Karnataka farmers' 'counter-summit' to Agri-Investors conference (SOLIDARITY)

[Adam Payne]

Karnataka government 
is holding an "Agri-investors Meet", in bangalore on the 1st & 2cd 
of december. Essentially, it s opening up Karnataka agriculture for 
sale.  

The South Indian Farmers' Movements (KRRS) is holding a two day counter-summit outside. The farmers are aware of the implications for their livelihoods and 
their lands and keen to raise the profile of the struggle. They have a long and proud history of dismantling KFCs, burning GM crops and occupying the state's jails. 


Until now, the list of participating companies is still 
being kept secret, but undoubtedly there will be UK ones involved. Any pointers for articles, solidarity stunts to expose the effects of foreign investment for farmers in India are most welcome.   (it's 
the anniversary of the Bhopal gas-leak too, whilst inside the companies 
(and DOW?) will be pushing pesticides...)










************************************************



Karnataka
Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) / Karnataka State Farmers Association


 


November 25th, 2011                                                                                                                      Bangalore,
Karnataka


 


PRESS RELEASE   *** for immediate release***


 


Agri-Livelihood Summit: A response to the Global Agri-business and Food processing Summit – 1&2nd of December 2011 


 


Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha(KRRS) strongly
opposes the Global Agri-business and Food processing summit’s agenda to
aggressively transform Karnataka’s small farmer-based agriculture into a
capital-intensive, high-tech, large scale, corporate-led food production. We
denounce the Government of Karnataka’s partnership with multinational companies
and agricultural universities in promoting an investment-heavy,
chemically-mediated agriculture which locks small farmers into unhealthy
dependencies and puts them at the mercy of the fluctuating global market. Chief
Minister is proud to announce a decline in farmers’ suicides, but may the
number be 79 compare to 242 last year, every suicide is symptomatic of the
current agrarian crisis. The state government’s further liberalization and
corporatization policies, in the name of economic growth, will only exacerbate
these same problems. 


 


We condemn the slapping of Chief Minister(1),
but we also condemn Karnataka Government’s selling out our livelihoods and
lands. While the state government declared that only dry and barren lands will be
“acquired” for the remaining 30,000 necessary acres (out of 40,000 acres) to be
used by the investors, everyone knows that most of Karnataka’s farms are
defined as “dry lands”. Incidences of grabbing fertile lands, renamed ‘barren’
lands by the state government have been recorded, for instance in Bellary’s farmer
struggle opposing Posco, the mining giant.


 


The Agri-livelihood summit is organized by the
farmers for the farmers as a constructive response to the destructive Global
Agri-investment and Food processing summit (2). The latter is an attempt to
further dispossess the farmers from their means of production by denying their
knowledge and capacity to feed the people. The Government of Karnataka doesn’t
consider the farmers as stakeholders of his Agribusiness policy, but simply as puppets
waiting for ministers, experts, scientists and investors to guide them in the
path of ‘development’. KRRS’s response is clear: Our land, our culture, our
crops, our seeds and our future are not for sale. Karnataka is home to one of
India’s biggest movements of “natural farming” (3); an accessible, profitable
and agro ecological practice that guarantees self-reliance and dignity for the
farmer. But the Government of Karnataka prefers to sacrifice its farmers’
livelihoods for a share of quick profit.


 


The Agri-livelihood summit will also take place
on 1st and 2nd of December 2011. The program includes
series of workshops, key speakers and practical skill shares. Hundreds of
farmers from all over Karnataka will be attending. 


 


Everybody is welcome to attend and participate. 


 


For more information, contact: S Kannaiyan 09444989543, Chukki
Nanjundaswamy 9845066156


sukannaiyan69 at gmail.com  , siccfm at gmail.com               


 


 Notes to Editor:


(1) http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-11-25/news/30441218_1_sharad-pawar-agriculture-minister-corruption



(2) On the
Global Agri-investors summit: http://bounteouskarnataka.com/


(3) Delegates travelled
from ten different Asian countries to learn from Natural Farming practitioners
in Karnataka in November 2011. http://lvcsouthasia.blogspot.com 


 


 


 

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