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Farmers' Exchange for Mutual Learning |
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Theme: Governance of Food Systems International Farmers Exchange for Mutual Learning onPrivatisation of Knowledge and SeedsBamako, Mali, 17-21 February 2007
Between the 17 and 21 February, ahead of the Nyéléni Forum for Food Sovereignty, IIED and its partners from India, Indonesia, Iran and Peru facilitated a preparatory workshop for farmers from Mali and neighbouring countries. Held at the Solar Energy Research Centre (CRES) on the Bamako University Campus located on a hill overlooking the capital city, the workshop was attended by over 60 representatives of 17 countries, mainly from West Africa but also from Europe. Organised jointly with the Bibliothèque d'Echange de Documentation et d'Expériences (BEDE) and the Coordination Nationale des Organisations Paysannes du Mali (CNOP)1, this workshop was set up following a request from the CNOP and other farmers’ organisations involved in the Nyéléni Forum for Food Sovereignty, to learn about the privatisation of seeds and knowledge, including local initiatives to document indigenous knowledge and articulate and protect rights over seeds and knowledge. West African farmers were keen to learn more about these issues and about ongoing work of farmer communities in other parts of the world so that they could better claim and realise their rights to food sovereignty at the Nyéléni event that followed. Over the course of the 5-day workshop, West African participants heard the experiences of their counterparts from India, Peru, Indonesia and Iran on issues of biopiracy, community biodiversity registers, participatory video and participatory plant breeding, agroecology and approaches to seeds and knowledge as an expression of food sovereignty. A summary of the points expressed by the press conference panel on behalf of the 60 workshop participants were:
The final outcome of the four day process, the Bamako declaration, is available to download in French and English, by clicking on the links below. 1: The CNOP is an umbrella organisation representing Malian farmers, and the organiser of the Bamako workshop and a co-organiser of the Nyéléni Forum for Food Sovereignty.
BAMAKO DECLARATION Peasant Seeds are the Way Forward for Africa’s Food Sovereignty" (PDF 31KB) Semences paysannes: Fondement de la souveraineté alimentaire en Afrique (French PDF 31KB ) Other documents Workshop participants list (PDF 2MB) Workshop opening speech by the Minister for Agriculture of Mali (French only PDF 66KB)
SUSTAINING LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS PROJECT (Project page http://www.diversefoodsystems.org) This action research aims to analyse how and under what conditions can decentralised governance, farmer participation and capacity building promote the adaptive management of agricultural biodiversity in the context of local food systems and livelihoods. Partners:
Agricultural research must change radically to realise people's right to food (IIED Press Release, 16th February 2007) Download the complete media coverage of the Nyéléni event (mainly in French, Word Doc 453 KB)
This workshop was supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For more information, contact: Dr Michel Pimbert, michel.pimbert@iied.org Copyright © 2005 International Institute for Environment and Development. |
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