PAN AP jumpstarts the “Women Reclaim our Seeds!” campaign

(Penang, Malaysia) – On the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity, Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) launches its campaign with the theme “Women Reclaim our Seeds” to celebrate the inspiring diversity and knowledge on seeds in the hands of women.

PAN AP releases a booklet (Women Reclaim our Seeds) which documents the stories of women farmers from India, Pakistan, Vietnam and the Philippines of their invaluable roles as community seed stewards, performing as selectors, keepers and propagators of seeds. PAN AP also shares a video, Women Nurture Seeds produced by GREEN Foundation (India) which captures the various roles played by small marginal women farmers from Karnataka, South India.

Various activities will also be held in support of this campaign. Today, METSA Foundation, a member of MASIPAG who is at the forefront of organic agriculture development, will hold a forum on biodiversity with the theme “Kababayen-an! Huptan balik ang katungod sa binhi!” (Women! Reclaim our Seeds!) in Davao, Philippines. The Davao event will also launch the booklet, wherein the story of KNBL (Women of Unique Power), a federation of 14 women-led groups, is featured.

Simultaneously, Vikalpani Women’s Federation, a women’s network of farmers based in Sri Lanka, will organise a traditional seed exhibition and workshop with women farmers and youth in Monaragala.

In June, a small village Gehna in Nainital District, Uttarkhand (India) will hold an “Uttarayani” (Seeds and Food Festival) jointly organised by Community Awareness Center (CAC, a grassroots organisation dedicated to the promotion of people’s knowledge), Beej Bachao Andolan (BBA – Save Seeds Movement) and other informal groups in the community. This festival will include a forum on the importance of traditional seeds and knowledge, seed exchanges and exhibit of traditional recipes. Likewise, GREEN Foundation, who works for the conservation of agro-biodiversity and ecology and for the empowerment of women and men farmers, will hold a forum on the protection of indigenous seed varieties and food security in India.

The Campaign Women Reclaim our Seeds is an ongoing platform to share women’s successful initiatives to revitalise local seed varieties and to celebrate women’s resilience and knowledge systems in food and agricultural production. “Women hold ‘seeds as life’ for the community and we celebrate their initiatives and their joy in the success of the struggles,” says Sarojeni Rengam, Executive Director of PAN AP. #

The resource materials for the Campaign “Women Reclaim our Seeds” are available online at http://panap.net/en/wia/page/women-in-agriculture-women-and-seeds/1510

For Reference:
Marjo Busto marjo.busto@panap.net