Civil Society Organizations laud Court of Appeal on temporary halt of GMO imports, calls for farmers rights protection
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 20…Greenpeace Africa, Kenya Peasants League and BIBA Kenya while speaking at a joint press conference praised recent Court of Appeal decision to temporarily halt importation of Genetically Modified crops into the country.
They noted that the ruling is a triumph for Kenyan farmers and consumers alike adding that temporary halt provides opportunity to reaccess country’s agricultural policies and promote solutions that truly serves farmers and protect biodiversity.
“Agroecological practices have proven their effectiveness in ensuring food security while preserving our environmental heritage, we must now focus our collective efforts to ensure the upcoming seed litigation in May cements strong legal protection for farmer-managed seed systems”, said Elizabeth Atieno, Greenpeace Africa’s Food Sovereignty campaign lead.
Ann Maina of Biodiversity and Biosafety Association (BIBA Kenya) said Court of Appeal decision not only is victory for farmers but also as a reaffirmation of rights to save and exchange seeds without interference.
“Farmers must control their seeds the essential foundation of our food supply, our farmers managed seeds systems have sustained communities for generations, we cannot allow corporate interests to monopolise our seed heritage and compromise our food sovereignty”, added Ms Maina.
Cidi Atieno from the Kenya peasants League highlighted that the upcoming seed litigation in May will be crucial in determining the future of Kenya’s food systems.
“We are fighting not just against GMO’s but for the protection of our indigenous seed varieties, farmers rights to save and exchange seeds and preservation of out agricultural biodiversity “, Otieno stated.
Furthermore, a farmer representative reiterated that they are custodians of seeds and food system expressing concern that if the laws criminalise farmers rights to save and exchange seeds they will be forced into permanent dependency on multinational corporations.
“Farmer-managed food systems are climate resilient cost effective and culturally significant, this laws must recognise and protect them”, shed noted.
They called for unified action from farmers urging civil society, policymakers to actively engage ahead of May litigation and demand policies that protect farmers and food sovereignty.
