Activate SAARC Seed Bank | Ensure Farmers Rights
The SAARC Seed Bank Agreement has
been signed by the South Asian leaders
in 2011 with a view of ensuring food
security in SAARC countries through
enhancing seed replacement with
appropriate varieties, addressing seed
shortage in the region and acting as a
seed storage for member countries. The
policymakers pledged several times to
activate Seed Bank in short. But after 4
years of the agreement, the Seed Bank
is yet to be established.
The Agreement recognises the local and
indigenous procedures and varieties of
seeds, but doesn't pledged to protect
them in this global intellectual property
regime which has been expanding to
affect traditional seed systems and limit
farmers rights to save, use, exchange
and sell seeds. Besides, there is no
mechanism of recognition and
procedure to conserve, collect or
transfer these indigenous varieties.
The Seed Bank Board has 11 members.
Among them only 1 Farmer can be
participate from a member country by
rotation. But the private sector is to get
2 members in the board. Till the date,
only SAARC Seed Forum, which is a
forum of corporate seed companies,
has access in the Board. Moreover,
there is no mechanism to select a real
farmer from country level. So, there lies
a doubt of political and corporate
dominations in selection of the farmer
representative from respective country.
There is a serious lack of transperancy
in the Seed Bank mechanism.
Information of only Indian national
designated authority is open for all.
People are in dark about national
mechanisms of all other countries. Only
Raise your Voice for Farmers Rights
CONTACT: [email protected]
Food Security Network of Bangladesh
Activate SAARC Seed Bank | Ensure Farmers Rights
The SAARC Seed Bank Agreement has
been signed by the South Asian leaders
in 2011 with a view of ensuring food
security in SAARC countries through
enhancing seed replacement with
appropriate varieties, addressing seed
shortage in the region and acting as a
seed storage for member countries. The
policymakers pledged several times to
activate Seed Bank in short. But after 4
years of the agreement, the Seed Bank
The Agreement recognises the local and
indigenous procedures and varieties of
seeds, but doesn't pledged to protect
them in this global intellectual property
regime which has been expanding to
ditional seed systems and limit
o save, use, exchange
Besides, there is no
mechanism of recognition and
to conserve, collect or
The Seed Bank Board has 11 members.
Among them only 1 Farmer can be
untry by
rotation. But the private sector is to get
2 members in the board. Till the date,
only SAARC Seed Forum, which is a
forum of corporate seed companies,
Moreover,
here is no mechanism to select a real
vel. So, there lies
a doubt of political and corporate
dominations in selection of the farmer
representative from respective country.
of transperancy
in the Seed Bank mechanism.
Indian national
open for all.
People are in dark about national
mechanisms of all other countries. Only
the corporate companies will be benefited by such lack of
transperancy and accountability.
The agreement calls for maintaining quality standard of
seeds
under the Seed Bank system but u
conditions of quality standards the farmers varieties will
be
included within the Seed Bank system is yet to be clear.
remains a major
constraint for local and
poor farmers.
There are provisions for
the withdrawal, release
and replenishment of
seeds. But how country-
specific situation would
be considered is critical to
addressing the issue of
fair pricing and adequate
supply of seeds is not
clear.
There is no reflection of
UNCBD and UNDRIP in
the Seed Bank
Agreement. There should
be a balance between
WTO TRIPs and CBD in
the Agreement to protect
the rights of indigenous
and local farmers on the
genetic resources.
Most of the seed
demands of farmers in
South Asia are still being
met through local
exchange. Such exchange
and use system still
contributes 70%90% to
total seed supply. But
those are not recognized
under the Materials Transfer Agreement under
So, we are in anxiety that the Seed Bank
tiger like SAARC Food Bank!
Raise your Voice for Farmers Rights | Ensure Food Security in
SAARC Region!
[email protected], [email protected] and
[email protected]
Activate SAARC Seed Bank
Ensure rights of farmers to
conserve, use, share and sell local
and indigenous seeds
Stop corporate companies from
using indigenous seeds without
free and prior informed consent of
Involve at least 1 real farmer from
each of t
SAARC Seed Bank Board
Engage 1 civil society member in
the allocated private sector
representatives in the Seed Bank
Define standard of local seeds and
ensure p
Recognize the farmers on
researches and allocate resources to
help local and indigenous
producers of local seeds.
KKM Kendrio Krishak Moitree
Activate SAARC Seed Bank | Ensure Farmers Rights
the corporate companies will be benefited by such lack of
The agreement calls for maintaining quality standard of
seeds
under what terms and
conditions of quality standards the farmers varieties will
be
included within the Seed Bank system is yet to be clear. So,
it
sfer Agreement under the Agreement.
So, we are in anxiety that the Seed Bank is going to a paper
Ensure Food Security in SAARC Region!
[email protected]
Activate SAARC Seed Bank
immediately
Ensure rights of farmers to
conserve, use, share and sell local
and indigenous seeds
Stop corporate companies from
using indigenous seeds without
free and prior informed consent of
the farmers
Involve at least 1 real farmer from
each of the member countries in
SAARC Seed Bank Board
Engage 1 civil society member in
the allocated private sector
representatives in the Seed Bank
Board
Define standard of local seeds and
ensure profitable price for the
farmers.
Recognize the farmers on farm
researches and allocate resources to
help local and indigenous
producers of local seeds.
