenous Women Biodiversity Network call on Parties to end perverse subsidies that hurt agrobiodiversity and instead should support indigenous peoples and small farmer’ s food systems, thereby protecting agrobiodiversity from the negative impact of corporate driven agriculture and global trade.
Taking note the negative impacts of agro-fuel in our food sovereignty and security, we strongly demand the immediate ban of agro-fuel and bio fuel production.
Madame chair, in closing we call for the repatriation of seed diversity and associated knowledge from CGIAR Centers to indigenous and local communities farms and landscapes to generate a creative economies based on TK, build the adaptive capacity of the population and resilience of the system. We call for guarantee to our rights to freely save, exchange and sell their seeds without restrictions. Lastly, we call for an immediate and permanent stoppage to the release of GMO trees.
Thank you.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Nine Conferences of Parties
Statement on Agriculture Biodiversity
Thank you Madame chair.
The agricultural biodiversity of Indigenous Peoples has a unique relationship with the land, territories, culture, traditional food systems and spiritual expressions of Indigenous Peoples. The discussion on agriculture cannot be limited to the conservation of seeds and cultivations. The debate must include a holistic approach that includes Indigenous Peoples’ traditional agricultural landscapes, biocultural systems, food sovereignty and their right to life as peoples. Our families are attached to our homes, our seeds learn to thrive in their place of cultivation by developing a relationship with soil, water, agricultural practices, ceremonies, and prayers; thereby giving seeds a sacred place in our families and communities. This is our agrobiodiversity.
The importance of indigenous traditional knowledge, innovation and practices is clearly evident in light of the current climate and food crisis. Local food systems, traditional seed exchange systems and maintaining ecosystem and seed diversity are examples of how Indigenous Peoples use their traditional knowledge to respond to climate pressures and be food self-sufficient. In the face of climate change, indigenous farmers are doing better with more genetic variation and are selecting from a larger pool of local material -- rather than waiting for breeders to supply them with varieties that will be at best only narrowly adapted.
To protect the diversity of our food systems and agrobiodiversity we call for the ban of GMO in our territories. GMO crops have escaped into the environment with maize in Oaxaca, Mexico and Canola in Canada and crossed into native seeds and wild plant. Therefore we call for the end of GMO/GE technologies; in particular we call for termination of “terminator seed”. We also call for the outlaw of biopiracy and the ban of patents on seed, we believe corporate ownership claims of landrace crop genomes and patent law represent a legal framework for the justification of the possession and destruction of our stolen cultural property.
The IIFB and the Indigenous Women Biodiversity Network call on Parties to end perverse subsidies that hurt agrobiodiversity and instead should support indigenous peoples and small farmer’ s food systems, thereby protecting agrobiodiversity from the negative impact of corporate driven agriculture and global trade.
Taking note the negative impacts of agro-fuel in our food sovereignty and security, we strongly demand the immediate ban of agro-fuel and bio fuel production.
Madame chair, in closing we call for the repatriation of seed diversity and associated knowledge from CGIAR Centers to indigenous and local communities farms and landscapes to generate a creative economies based on TK, build the adaptive capacity of the population and resilience of the system. We call for guarantee to our rights to freely save, exchange and sell their seeds without restrictions. Lastly, we call for an immediate and permanent stoppage to the release of GMO trees.
Thank you.
