SEARICE @30 Anniversary Series: World Food Day 2007 Celebrations

World Food Day 2007
“THE RIGHT TO (SAFE) FOOD”
SAFE RICE, SAFE FOOD: SEARICE Joins World Food Day Celebrations


The United Nations designates October 16 of every year as World Food Day. This year’s theme is The Right to Food in recognition of this very basic and universal human right. Right to food means that every person – woman, man and child – must have access at all times to food, or to means for the procurement of food, that is sufficient in quality, quantity and variety to meet their needs, is free from harmful substances and is acceptable to their culture.

While persistent hunger caused by poverty remains the biggest obstacle to the people’s right to food, there is also another problem that relates to the adverse health impacts of certain types of food produced through environmentally damaging and unsustainable food production technologies. One of these is food from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), a technology that remains highly controversial and is being rejected by farmers and consumers alike in various parts of the world.

Rice is the staple of Filipinos, but we are on the verge of allowing the rice that we eat to be genetically modified, thereby posing untold health and environmental risks. GMOs violate our right to safe, healthy, and nutritious foods produced through environmentally sustainable methods.

Last year, Bayer CropScience, a multinational company that makes agro-chemicals and seeds, applied with the Department of Agriculture to be allowed to import into the country, a genetically modified variety of rice called LLRice62. LLRice62 has been genetically modified to resist heavy doses of herbicide, which means that besides the unnatural gene sequence that has been inserted into the rice plant, it is grown with inordinate amounts of chemicals, more than usual. LLRice62 can potentially cause harmful health effects, especially to us Filipinos who consume rice at least three times a day.

Because of this concern, GREENPEACE, SEARICE and concerned individuals petitioned before a Regional Trial Court in Quezon City to stop the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry to approve Bayer’s importation application. The petition was filed on the basis that the DA’s guidelines on evaluating and approving GMO applications violates the constitutional right of the public to be adequately informed and consulted in government affairs, especially with regard to approving a product that potentially threatens human health and environment. The RTC has issued a preliminary injunction upon the DA-BPI stopping it from taking action on importation of LLRice62 while the court conducts further hearings on the case.

It is ironic that this threat to the Filipino’s staple food rice should take place just prior to WFD 2007 when the theme of right to food takes center stage. We, the Filipino public need to take our right to food seriously, or suffer the consequences. We therefore commemorate WFD 2007 with a “genetically modified” Damocles sword hanging over our heads. There are other ways of producing food that are safe, nutritious and environmentally sustainable, and these are part of organic agriculture.

SEARICE joins farmers, civil society organizations and the rest of the world in celebrating the World Food Day with a Call:
GMOs desecrate life, organic agriculture respects and celebrates life!
Our right to food is our right to life!
Keep our Rice GM-free!


SEARICE @ 30 Anniversary Series
World Food Month Event Schedules

October 10 -17, 2007

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines - Stand Up for Your Rice: Boholanos Protecting their Rice Heritage, Saying NO to GMO Rice
Venue: Fence Wall fronting Bohol Cultural Center
Event: Mural Painting Contest (BISAD and Young People for Development)

October 14-15, 2007

Quezon City, Philippines – 3rd National Congress of the Pambansang Kilusan ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK)
Venue: Claret Formation Center, Coliat, Quezon City
Event: 3rd National Congress
• SEARICE exhibit and information drive on GE rice

October 16, 2007

Isulan, Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat - Hinumay Festival 4: Securing Food Safety, Ban LL Rice 62 Safety
Venue: Crystal City, Aujero St., Kalawag 1
Events:
• Open Forum on Right to (Safe) Food – Why GE Rice Impedes Filipino’s Right to Food?
• Cultural expressions: Right to Safe Food, Farmers’ Seed Exchanges

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines – Safe, Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Right of Every Boholano
Venue: Agriculture Promotions Center Conference Room, 9:00 am -4:00 pm
Event: TECHNO-FORA SERIES
• Organic Home Gardening: Simple Technologies for Households to Produce Safe and Nutritious Organic Food
• Preparing Nutritious Local Organic Foods as Alternative to Commercial Food Product for Home Consumption and Small Food Businesses


October 17, 2007

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines – Safe, Healthy and Sustainable Food: A Right of Every Boholano
Venue: Agriculture Promotions Center Conference Room, 8:30 am – 12:00 nn
Event: FARMERS AND CONSUMERS POLICY FORUM
Topics:
• Right to Food as Human Right
• Challenges and opportunities to the organic food movement in Bohol towards Food Security and Sufficiency
• GE Rice: Issues and Risks to the Boholano public
• Enhancing consumer awareness and support to organic production

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines - Stand Up for Your Rice: Boholanos Protecting their Rice Heritage, Saying NO to GMO Rice
Venue: Plaza Rizal, 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Event: An Evening of Boholano Cultural Expressions
Activities:
• Photos and IEC exhibits
• “Puso” celebration: Symbolizing Bohol’s rich agricultural heritage and our opposition to GMO Rice
o Display of “longest” line of puso
o Opening ritual: Bohol rice myth interpretive dance, offerings
o Solidarity Dinner with the “Foodless”: Puso and organic viands with marginalized groups (e.g., candle vendors' group); to be served by local personalities (from POs, NGOs, GOs, business, church)
• Video showing (Food/GMO-related issues)
• Cultural Performances
o Tadiyandi
o Balak / balitaw (farmers, local poets' group)
o Children's songs
o Rondalla (farmers, Bullecer family)
o Dances
o Bugjong singing group
o Invited local Bands