|
Resolution at Conference: ‘WTO Negotiations: Protecting Livelihoods and Ensuring Food Security’
Organized by: Forum for Biotechnology and Food Security & UNCTAD India
Delhi, 11th June 2008
We, the representatives of farming community, fisher folks, agricultural workers, adivasis, dalits and rural women, civil society organizations, academia, resolve that the latest drafts on Agriculture and Non Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) are the final nails on the coffin of the country’s food security and sovereignty. Both the drafts are an orchestrated attempt to open up the Indian markets for highly subsidized cheaper imports. Importing food is importing unemployment that will destroy livelihoods and the country’s food self-sufficiency.
We, representing the majority India are highly concerned about the
dilution of Government’s position in the WTO negotiations which will
play havoc with the lives of us millions. What is being offered to us
at WTO by way of special products (SP) and Special Safeguard Measures
(SSM) is only a smokescreen and offers no real protection to Indian
agriculture, fisheries and forestry. We do not see any efforts by rich
countries to remove their agriculture subsidies that depress global
prices and insulate their transnational corporations against any market
volatility.
In this context and given the above concerns, we demand that the
Government should reject the two drafts, as they fail to take India’s
minimum concerns on-board. Since this has implications on millions of
lives and livelihoods of our people, the government should restore
import duties to the bound levels and bring back quantitative
restrictions. Given the global food crisis, and the extent of agrarian
distress in the country, the SP’s and SSM’s are inadequate to protect
livelihoods and food security.
This entire process of negotiations ending up in such one sided deals
is a wasted and futile exercise. It is high time the Indian government
stands up for its people otherwise the socio, economic and political
consequences will be disastrous. Hence, Agriculture should be left out
of WTO.
Signed:
Mr. Mahendra Singh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Baghpat, UP
Mr. Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Baghpat, UP
Mr. Gurnam Singh, Pradhan, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Haryana
Mr. Yudhvir Singh, Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers’ Movement, New Delhi
Mr. K Chellamuthu, President, Tamizhaga Uzhavar Uzhaipalar Sangam, Tamil Nadu
Mr. P. Chennaiah, Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Viritidarulu Union, APVVU, AP
Mr. KS Puttannaiah, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Karnataka
Mr. Malla Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham, Andhra Pradesh
Mr. Suneet Chopra, Joint Secretary, All India Agricultural Workers Union
Dr. Sunilam, Madhya Pradesh Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, MP
Mr. Bhagirath Chaudhary, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Rajasthan
Mr. Basavaraj Ingin, Karnataka Pradesh Red Gram Growers Association, Karnataka
Mr. Vijay Nandkishore Jawandhia, Shetkari Sanghathana, Maharashtra
Mr. N. D. Koli, National Fishworkers' Forum
Mr. Ambrish Rai, Lok Sangh Morcha, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Fr. Mathew Vadakemury, Indian Farmers’ Movement (INFARM), Kerala
Mr. Kanniyan, Thamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam (Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association)
Mr. Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Punjab
Ms. Pratibha Shinde, Adivasi leader, Gujarat
Ms. Sheelu Francis, Tamil Nadu Women’s Collective
Mr. Ram Kumar, Dynamic Action Group, Lucknow
Mr. Umendra Dutt, Kheti Virasat Mission, Jaitu, District - Faridkot, Punjab 151202
Ms. Alka Awasthi, CECOEDECON, Rajasthan
Dr. Surjeet Singh, Institute for Development Studies, Rajasthan
Mr. Utkarsh Sinha, Centre for Contemporary Studies & Research, Uttar Pradesh
Mr. Sanjay Singh, Parmarth, U.P.
Dr. GV Ramanjaneyulu, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, AP
Ms. S Usha, Thanal, Kerala
Ms. Sangita Sharma, Annadana, Karnataka
Mr. Sanket Thakur, Chhattisgarh Agricon, Chhatisgarh
Dr. Ranjit Singh Ghuman, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab
Mr. Benny Kuruvilla, Focus on the Global South, New Delhi
Dr. Aseem Shrivastava, New Delhi
Mr. Sudeep Chakravarti, Writer
Mr. Devinder Sharma, Forum for Biotechnology & Food Security, New Delhi
|
