A national policy of seeds recognizing farmers’ rights: Guatemala, an example to be followed

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A national policy of seeds recognizing farmers’ rights
Guatemala, a rich country in cultural diversity and center of domestication of important crops for food security, such as maize, has advanced in the development of legal and policy frameworks relevant for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights.
 
In 2013, a committee, lead by the Ministry of Agriculture and including representatives of the formal and informal agricultural sector, started discussing the elements for a new policy of seeds for Guatemala.
 
The Global Forum of Agricultural Research (GFAR) had the opportunity to review the first draft of the Policy and realized the absence of the recognition of rights of small-holder farmers derived from their contributions to the conservation, improving and availability of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. In other words, there was a complete absence in the Policy of measures to recognize and implement Farmers’ Rights.
 
After GFAR Secretariat provided comments and suggestions to the Drafting Committee, based on work with farmer organizations in Guatemala,  to be considered by the drafting committee on the importance of recognizing Farmers’ Rights in the Seed Policy and to include measures to strengthen the implementation of these rights at the national level, the final draft of the Policy of Seeds included the following elements, within its action strategies, relevant for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights:
 
  1. Conservation of plant genetic resources
The collection, multiplication, conservation and use of plant genetic resources are the basis for the research and sustainable development of new plant varieties. However, in Guatemala: a) genetic erosion of cultivated plant genetic resources is quite high; ii) the narrow genetic base of commercial varieties results in their vulnerability to diseases and climate change; iii) a high percentage of food production in the country is done using seeds from small-holder farmers who commercialize them under the informal system, not recognized by the formal sector; and iv) there is an undeniable contempt and lack of attention to native crops and local varieties, even though they are the basis of food security and nutritional security in the country and part of the cultural heritage of most ethnical groups.
 
Actions proposed, within the strategic action to improve conservation of plant genetic resources, that are also relevant for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights are:
 
  1. Promote the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources.
  2. Develop an inventory of plant genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.
  3. Strengthen human resources capacity for the management, use and conservation of plant genetic resources conserved in situ and ex situ.
  4. Strengthen seed quality of plant genetic resources to be used in situ and ex situ systems.
  5. Motivate farmer communities for the implementation of community seed banks, supporting their infrastructure and providing technical assistance.
  6. Promote mechanisms that encourage farmers who have developed in situ conservation systems of plant genetic resources.   
  1. Research and technological development
There is a very low percentage of income dedicated to research and plant breeding in Guatemala, and funds to disseminate improved seeds are very limited in the country. Additionally, there is a lack of communication between stakeholders from the public and private sector involved in research programmes and use of plant genetic resources. Seeds have not been a priority for the national government and research programmes have not considered so far the needs and preferences of farmers.
 
One of the actions recommended to improve the research and technological development, which is also relevant for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights is to strengthen the use of native and local seeds relevant for food and nutrition security, and any other traditional plant genetic resource that contribute to plant genetic improvement needed in agriculture.  
 
  1. Seed production
Seed quality production in Guatemala faces different problems that limit their development. The absence of ex situ conservation systems arises in the lack of resilience against extreme climate change events and limited available seeds, important for food security.
 
Actions to face this limitations and relevant for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights include:
 
  1. Establish alternatives for seed registration of seeds produced under the informal system.
  2. Promote the conservation of seeds at the local level to ensure the availability of seeds to small-holder farmers in case of natural disasters and contingency situations.
  3. Promote capacity-building programmes for the production and use of local seeds that contribute to family farming and the use of native crops (e.g. participatory plant breeding).
  4. Promote farmers and farmers’ organizations to be beneficiaries of the Irrigation Policy 2013-2023.
  5. Promote the use of local crops as the basis for national programmes on food security (e.g. programmes to respond to emergency situations, food security at schools).
  1. Commercialization of seeds
Commercialization of local seeds faces poor efficient controls to ensure seed quality and other phytosanitary requirements.
 
The actions to optimize the commercialization of quality seeds, relevant for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights are:
 
  1. Establishment of communication channels between the public and private sector that contribute to the development of local and national seed markets, including native seeds.
  2. Definition of strategies to promote local seed markets, especially of native crops.
  3. Implementation of mechanisms that allow the recognition of informal systems of production and commercialization of seeds, especially for native plant genetic resources.
  4. Promotion of certification systems to ensure seed quality for the informal sector, where associations, organizations, professionals on agricultural sciences and small-holder farmers could certify the seed quality.
  1. Upgrading the legal framework related to seeds
There are no national institutions or commissions in Guatemala coordinating farmers, seed traders, researchers and academics to discuss and recommend national regulations and policies related to plant genetic resources.
 
Actions listed to address this problem that could be useful for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights include:
 
  1. Adopt national legislation allowing the recognition of local seeds of small- holder farmers, as well as seeds arising from participatory plant breeding programmes, and disseminate their use.
  2. Implement and socialize international legal instruments ratified by Guatemala relevant for Farmers’ Rights.

The draft Policy of Seeds has been presented by the Minister of Agriculture of Guatemala to the cabinet council for its approval.

 
Photo credit: ©FAO photo/FAO
Posted on 13/02/2014