Farmers in the region have urged the government not to adopt and enact the draft Seed Bill 2019 on the ground that it threatens the seed sovereignty of the agricultural community.
A resolution to this effect was passed at a seminar organised by the Raitha Mitra Farmers Producers Cooperative Ltd. and Karnataka State Sugarcane Cultivators Association and Institute of Horticulture, Mysuru, on Thursday.
Kurubur Shanthakumar, president of the Association who delivered the keynote address, said that there were genuine fear and concern among the farmers that they would be divested of their right to cultivate and propagate the indigenous seeds and would be forced to become dependent on patent-owning companies.
He said the multinational companies would exploit the farmers in case the seed sovereignty was lost, resulting in a further increase in cost of cultivation that has to be borne by the farmers.
Mr. Shantha Kumar said the agricultural sector was already under stress and a new act that divests them of seed sovereignty would add to their financial burden.
Anant Hegde Ashisar, Chairperson, Karnataka Biodiversity Board, said though he welcomed the broad objectives of the Seed Bill 2019 there were certain anomalies that need to be rectified. He said the present draft bill was better than the prevailing 1966 Seed Act.
Mr. Hegde also called for institutional support for farmers engaged in conservation of indigenous plants and varieties.
He also called for third-party appraisal of the quality of seeds manufactured by private companies so that farmers were not foisted with spurious seeds.
Krishna Prasad of Sahaja Samruddha stressed the importance of ensuring that the farmers’ right of breeding, saving and using seeds was not compromised as this ensures promotion of agro-diversity.
He said it was not enough to regulate the quality of seeds alone; equally important was the regulation of the price lest the farmers are exploited by profit-seeking private companies.
S. Rajendra Prasad, Vice Chancellor, GKVK, Bengaluru, and others were present.
