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The Eighth Conference of the Parties
(COP8)to the Convention on Biological Diversity was held at Curitiba (Brazil)
from 20-31 March 2006.
The special significance of the meeting was
the decision on Terminator Technology, eagerly awaited by representatives of
NGOs, farming communities, indigenous and community groups, industry
associations and the civil society.
The delegates at COP8 were under immense
pressure to hold on to the moratorium on the Terminator Technology and reject
the text of 'case by case risk assessment' which meant legitimising open field
testing of the technology. On March 24,the Chair announced the decision that the
de-facto moratorium of Terminator field trials and commercialization as stated
in the decision V/5 from COP-5 (the initial moratorium adopted in the year 2000)
will be kept.
At the COP5 meeting in 2000,a moratorium on
the field testing and commercial use of the Terminator Technology was placed
until full scientific assessments were done. This decision (V/5,Section III)was
strongly resisted by seed companies and industrial countries like Canada, New
Zealand and Australia. At a meeting of the CBD's Subsidiary Working Group on
traditional knowledge issues (related to CBD's Article 8j),these countries along
with US government and a number of biotech companies tried to do away with the
moratorium.They insisted upon a 'case by case' assessment of Terminator
Technology which meant legitimizing open field testing of the technology. This
insistence alarmed farmers'groups, indigenous and local communities and the
civil society. They feared that the delegates at COP8 meeting would succumb to
the pressure from these industrial countries. Widespread protests and
demonstrations were held at the venue of
the meeting. The announcement of the decision to hold on to the oratorium
caused relief amongst the various
indigenous peoples, local communities and civil society organizations. This
outcome was hailed as a 'victory' by the farming communities, activists and
civil society all over the world.
Besides the affirmation of the moratorium,
there were also a number of decisions adopted by the Working Group I, which was
submitted to the Plenary of the CBD Conference. These decisions recognised the
importance of local and indigenous communities, their participation and
contribution towards policy and decision making process.
· Within the mandate of decision V/5 Section III,
ecological, social, economic and cultural impacts on small farmers, indigenous
and local communities are to be assessed and made public. The results of such
research are to be made available in a transparent way.
· The Governing Body of International Treaty on
Plant Genetic Resources on Food and Agriculture should examine the potential
impact of GURTs on farmers, Farmers' Rights, local and indigenous communities.
· Capacity building initiatives covering
environmental, cultural and socio-economic aspects should be supported to enable
Parties to make informed decisions and take action on GURTs.
· Issues related to GURTs should be presented in
simple and appropriate language to encourage participation of local and
indigenous communities in the decision-making process. These decisions are of
crucial significance to farming communities all over the world. This technology
creates seeds that are rendered sterile after one generation. This is done
through genetic engineering whereby Terminator, officially named the Technology
Protection System (TPS),incorporates a trait that kills developing plant
embryos, so seed cannot be saved. If commercialized, farmers will not be able to
save seeds from the previous seeds from their previous harvest for planting the
following season. These suicide seeds will make farmers dependent on the seed
corporations and will do away with their age old practice of saving seeds and
breeding their own crops. The seed companies will thus have monopolistic rights
over use of seeds and the Terminator Technology will function like a stronger
expression of patent rights.In India, the Plant Protection and Farmers 'Rights
Act bans the Terminator Technology. Brazil too announced its decision to ban the
technology days before the COP8 meeting was to be held.
The outcome of the COP8 meeting was hailed
as a 'victory' by the farming communities, activists and civil society all over
the world.But despite the victory, there are apprehensions that the
multinational seed companies will continue to push for this sterile seed
technology. It is being argued that multinational seed companies have invested
far too much money to give up so easily and may pressure national governments to
give in.
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