Urge To Withdraw The Decision To Attract Foreign Investment In Agriculture.
Urge To Withdraw The Decision To Attract Foreign Investment In Agriculture.
Rabindra Dhungel
It has been demanded to make agriculture systematic and dignified without commercialization. The Sanjivani Group has urged the government to take back the recent decision of the government to attract foreign investment in agriculture as it would not only benefit the farmers but also adversely affect the food sovereignty.
In a statement issued today, the group said agriculture is the lifeline, not trade, and called for protecting the existence of Nepalese farmers, respecting food sovereignty, conserving biodiversity and the environment, preserving self-sufficient indigenous farming practices, and protecting human health from the highest use of synthetic chemicals and GMOs.
The group called upon stakeholders to protect the agricultural system based on Nepali culture, prevent transfer of ownership of arable land, protect partial or full self-employment of farmers, prevent climate change, foreign interference in the means of production land and natural resources and maintain overall nature-friendly and life-friendly agricultural system. Has done
Uddhav Adhikari, coordinator of the group, said that attracting foreign investment in agriculture would have a direct impact on the unique identity of Nepal and the family occupations and livelihoods of two-thirds of the people and would attack Nepal's basic agricultural system.
He said that in a small country like Nepal, the entry of large foreign companies through FDI in primary agricultural products would not only make subsistence, small and medium farmers but also rich and commercial farmers unrivaled, destroying Nepali farmers and the entire agricultural sector and putting the country's food system in foreign hands. He urged to take back the decision.
Stating that the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has affected the biodiversity, environment and public health of the farmers in the last five decades due to the temptation to modernize and commercialize agriculture to make more profit, he said, adding that bringing foreign investment in agriculture would create more dire situation.
He clarified that there is no need to bring in foreign investment if it is possible to increase state investment in the agricultural sector, discourage the import of agricultural produce, ensure fair market for the products produced by the farmers, and promote comparatively indigenous crops.
Rabindra Dhungel
It has been demanded to make agriculture systematic and dignified without commercialization. The Sanjivani Group has urged the government to take back the recent decision of the government to attract foreign investment in agriculture as it would not only benefit the farmers but also adversely affect the food sovereignty.
In a statement issued today, the group said agriculture is the lifeline, not trade, and called for protecting the existence of Nepalese farmers, respecting food sovereignty, conserving biodiversity and the environment, preserving self-sufficient indigenous farming practices, and protecting human health from the highest use of synthetic chemicals and GMOs.
The group called upon stakeholders to protect the agricultural system based on Nepali culture, prevent transfer of ownership of arable land, protect partial or full self-employment of farmers, prevent climate change, foreign interference in the means of production land and natural resources and maintain overall nature-friendly and life-friendly agricultural system. Has done
Uddhav Adhikari, coordinator of the group, said that attracting foreign investment in agriculture would have a direct impact on the unique identity of Nepal and the family occupations and livelihoods of two-thirds of the people and would attack Nepal's basic agricultural system.
He said that in a small country like Nepal, the entry of large foreign companies through FDI in primary agricultural products would not only make subsistence, small and medium farmers but also rich and commercial farmers unrivaled, destroying Nepali farmers and the entire agricultural sector and putting the country's food system in foreign hands. He urged to take back the decision.
Stating that the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has affected the biodiversity, environment and public health of the farmers in the last five decades due to the temptation to modernize and commercialize agriculture to make more profit, he said, adding that bringing foreign investment in agriculture would create more dire situation.
He clarified that there is no need to bring in foreign investment if it is possible to increase state investment in the agricultural sector, discourage the import of agricultural produce, ensure fair market for the products produced by the farmers, and promote comparatively indigenous crops.
