The idea of lokavidya is a result of long struggles by a large number of people,
over more than 15-20 years, through their engagement with people's movements.
The organisations one can specifically name are PPST Foundation, Mazdoor Kisan Niti
Group, and Nari Hastkala Udyog Samiti, which engaged with questions of knowledge,
from an emancipatory out look, and which developed processes, like Congresses of
Traditional Sciences and Technologies of India, the unity of peasants, artisans,
women, and adivasis as swadeshi samaj, the carrier of new light for a new world,
and Nari vidya as the ultimate basis, for women to find their feet in this world,
and a possible new one.
Lokavidya belongs to ordinary life.
This is life without condition, and therefore, it is not possible to privatise
lokavidya, not even by the mightiest of the empires.
... lokvidya engages with questions of knowledge, from an emancipatory framework, dedicating itself to the unity of peasants, artisans, women and adivasis as swadeshi samaj, the carrier of new light for a new world ...- Sunil Sahasrabudhey
Africa's Wealth of Seed Diversity and Farmer Knowledge - Under threat from the
Gates/ Rockefeller "Green Revolution" initiative :
Statement from African civil society organisations at the
World Social Forum 2007
Nairobi, Kenya - 25 January 2007
Africa is the source of much of the world's agricultural knowledge and biodiversity. African
farming represents a wealth of innovation : for example, Canada's main export wheat is derived
from a Kenyan variety called "Kenyan farmer"; the US and Canada grow barley bred from Ethiopian farmers' varieties; and the Zera Zera sorghum grown
in Texas originated in Ethiopia and the Sudan. This rich basis of biodiversity still exists in Africa today, thanks to the 80% of
farmers in Africa that continue to save seed in a range of diverse eco-systems across the
continent.
The future of agriculture for Africa and the world will have to
build on this biodiversity and farmers' knowledge, especially in the
current context of climate change. The diversity of seed varieties
continually developed by African farmers will be vital to ensure
that they have the flexibility to respond to changing weather
patterns. With the challenges that climate change will bring, only
a wealth of seed diversity maintained by farmers in Africa can offer
a response to prevent severe food crises.
However, new external initiatives are putting pressure on these
agricultural systems. A new initiative from the Bill Gates/
Rockefeller Foundation partnership, called the "Alliance for a Green
Revolution for Africa" (AGRA) is putting over $150 million towards
shifting African agriculture to a system dependent on expensive,
harmful chemicals, monocultures of hybrid seeds, and ultimately
genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Another initiative funded by
the G8 is pushing biotechnology in agriculture through four new
major Biosciences research centres in Africa. And GM companies such
as Monsanto and Syngenta are entering into
public-private- partnership agreements with national agricultural
research centres in Africa, in order to direct agricultural research
and policy towards GMOs. These initiatives under-represent the real
achievements in productivity through traditional methods, and will
fail to address the real causes of hunger in Africa.
This comes at a time when the world is realising the need for organic agriculture; however
these initiatives would promote the use of more chemicals, and less seed diversity in the hands of farmers.
These initiatives will destroy the bases of biodiversity, knowledge and adaptive capacity -
at a time when it is needed most.
This push for a so-called "green revolution" or "gene revolution" is
being done once again under the guise of solving hunger in Africa.
Chemical-intensive agriculture is, however, already known to be
outmoded. We have seen how fertilisers have killed the soil,
creating erosion, vulnerable plants and loss of water from the soil.
We have seen how pesticides and herbicides have harmed our
environment and made us sick. We know that hybrid and GM seed
monocultures have pulled farmers into poverty by preventing them
from saving seed, and preventing traditional methods of
intercropping which provide food security. We vow to learn from our
brothers and sisters in India, where this chemical and genetically
modified system of agriculture has left them in so much debt and
hunger that 150,000 farmers have committed suicide.
The push for a corporate-controlle d chemical system of agriculture
is parasitic on Africa's biodiversity, food sovereignty, seed and
small-scale farmers. Farmers in Africa cannot afford these expensive
agricultural inputs. But these new infrastructures seek to make
farmers dependent on chemicals and hybrid seeds, and will open the
door to GMOs and Terminator crops. Industrial breeding has in fact
been driven by the industry's demand for new markets - not to meet
the needs of farmers.
We know, however, that the agroecological approach to farming, using
traditional and organic methods, provides the real solutions to the
crises that we face. Studies show that a biodiversity- based organic
agriculture, working with nature and not against it, and using a
diversity of mixed crops, produces higher overall yields at far
lower costs than chemical agriculture. A 2002 study by the
International Centre for Research on Agroforesty (ICRAF) showed that
Southern African farms using traditional agroforestry techniques did
not suffer from the drought that hit the region so severely that
year.
We reject these new foreign systems that will encourage Africa's
land and water to be privatised for growing inappropriate export
crops, biofuels and carbon sinks, instead of food for our own
people. We pledge to intensify our work for food sovereignty by
conserving our own seed and enhancing our traditional organic
systems of agriculture, in order to meet the uncertainties and
challenges that will be faced by present and future generations.
Agricultural innovation must be farmer-led, responding to local
needs and sustainability. We celebrate Africa's wealth and heritage
of seed, knowledge and innovation. We will resist these misguided,
top-down but heavily-funded initiatives from the North, which show
little or no understanding or respect for our complex systems. We
ask that we be allowed to define our own path forward.
Signed by African civil society organisations at the World Social
Forum in Nairobi, 2007.
70 organisations from 12 African countries :
Gebremehdin Birega, Africa Biodiversity Network, Ethiopia.
Zachary Makanya, PELUM-Kenya, Kenya.
Treazah Nganga, Kenya GMO Concern (KEGCO), Kenya.
Kazungu Thuva, Porini Association, Kenya.
Tetu Maingi, Porini Association, Kenya.
Stephen Musubire, Centre for Development Initiatives, Uganda.
Davis Ddamulira, Centre for Development Initiatives, Uganda.
Million Belay, MELCA, Ethiopia.
Bakari Nyari, RAINS, Ghana.
Gao Dorothy Ndaba, PELUM-Botswana, Botswana.
P.D. Muritu, SACDEP, Kenya.
W. Kimwea, SACDEP, Kenya.
Wanjiru Kamau, Kenya Organic Agriculture Network, Kenya.
Samuel Ndungu, Kenya Organic Agriculture Netwowrk, Kenya.
Njoki Njoroge Nehu, Daughters of Mumbi, Kenya.
Rose Ochieng, Crisis Center, Kenya.
James Senjire, Oloingok,Kenya.
Daniel Kipainoi, Yiaku People Association, Kenya
George M. Kirigia, MCPBO, Kenya.
Julius Juma MUSTA, Kenya.
Andrew, ILFFR, Kenya
Migwi Mwamiki, Mount Kenya Camps,Kenya
Kennedy Mitati, Porini Association, Kenya
Keefe Kewesi, Econc -Uganda chapter,Uganda.
Allan Babunga, ARP East Africa
Stephen Owoko, ADF, Kenya
Gabriel Nyanjini, AFYA group, Kenya
Vincent Maroq, Mara River Resource, Kenya
Enoh Raymond, GLOHEDEP,Nigeria
Lawrence Kabuthi, ILYEPRO, Kenya
Ann Mumbi, USIU, Kenya
Tom Deiters, Africa Ecology, Kenya
Munanairi, KVDA, Kenya
Stephen Kimani, SEATINI, Uganda
Enoch Manwa, SOCF, Kenya
Esther Munda, MWAFO, Kenya
Raychelle Injete, Westwise, Kenya
Mowana Rajad, OUT, Tanzania
Murtala A. Mohd, GEDI Nigeria, Nigeria
Anatole Bandu, ADEBECO, Congo DRC
George Opiyo, NAREC Kenya
Rosette Businge CEEWA, Uganda
Eliud Ngunjiri, RODI-Kenya, Kenya
Peninah Kyarimba, VECO - Uganda, Uganda
Geffrey Duma, VECO - Uganda, Uganda
Ronald Buke, Black Art, Uganda
Caroline Anonya, ISEERM, Kenya
Regina Mwanza, ZCD, Zambia
Martha Simukounda, EGCAZ, Zambia
Peter Malomba, Sacred Africa, Kenya
Nancy Muthiani, Green Belt Movement, Kenya
Esther Mutiga, Green Belt Movement, Kenya
Sena Alouka, JVETogo, Togo
Muthee Thuku, Afripad, Kenya
Senteu Ole Kimirri, Yiaku Peoples Assocoation, Kenya
Vincent Ntekemu, Saru Enkiteng, Kenya
Rachel Wanyatu, Gramwa Designs, Kenya
W Wambui, Granwa Designs, Kenya
K Martin, Ecosystems, Kenya
Robert Koigi, UON, Kenya
Edris N. Omondi, CGP, Kenya
Dr Macharia Githigia, SCAN, Kenya
Anne Nderitu, MKADI, Kenya
Wanjiru Kakai, ROC, Kenya
John Mburu, SELF, Kenya
Lucas Sinda, Mara River, Kenya
Enguday B., PAC, Ethiopia
Areb Giri Mai, Enda-Ethiopia, Ethiopia
Sue Edwards, ISD, Ethiopia
Dagmalit Gilas,Ursnon Utus, Ethiopia,
Ephrem Fetene, YNSD, Ethiopia
Kassahun Belete, YSND, Ethiopia
Biniam Tesfaye, Merewa Ethiopia, Ethiopia
Tigist Teregaya, Tana Keben Digen Haden Assn, Ethiopia
Meseret Mulugeta, CRDA, Ethiopia
Zegeye Asfau, HUNDEE, Ethiopia
Mekonnen Tola, Inter Africa Group, Ethiopia
Kiflu Gebrewold, CDRA, Ethiopia
Mdunwayo Onesplace, OAG, Burundi
Yabrurt, ACORD, Ethiopia
Abiy Mekonna, ACSO, Ethiopia
Ore Peleing, ANCRA, South Africa
George Mwai, LRF, Kenya
James Otonga, NASU,Kenya
To organize a candle light vigil in your area please contact the following people :
Devinder Sharma (98113-01857)
Yudhvir Singh (98681-46405)
Naresh Sirohi (98996-00011)
Bhaskar Goswami (98111-91335)
Quotations - No man is an island - " No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a
piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is
the less, as well as if promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine
own were. Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never
send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
- Metaphysical poem by John Donne,
Meditation XVII, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions - 1624