A Farmer's Fears
By Idoro Ancog
01 March, 2010
Gmwatch.org
NOTE: This powerful speech - well worth reading in full - was made at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) technical conference in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Boholano people live on the island province of Bohol in the Philippines.
FAO SPEECH OF BOHOLANO FARMER ISIDORO ANCOG IN GUADALAJARA, MEXICO
I am Isidoro Ancog, small farmer from the Philippines. I represent the Asian Farmers Alliance for Sustainable Rural Development or AFA. My organization in the Philippines is PAKISAMA, a national confederation of small farmers, marginal fishers, rural women, indigenous peoples and rural youth. My organization PAKISAMA is a member of AFA. I am very grateful and honored to be invited to this conference, and for that I thank wholeheartedly the organizers and FAO.
Before I came here I have two FEARS and suddenly it becomes three now. I had a chance to read some of the documents that pertains to this conference. But I sadly regret that some or most of the terms there I do not understand because it is written in modern scientific parlance. That is my first FEAR, to go home after this conference with less understanding of modern scientific jargon.
However, there is one very obvious to me that I noticed. Most of the documents I came across deals with genetic engineering, and for that I have this feeling that this conference has defined biotechnology to zero in towards massive commercialization of Genetically Modified Organisms – that is my second FEAR – to face defensively to an adverse intellectual arrogance on a big scale?
My third FEAR is centered on the title of this first plenary; "Targeting biotechnologies to the poor". I do not believe that the poor people are well represented in this room especially from Asia where I came from. As a poor farmer in a remote province of Bohol, Philippines, I am extremely threatened rather than happy. I cannot speak for the entire AFA for this feeling. I can only speak for myself.
Why am I a target to technologies that are designed without my knowledge? That I do not really need? Are there any poor in this room that is not with me? Green Revolution, an approach to counter poverty and hunger introduced in the 60’s, although well-intentioned at first was considered a failure because the farmers could not sustain it.
Similarly, the introduction of GMOs in our farms like the Green Revolution, is so attractive at first but in the end exacerbates poverty and hunger because it was imposed particularly to those whom they called POOR. How many more farmers in India and elsewhere would be mired in debt and how many more will commit suicide because of GMOs? Do we have to make the same mistakes and end up with the same problems?
As an organic farmer, I am against GMO; my province Bohol, by law, rejects GMO; my organization PAKISAMA – AFA fights against GMO. Why? Because we firmly believe it is not the solution to poverty and hunger, but rather a cause of more food deprivation in the future – especially on seeds. It is very clear that GMO is an attack to life; it is an insult to the most ancient culture, which is agriculture; it runs against ecology; it violates the law of nature; it is the ultimate in genetic pollution; and above all, it is a disrespect to the integrity of creation.
I have very high respect to all the people attending this conference. But my fears are my fears, and unless it is addressed in this conference, I am formally announcing that I am on a HUNGER STRIKE beginning tomorrow morning until this conference culminates on March 4, 2010. Finally, as a recognized participant in this conference, I invoke my right to ask that this statement of mine be included in the document and proceedings thereafter; thank you very much.
