The aftermath of the WTO Bali Minesterial and other Current Farming issues that concern You

Farmers in India and most developing countries are threatened by many internal and external forces. Industrialization is seen as the only way for a country to ‘develop’ and in this mindless frenzy, the vital role played by farmers in sustaining an entire population is largely ignored. Governments are obsessed with GDP, businesses with profit and the media with the Western way of life. Farmers and agriculture are deliberately and successfully kept hidden from the general public.

Hence, the South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers’ Movements (SICCFM) met at Cochin, Kerala on the 25th and 26th of January in continuation of their efforts to collectively address issues of farmers belonging to the five states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala together. The participating organizations were:

• Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) from Karnataka
• Tamilaka Tamilazha Vivasayikal Sangham (TVS), Katchi Sarpartra Tamiliga Vivasayigal Sangam, Uzhavar Ulaippalar Katchi and Tamil Nadu Vyavasaikal Tolilarkal Munnetra Sangham (VTMS) from Tamil Nadu
• Shetkari Sanghatana from Maharashtra
• Kerala Coconut Growers’ Association from Kerala
• Food Sovereignty Alliance from Andhra Pradesh

SICCFM general secretary Kannaiyan addressing the gathering

Each state had different issues but some cut across all boundaries: cheap food imports, rising costs of agricultural inputs, farmers driven to suicide, land grabbing by the Government and companies, loss of traditional crop varieties, corporatization of food and milk and finally, climate change.

The different States engaged in discussion at the SICCFM meeting

Some specific concerns of each state were:

Maharashtra felt the need for a Sustainable Agriculture committee to provide training and support to farmers wishing to make the transition from high cost to natural farming.

Farmers' representatives from Maharashtra with Afsar Jafri

Andhra Pradesh strongly called for the protection of forest rights, traditional seeds and customs. Since corporatization of milk production has already begun here, there is a need to organize mass protests against the IFFCO and Fonterra joint venture to produce top-quality milk for premium customers. This would destroy the livelihoods of thousands of local dairy farmers. Another important issue is the acquisition of land for Special Economic Zones (SEZ) mushrooming around the capital city of Hyderabad.  

Leaders from the Food Sovereignty Alliance, Andhra Pradesh exchanging ideas

Tamil Nadu presented the following demands: persuading the government to purchase coconut instead of copra, making MNREGA mandatory for farmers, allowing toddy tapping, banning the import of oil rich coconut cakes, encouraging ethanol production from sugarcane and creating a separate agricultural budget which would fix scientific prices for milk and other agricultural produce.

Tamil Nadu farmer leaders deep in discussion

Kerala, which has faced severe issues with the pesticide endosulfan appealed to leaders from Karnataka and TN to educate their farmers to discontinue its use, which was still being sold under different names.

President of the Kerala Coconut Farmers' Association, Ravindranath actively listening

Karnataka has seen a steep rise in farmers’ suicides and hence leaders recommended an Anti-suicide Cell to be established, whose members shall include the District Commissioner (DC) and the Additional DC. The Cell would persuade the government to increase the compensation from 1 lakh to 5 lakh, compensate women farmers, provide for children’s education and offer a job to the next member of family. In the event of natural calamity, the government should compensate farmers for loss of crop by the gross loss suffered by the farmer and not the net loss.

Farmer leaders, students and volunteers from Karnataka

 A common issue that bothered farmers across South India was the two reports on the conservation of the Western Ghats: the first being the Prof. Madhav Gadgil headed Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) report and the second being the Dr. Kasturirangan headed High Level Working Group (HLWG) report. A Professor from Cochin University was invited to share his views and he praised the Gadgil report as it benefited the poor, tribals, farmers and the environment while the Kasturirangan report was against all the above and instead promoted industries, tourism, hydro and wind energy projects. Pannaga then presented the key features of both reports, reinforcing Professor’s stand that farmers in the SICCFM should support the Gadgil report and voice their serious discontent against the Kasturirangan report. Selvaraj from VTMS who works in the Niligiri biome commented on the difficulties in implementing the suggestions given by the Gadgil report.

Roundtable on the WTO Bali Minesterial

Two organizations from Delhi, Focus on the Global South and South-South Solidarity, working on strengthening the position of developing and least developed countries (LDC), were invited to shed light on the aftermath of the WTO’s Bali Minesterial that took place in December 2013.

Afsar Jafri from Focus on the Global South gave a brief background of the WTO, how it was dormant from 2005 to 2013 but got a new lease of life at Bali. India’s Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma, though initially supported developing countries, soon gave in and accepted Trade Facilitation and the Peace Clause. Trade Facilitation is the automation of our ports and reducing Customs procedures to ease the entry of foreign goods. Peace Clause is the small window of time given to developing countries to subsidize food procurement (even beyond the specified limits of 10% de minimis allowed to India and other developing countries) for their country’s food security programme. During this period, if a country exceeds its subsidy limits, other members of the WTO could not take the defaulter country to the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body. The Peace Clause also places many data reporting and other restrictive conditions that in effect, India may not even be allowed to implement its Food Security Act. It is an interim solution and developed countries would try to extract more from developing countries by pushing forward proposals on Singapore issues in the permanent solution, completely ignoring the Doha development round issues which have provisions to correct some of the historical injustices in the WTO.

Afsar Jafri speaking about the WTO and its dangers

The classification of subsidies under different coloured boxes was also explained, which clarified how developed countries could cleverly provide billions of dollars of subsidies, while categorically preventing developing and LDCs from spending even a fraction of that amount.

Afsar also exposed the fraudulent figures of the $1 trillion boost to the global economy and the 20 million jobs that the Bali package would create, as fictitious numbers projected by developed countries to lure developing countries to agree to Trade facilitation agreement. It does not include the costs that developing and least developed countries (LDC) would incur to implement the agreement’s provisions. He concluded with a call for action against the WTO and the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) that are being enthusiastically promoted by the rich world.

Following Afsar’s insightful talk, Benny Kuruvilla from South-South Solidarity expanded on the dangers of Trade Facilitation. Trade Facilitation was one of the 4 Singapore issues which were rejected by developing countries at the 2003 Cancun Ministerial. Despite this it was strategically inserted as an issue on which modalities could be discussed in the July 2004 Framework Agreement. And now it has been adopted as the first major agreement at the WTO since its founding in 1995. If one examines the content of the agreement, it is basically an issue of importance to developed countries and will facilitate more imports into developing countries.

This is dangerous for countries such as India as it would widen the trade and Current Account Deficit (CAD) by allowing more imports. The agreement basically calls for developing countries to harmonise standards – on issues such as customs processing, shipment procedures and invest in costly trade facilitating infrastructure which will also include consultancies. It is also a costly exercise and funds reserved for the social sector could be diverted to implement it. Customs duties and tariffs are an important source of revenue and developed countries are forcing India and other developing countries to remove them. He gave some hope to farmers in that there is time till July 2014 to ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement. This is an opportunity to mobilize people’s movements to fight against this as well as the bad outcome on food security.

What you can do

India’s urban populace currently oblivious to where and how their food is produced, needs to wake up to these burning issues. You could start by acknowledging the role played by our farmers who ensure you have enough to eat. An important way to do this is to find out the source of your food and choose the local variety instead of imported alternatives. All processed food have their place of manufacture printed on their labels. For fruits and vegetables, it is more obvious because the vendor himself will proudly announce the 'foreign' country of origin. By choosing local produce, you not only support our farmers but also prevent the enormous carbon emissions related to transport. It also ensures you get food that is naturally fresh, instead of that which has artificially been kept fresh through the long distance travel.

The time has come for you to exercise your right of choice and choose food that’s grown in your country by your farmers.