President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the first Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights (GSFR) today at the ICAR Convention Centre in New Delhi. The symposium is being attended by over 700 delegates from 59 countries, including farmers, scientists, policy makers, and representatives from non-governmental organizations.
In her address, the President said that farmers are the “annadatta” or providers of food, and that they deserve our respect and gratitude. She also highlighted the importance of Farmers’ Rights, which are the rights of farmers to participate in decision-making processes, to save, use, and exchange seeds, and to benefit from the use of their traditional knowledge.
The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, said that the GSFR is an important opportunity to discuss and share experiences on how to implement Farmers’ Rights. He also stressed the need to protect the rights of farmers and to promote the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources.
The Secretary of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), Mr. Kent Nnadozie, said that the GSFR is a milestone event in the implementation of Farmers’ Rights. He also called for increased cooperation between countries to ensure the sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
The GSFR will run from September 12 to 15, and will focus on a number of topics related to Farmers’ Rights, including:
- The conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources
- The participation of farmers in decision-making processes
- The benefits of Farmers’ Rights for food security
- The challenges to the implementation of Farmers’ Rights
The symposium is expected to result in a number of recommendations for how to improve the implementation of Farmers’ Rights. These recommendations will be shared with governments, organizations, and other stakeholders around the world.
The GSFR is a significant event in the global effort to promote Farmers’ Rights. It is an opportunity to discuss and share experiences, to learn from each other, and to work together to ensure that farmers’ rights are respected and protected.
Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, MoS Kailash Chaudhury and Secretary, Manoj Ahuja along with other dignitaries from various organizations were also present on the occasion.
