Report on the workshop on GMO for farmer’s association leaders and leaders of the farmer’s wing of the political parties in Tamil Nadu.
Date: 25.01.09 Venue: Hotel Ajantha, Trichy
Introduction:
SAGE (South Against Genetic Engineering) has been involved in campaigning against the ill-effects of Genetically Modified crops and foods for the past 4 years. Kudumbam in collaboration with other partners of SAGE in Tamil Nadu has been involved in facilitating series of awareness workshops, public meetings, protests, signature campaign and studies in sensitizing the GM issues with farmers, consumers, academicians, lawyers, NGOs, doctors, panchayat presidents, political party leaders and farmer’s movements at various levels.
As a process of continuity and a step forward, it was decided to organize a workshop exclusively for leaders of different farmers’ associations and leaders of the farmers’ wing in all the political parties in Tamil Nadu. The idea of organizing this meeting is that the farmers associations and the farmers wing of the political parties can take this GE related issues with large farming communities while they organizing meetings and gatherings and build up more farmers’ resistant to GE technology to bring a change on the policy makers. This one day workshop was organized by Kudumbam in collaboration with SAGE in Hotel Ajantha, Trichy on 24th January. Around 60 participants mostly farmers belonging to different farmers associations in Tamil Nadu and NGOs were participated in the workshop. The workshop started with prayer song wishing the Tamil Mother. Mr. K.Suresh Kanna, SAGE State Co-ordinator has welcomed the participants, speakers and Dr. G. Nammalvar, the facilitator of the workshop.
Dr. G. Nammalvar gave a brief introduction about Genetically Modified Seeds and how this technology is against farmer’s right to seed and how is technology will bring adverse and irreversible effects of Gene pollution on our bio diversity and eco systems. When he explained about the principle discipline of treatment of a medical doctor, the doctor should first teach the patient about the type of food s/he should eat, secondly about the physical exercise and lastly suggest about medicine. He also quoted examples of the hotel are now preparing foods just to addict our nose and tongue and not for the health and nutrition required to our body. Since, people and not eat their food for their health and nutrition they affected with so many diseases. He also quoted how our fore fathers, especially the SIDDARS in their poems stressed the importance of healthy food. Our people are spending their most of their earning to 3 things. Spending money at the hotels by eating unhealthy foods and get affected by some many diseases. Then they spend money at medical shops to get medicines to cure their disease. Thirdly at financial institution’s dept trap.
The initial period the gene crossed between the same species and produced some new species is called as Hybrid varieties. The new species acquire the positive character from the parent species. It gives more yields in the beginning to the farmers and at the later stage it increased the external inputs (chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides etc) and make the farmer depend external sources for their agriculture operation.
The continuous application of chemicals makes the soil infertile and badly affected the soil health. When farmers started to realized the impacts of chemical farming and converting to organic agriculture alternatives, now GM is coming to farmers as a solution to all their agricultural problems. In fact, GM is projected as a organic methods of agriculture, since the companies claims that GM seeds will reduce pesticide application. Farmers are not aware about how the technology is even more poisonous than the chemical fertilizers and the consequences like genetic contamination and gene pollution are irreversible and irreparable. They also not aware that the same companies involved in pesticide and fertilizer business now involved in seed business. Hence, genetically modified organisms are entirely different from Hybrid variety. In that, the scientists crossed the gene between two dissimilar species.
In order to give a basic idea about GM and how GM crops are made, how it affect the eco system and how the multi national seed companies are doing profit oriented research, a animation film titled “Genetically Engineered Crops” was screened to the participants. After the film show, an interaction section in which farmers participated and asked their doubts and shared their concern on GM crops. Dr. Nammalvar has clarified the doubts of the farmers.
Mr. Oswald Quintal, the Director of Kudumbam and State Convenor of SAGE shared the objectives of this workshop and explained the ill effects of GMO in Indian Agriculture since the introduction of Bt cotton. He also pointed out that the aspire of GMO Company is eradicating our traditional seeds of the farmers. Now a days the farmers unable to find their seeds, especially the farmers cultivating cotton has no alternate seeds except the Bt cotton.
Since 2003 the GMO companies trying to get approval for Bt Brinjal, Bt maize and Bt papaya from GEAC (Genetic Engineering Approval Committee), we, the farmers has to oppose the move of the State and demand for an immediate moratorium. He also quoted the press coverage of The Hindu on 14th January about a loss of 55 crores to farmers who have cultivated Bt cotton in Salem and Dharmapuri of Tamil Nadu and demanded a compensation from the State for the loss. Hence, the Agriculture Minister of the State, Vice Chancellor of TNAU and the Scientist of the research institutions involved in Bt cotton research should resign as the Home Minister took the responsibility and resigned after the terrorist attack on Mumbai.
Dr. Siva Ramam representing Poovulagin Nanbargal from Chennai made a power point presentation on the mechanisms and impacts of GMO & agriculture. He explained the basics of GMO, How GM crops are made, what the companies told as reasons for GM research and the hidden agenda, its causes of GMO food in Human Health. During the 1800s T.B, Viral fever and Jaundice are some of the chronic diseases threaten the people. The causing factors of that diseases are Microorganisms.
Now a days the non communicable diseases like Asthma, Diabetics and cancer are threatening the people. It all comes because of altered food habits, lifestyle modification and mental disability. One of the famous epidemiologist Mr.Lapous said 746/1000 people affected by non communicable diseases. He also explained that the emergence of human being from monkey took 1.2 million years. But in Genetic engineering we attained this type of modification with in 10 minutes without any prolonged safety research on the impact in human health. Safety test conducted by the company for just 90 days is just eyewash and these researches have been done for the sake of the company. Any safety test requires 3 important levels namely acute toxicity, sub-acute toxicity and prolonged clinical study for a minimum period of 6 years. If 90 days safety test are enough and approved for a vegetable consumed directly, one can imagine the consequences of it to the millions human health. He also pointed out that in India we do not have such laboratories to do that kind of safety test. Beyond fond Brinjal is known for this therapeutic value and this kind of imprecise technology allowed in Brinjal no one guarantee for the undesirable changes and health risks. He compared the Hybrid variety with Love marriage – because the selection process is natural and GMO with Rape – because an individual or a company decide what he/they want and get that forcefully.
He explained the following 3 as important health concerns of GMO
Allergenicity. the protein product of the transferred gene may be allergenic to human, as the human body recognize it as a foreign body.
Gene transfer. Gene transfer from GM foods to cells of the body or to bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract would cause concern if the transferred genetic material adversely affects human health. This would be particularly relevant if antibiotic resistance genes, used in creating GMOs, were to be transferred.
Out crossing: The movement of genes from GM plants into conventional crops or related species in the wild (referred to as out crossing”), as well as the mixing of crops derived from conventional seeds with those grown using GM crops, may have an indirect effect on food safety and food security.
He also warned how these companies are very clever and strategic in introducing and marketing their products. For instance, how the Pepsi and Coco Cola companies changed our people’s mindset to think about Pepsi and Coco Cola whenever they feel thrust.
After his presentation, he discussed with the farmers. He said there are no needs for GMO foods. Because traditional vegetables enough for us. It has all the medicinal value. The Austria study report said GMO food cause infertility in rats. One of the participants asked him, why the government allow to introduce this type of GMO foods to the people. He answered him, India signed in WTO. If it did not allow GMO it has to pay the penalty. But the European countries paying penalty instead permit GMO foods. The public has the ability to stop GMO. They should fight against GMO. The scientific improvement has to give some benefits to the people. Instead it leads to many ill effects and health problems to them.
While interacting with farmers, Dr. Nammalvar shared how the companies are promoting Golden Rice as solution for the Vitamin A deficiency and malnutrition problems of the children. The company said that the normal rice did not have any vitamin A. So they introduced it in normal rice and it is called as Golden rice. But in reality we have plenty of sources for the requirement of Vitamin A in the form of our greens, vegetable, milk, fruits and also in millet foods at very cheaper rate and in fact we don’t need money for that since it available in the home gardens and in the agricultural field. Unfortunately, we destroyed them by using chemical fertilizers and pesticide and make it non-eatable items. Moreover, if a person needs his daily requirement of Vitamin A, he has to eat 9 Kgs of rice in a day. Hence, this is unpractical and not at all a solution to address the problem of Vitamin A. In fact, our body requires all kind of nutrients and if a Vitamin A gene inserted in the rice plant, no one guarantee on the possible destruction of other genes responsible for other nutrition, he added.
Afternoon session started with the presentation of farmer leaders. Dr. Nammalvar invited few noted farmers to the stage and asked them to share their opinion and suggestion on how to move forward. Initiating the discussion Dr. Nammalvar shared the followings:
Mr. Dhanapalan, President, Cauvery Delta Farmers Association initiated the discussion. He suggested that we the farmers need to talk wherever and whoever we meet and debate this issue widely. The GMO seed companies produced unfertile seeds and they give it to the farmers by subsidy at the initial. After that, the seeds are given to the farmer by loan. Then gradually they increase the rate of the seeds. At last, make the farmers fully dependent the seed company for their seeds. He warned that these seeds will increase the male sterility. And we need to educate the farmers through awareness programme in open place and not in closed rooms like hotel. Then only it will be more effective and reached many people. Presently their association organizing its members’ house functions like marriages as big events. In that function they allot 1 hour to discuss the farmers problems in Agriculture. Hereafter, we will definitely speak about this issue in our family gatherings and each marriage function will be a public meeting to oppose GMO, he added.
Mr. Ramasamy, a retired EB Engineer and now elected as panchayat president shared about the rich knowledge, wisdom and foresight of our forefathers even though they were uneducated. Because of the foresight, they were able to plant trees, dig ponds and lakes for the benefit of the mankind. Now, the so called educated people cutting the trees and closing the ponds and lakes in the name of development, urbanization and spoil the nature leads to man made disasters in the form of global warming, climate changed resulted in unexpected rains, floods and storms. He also stressed the importance of improving the soil health through organic agriculture methods and practices and proper water managements practices like timely desiting of water resources, clearance of water channels and conserve the water. We should plant more trees to protect the ozone layer and save the earth from the effects of global warming and climate change.
Farmers like Sundara Vimalanathan, Maram Thangasamy, Kumaravel and Mr. Ayyakannu, Advocate, Barathiya Kishan Sangam were also spoke on the workshop and highlighted the need for the empowerment of panchayats to fight against these kinds of GM technologies as Palachimedu in Kerala for their fight against Coke company. When Mr. Thangasamy spoke, he stressed the need for real action. Advocate Ayyakannu suggested a public litigation case against the State for allowing Bt crops without knowing the consequences to the farmers, consumers and the environment.
Around 4.30 pm, press people came for the press meeting. Dr. Nammalvar shared the objective of the workshop, the GM issue and the action plan of SAGE with farmers association in Tamil Nadu to continue its agitation and opposition to GM crops in the country. In his press briefing, how the technology make our farmers depend on the multinational seed company for every season, how it destroyed our local traditional seeds and farmers right to save and use the seed for the next season, how the technology is imprecise and no one guarantee on what will be the consequences to our bio diversity, environment and importantly the human health risks and how it creates many diseases like allergy, asthma, cancer and other non communicable diseases. He also showed Mr. Jeffry’s book on “Genetic Rouellte” and how the book brought the truths of documented health risk, how the GM seeds and technologies will lead to the neo-colonism and our legitimate right food sovereignty. While explaining the follow up, Dr. Nammalvar explained the press that a Public Litigation Case will be filed against the approval of GM crops and this will be in support of the Case which is already in the Supreme Court of India.
Four newspaper and 2 private channels covered the information. The followings are the titles of the articles covered.
· Dinamani – GMO seeds will increase male sterility – Dr. Nammalvar cautions
· Dinathanthi – GMO food will increase cancer.
· Dinakaran – Public Litigation case will be filed against the approval of GM crops.
· Malai Murasu – Farmers participated in GM awareness workshop at Trichy.
Trichy Farmers Meeting Declaration demanding the followings and signed by all the participants and sent it to the Union Health Minister. The workshop was concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. K.Suresh Kanna.
Report Prepared by:
Ms. Uma & Mr. K.Suresh Kanna.
