Support for Seed Freedom

I joined the Rally Against Monsanto in Glasgow's city-centre on Saturday 12th October. This was part of a global day of action to protest against GM and its impact on our lives.

I spoke in support of the joint petition on seed legislation launched by the European Greens and Vandana Shiva on 2^nd October.  The Greens in the European Parliament are working with Navdanya , the organisation of Indian activist and scientist Vandana Shiva to raise awareness about the new legislative proposal of the European Commission on the production and commercialisation of seeds.

Shiva said: “We are reminded that in the spirit of Gandhi, civil disobedience is necessary, when laws undermine our rights, depriving us of our common goods.  Seeds are such a common good. They are a gift of nature and the result of centuries of hard work of farmers around the planet, who have selected, conserved and bred seeds. They are the source of life and the first link in our food chain. “

More details are available on the website www.seedfreedom.eu highlight the call by Greens and Navdanya for citizens to ask for a radical change of this proposed legislation. 

The key concern is that this new European legislation on the 'Marketing of seeds' is recognised as a threat to Food Security and Democracy.

There is a serious problem with a handful of global seed companies having a monopoly over the market. There is evidence of three quarters of the seeds marketed and used by farmers as being controlled by only a few multinational companies.

In recent years, there has been European legislation to increasingly restricted access to seeds. Seed varieties must pass complicated and costly tests and registration procedures and their cultivation depends on chemicals. 

This legislation has to be opposed as it will dramatically reduced the diversity of seed varieties on the market and this will become a threat to our food security. Support the petition and join the campaign to reject the current European Commission's proposal.