In the name of food security, international politics is increasingly paving the way for seeds to come under the control of ever fewer agro and food industry actors. However, only the hands of the many can maintain and further develop the seed diversity that global food sovereignty requires. Which influence do legal regulations and international trade agreements such as the TTIP agreement have on access to seeds? Which kinds of agrarian systems and forms of agriculture can meet the ecological and social challenges presented by peasant agriculture in the world’s diverse regions, and which approaches exist that can promote locally organised seed development?
In the run-up to the G7 meeting in June 2015, the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung and the German NGO Forum Environment & Development will be organising a public conference in Berlin / Germany to discuss current political approaches toward seeds in different regions. Together, we aim to develop both questions and answers concerning the conditions required to preserve global seed diversity. A north-south as well as a south-south exchange of experiences by academic and activist experts should provide us the necessary perspectives. The focus will be on South Asia, Africa and Europe.
From East Africa Mr Abdallah Mkindi from TABIO will attend the conference and will provide inputs on the G8/7 New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition as well as on community seed systems in Tanzania.
Date: 29 May 2015 - 30 May 2015
Place: Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus | Berlin | Luisenstraße 58/59
Further information:
(Copyright picture: FotoHiero / pixelio.de)