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05/16/2008
Organic Agriculture contributes to Planet Diversity |
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This
week at Planet Diversity, over 550 participants originating from 90
countries convened parallel to the negotiations of the UN delegates
about the Cartagena Protocol that regulations safety and liability
aspects of genetically modified organisms (gmo’s) globally. The
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, IFOAM, is
one of the co-organizers of Planet Diversity. |
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The representatives of farmers and development organizations, consumers
and environment and nature organizations, amongst them many IFOAM
members and organic farmers, touched upon a broad field of themes
during 30 workshops and 6 plenaries. Free access to seed, strategies
for a gmo-free future, perspectives for family farmers and small
holders and for global food security. It
does not suffice to just talk about the risks and liability of gmo’s,
as the formal negotiators are doing. What is at stake is our common
future on this Planet of Diversity.
From
June 18th – 20th, the discussions will be continued at the 16th IFOAM
World Congress, taking place in Modena, Italy. During a press
conference today IFOAM World Board members Antonio Compagnoni and Pipo
Lernoud, and the minister of agriculture and food of Modena, Graziano
Poggioli explained the direct link of Planet Diversity with organic
agriculture: organic agriculture helps in assuring food security, is a
motor of rural development, contributes to combating desertification
and climate change, and at the same time it depends upon and delivers
biodiversity: in the soil, in seed and breeds, and through its design
of organic agro ecosystems. All these subjects will be discussed in
Modena, where more than 1500 persons, scientists, experts and
activists, are expected to contribute their experiences to
the benefit of our diverse planet to cultivate the future!
Vandana
Shiva, ecofeminist and alterglobalist, will contribute to the IFOAM
world congress and bring the experiences from Planet Diversity to
Modena, just as Tewolde Berhand Gebre Egziabher, General Manager of the
Environmental Protection Authority of Ethiopia and occupied in the
formal negotiation of the Cartagena Protocol. Carlo Petrini is invited
as the close link of Organic Agriculture with Slow Food is obvious and
a perfect match for cultivating the future. President Juan Evo Morales
Ayma from Bolivia is expected to bring in the wealth of indigenous
knowledge, too long undervalued by conventional agriculture, however
needed to cope with future challenges.
On the location of this
years’ conference the Agriculture and Food Minister of Modena, Graziano
Poggioli explained that “The Organic World Congress will be
outstanding, since Modena is a land of jewels: architectural ones such
as the Romanesque
cathedral, the Ghirlandina tower, and Piazza Grande, all of which have
been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites. Other expressions of our
diversity awaiting the participants are the products of our local
agriculture: Parmigiano-Reggiano; Prosciutto from Modena; the Lambrusco
wines; Modena’s Traditional Balsamic Vinegar; as well as many other
specialty products like blackberries from the Apennine Mountains, pears
from the Emilia Region, cherries from Vignola; all world famous
products produced with organic farming methods by women and men capable
of both solidarity and hospitality.”
Registration: http://www.ifoam.org/events/ifoam_conferences/owc/Organic_World_Congress.html
For press accreditation: ufficiostampa@agendanet.it |
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