Let’s Liberate Diversity IV

October 10-12, 2008

ItalyAscoli Cartiere Papali

The forth European meeting will take place in the city of Ascoli, Marche region, Italy. It will be organisedby the Italian Network “Semi Rurali” with the technical and political support of the European steeringcommittee created in Halle, Germany in May 2007.

Foreword

Since Poitiers in 2005, a European coordination of networks working on peasants’ seeds in different European countries was born. In 2006 the Let’s Liberate Diversity! meeting took place in Spain organised bythe Red de Semillas Network and in 2007 in Germany by the BUKO group against biopiracy. The continuityof these gatherings also involving participants from the Global South is extremely important for maintaining the coordination between countries and continuing the exchange of knowledge and know-how around the issue of seeds.

Why Italy?

In Italy the question of local seed varieties is quite well developed at the local level. Several regional governments (Tuscany, Marche, Umbria, Friuli Giulia, Lazio and Emilia Romagna) introduced laws that support conservation through the cultivation and the valorisation of these varieties. Moreover, since November 2007, the Italian Network –Rete Semi Rurali-was created and is today composed of 8 organisations (ARI, AIAB, Crocevia, Civiltà contadina, Consorzio della Quarantina, Archeologia arborea,CTPB et ASCI), which represent organic farmers, seed keepers and small non-certified family farmers.

It would be interesting, therefore, to share with participants from other countries the diversity of experiencesin Italy and to have a joint reflection on the actions to be carried out at the local level together with publicinstitutions.

Let’s Liberate Diversity ! in Europe

In order to better understand the process, let’s trace back the history of this movement, known today as Let’s Liberate Diversity !

                        European seminar Let’s Liberate Diversity !, Poitiers (France), November 2005. Co-organised by CNDSF (Coordination Nationale pour la Défense des Semences Fermières) and the RéseauSemences Paysannes, this seminar held on November 25 – 26, 2005 gathered 150 representativesof agricultural organisations and NGOs from Europe and around the world with the objectiveto address the question of peasant farmers’ rights to produce, select and exchange their seeds. Following this gathering, a strategic meeting on seeds, food and GMO-free regions took place in the European Parliament in February 2006.

                        2^nd Seminar Let’s Liberate Diversity !, Bullas (Spain), October 2006. This seminar organised by the Red de Semillas allowed taking a closer look at European legislative proposals on conservation varieties. After this seminar, a joint letter was sent to the European Commission demanding a more flexible legislation, which is better adapted to farmers’ needs.

                        3rd seminar Let’s Liberate Diversity ! Halle (Germany), May 2007. A demonstration against the transgenic wheat of the Gatersleben genetic resources centre, located at the centre of Europe and in Eastern Germany, was held thanks to the work of BUKO, the Association for GM-free Seeds and the European Civic Forum. This seminar focused on the problem of genetic contamination affecting genetic resources. A European Coordination on Peasants’ Seeds began to be formalised under the framework of a workshop.

 

The steering committee

1) Continue the debate on the collective rights to peasants’ seeds;

2) Reflect and elaborate proposals on the valorisation of products originating from peasants’ seeds: Which markets for products based on local biodiversity?