Key Takeaways
- Scientists urge Indian government to reject a ‘compromise proposal’ at the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources meeting in Peru.
- The proposal is criticized as being one-sided and favoring large agribusiness corporations.
- Concerns raised about multinational control over seed sector and genetic resources from the Global South.
A group of scientists has urgently appealed to the Indian government to reject what they call a ‘fundamentally unjust’ compromise proposal at the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources meeting in Lima, Peru. The Scientists for Genetic Diversity have written to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other officials, warning that the deal favors big agribusiness and tech corporations.
What the Compromise Proposal Contains
The proposal aims to enhance the Multilateral System on Access and Benefit Sharing (MLS) with a package of measures, including a revised Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA). Critical decisions on payment rates and system expansion have been deferred to the next session (GB12).
Scientists have recommended establishing an ‘Ad Hoc Expert Group’ with a time-bound mandate to define the scope of expansion before GB12.
Scientists’ Strong Objections
In their letter to Minister Chouhan, the scientists expressed grave concerns that the proposal would allow multinational enterprises to monopolize the seed sector and control vital genetic resources from the Global South.
They strongly criticized the labeling of the proposal as a ‘compromise,’ stating: “It is an insult to everyone’s intelligence to label this as a ‘compromise’ as it accommodates not one of the vociferous demands made by developing countries concerning justice, equity, and the acknowledgement of ownership rights held by farming and indigenous communities.”
Delayed Critical Decisions
The scientists noted that the proposal has conveniently shelved the critical issue of establishing mandatory payment schedules and rates for genetic resource use until GB12.
They stated: “This deliberate shelving, after years of negotiation, serves only to maintain the status quo — unhindered access for the North and minimal financial return for the gene-rich South.”
The scientists also expressed dismay at the “deafening silence” of the Indian delegation at GB11, calling it a “spectacular failure to protect the rights of our farming communities, who are the true custodians of our valuable genetic resources.”
