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| IFOAM appreciates IAASTD report on a new agriculture paradigm focusing on poor farmers as a step in the right direction |
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04/14/2008
IFOAM appreciates IAASTD report on a new agriculture paradigm focusing on poor farmers as a step in the right direction |
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IFOAM expresses moderate satisfaction for IAASTD report and
for its attempt to rethink the approach to agriculture, giving farmers
a central role.
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The
International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology
(IAASTD) held its intergovernmental plenary meeting from 7-14 April in
Johannesburg, South Africa. A final report was approved by governments
at that meeting. Ms. Prabha Mahale, member of the IFOAM World Board –
i.e. the governing body of IFOAM – headed the IFOAM delegation at the
meeting, demonstrating IFOAM’s highest and long-term involvement in
promoting a new sustainable paradigm for agriculture.
Conceived
in 2002 by the World Bank and the UN’s Food and Agriculture
Organization, the IAASTD began to work in 2004 with the objective of
improving life, health and prosperity for millions of poor farmers.
Over three years (2005-2007), a group of scientific experts selected by
IAASTD evaluated the relevance, quality and effectiveness of
agricultural knowledge, science and technology, as well as the policies
and institutional solutions to these questions. The 400 experts
reconvened last week in Johannesburg to agree on a final text to be
approved by governmental delegates.
The IAASTD report
underlines the necessity of a deep rethinking of the approach to
agriculture. It admits the market’s lack of capacity to deliver
prosperity and food security to the poor and it states the need to
review some unfair trade rules. The report also emphasizes the need to
reform some intellectual property laws on patents on novel crops, as to
not let them jeopardize new research and agriculture innovation. The
report is also critical towards the domination of multinational
companies on seed and fertilizer markets. It calls for an
implementation of agroecological strategies, in particular to realize
environmental sustainability, and spotlights the doubts and
controversies concerning genetically modified crops. The report is
definitely asking for a new agriculture paradigm, focused on the role
farmers and especially on poor farmers.
The development of
a healthy, ecological and fair agriculture, following the principles of
Organic Agriculture (health, ecology, fairness and care), has always
been IFOAM’s major commitment over its whole history. The presence of
Ms. Mahale at the IAASTD plenary meeting reaffirmed such a commitment
at the highest level. IFOAM is therefore supporting IAASTD in its
effort to encourage a fundamental rethinking of agricultural policies.
IFOAM considers the IAASTD´s report an acceptable compromise and calls
for a preservation of its very content during the IAASTD plenary
meeting.
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