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Fight Bio-Piracy, Protect Biodiversity: Greenpeace Organizes Strategy Planning Meeting
On May 21, 2003 the European Patent office (EPO) published Patent Specification no. EP 0445929 B1 granting the multinational corporation Monsanto a patented right for what is essentially an Indian Wheat variety. With just two months to go before the time to oppose the patent elapses, Greenpeace organized a round table consultation on the 20th of December 2003 in New Delhi, to arrive at a unified strategy for Indian stakeholders to fight this blatant attempt at bio-piracy.
In the past, India has managed to successfully defend itself against bio-piracy attempts to patent Basmati Rice, Turmeric and Neem. But with the advent of bio-technology, bio-piracy has acquired a new, more complex form – corporations like Monsanto, use scientific tools to transfer genes from our traditional varieties into ‘goods’ and claim patents on them.
This is the latest affront: Monsanto claims it has ‘invented’ a soft-milling variety of wheat and has patented this variety, and all edible products (bakeries and food products) made from it. But the genotype being patented (the Double null Characteristic) is actually an Indian Variety.
Dr. Ashesh Tayal, Scientific Advisor to Greenpeace India, said at today’s meeting, “Thousands of Indian varieties exhibit unique traits and unless we are able to successfully subvert the attempts of multinational corporations, these may soon be transferred and patented. If the Indian community does not take action urgently, Indian farmers and scientists could end up paying royalties to these corporations just for using their traditional knowledge.”
Given the urgency of the matter, several important stakeholders responded to Greenpeace’s call for a strategy planning meeting, and agreed it was imperative to arrive at a course of action amenable to all. The meeting was attended by representatives from farmers groups, environmental and agricultural organizations, and the media.
Dr. Krishen Bir Chowdhary, Executive Chairman of the Bharat Krishak Samaj, said, “The biopiracy attempt by Monsanto will not be tolerated by Indian farmers. Monsanto has dared to launch an open attack on Indian food culture, and we will take the battle to the very last field – the Indian farmer will fight from every part of the country.”
Vandana Shiva, of the RFSTE, said, “We won the bio-piracy case against USDA and Grace. We won the basmati bio-piracy case against Rice Tec, and as a collective of movements, we are going to win against Monsanto’s attempt to pirate our wheat.”
Jacob Nellithanam, of the Richaria Campaign, said, “We are not asking for protection of intellectual rights. Genetic commons and scientific knowledge should remain in the public domain, then they can actually sustain and enhance scientific knowledge across the world, rather than proprietary rights being granted to private interests, who derive commercial benefit only.”
Participants discussed the relevant international treaties, various aspects of the law, both Indian and European, and scientific intelligence that could contribute towards winning this battle against Monsanto, and in the future, enable India to defend its biodiversity.
For further information and a schedule of the planned events, please contact:
Dr. Ashesh Tayal, Greenpeace India:
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