As in Europe, Philippine seed sovereignty is under pressure. Despite much protest, since last year the Philippines has been part of the free trade agreement RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership). Our partner MASIPAG protested because it will make the Philippines even more export-oriented and import-dependent. Farmers fear that RCEP will also put pressure on their seed system, as the past has shown that China's free trade agreements pressure other countries to also be part of UPOV.

UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties) is an international monitoring body that restricts the use, exchange and sale of seeds of protected plant species. It requires farmers to register their seeds and restricts their use, exchange and sale. It increases the administrative burden and opens the door to patenting of traits of various local crops and varieties.(source)

Countries affiliated to UPOV. With the Philippines joining the RCEP free trade agreement, joining UPOV may follow.

Farmers at risk

The Philippines is also reviewing its national regulations. Seed companies are applying pressure to make the Seed Registration Act (SIDA) stricter. For example, the SIDA does not yet apply to hybrid[1] seeds (improved seeds that grow into uniform plants), which the industry often patents. If they are included in the law, it leads to criminalisation of farmers who use the seeds or cheaper, counterfeit versions of them (knowingly or unknowingly). They could go to jail or be fined.

The agro-chemical takes plenty of patents on seeds that should be 'commons' or commonplace

There is a climate of fear in the Philippines when it comes to the criminalisation of farmers. For decades, the country has been unsafe for farmers, human rights defenders and environmentalists who speak out against questionable government decisions. Yet farmers continue to protest against, for example, farmland being allocated to dam or mining companies, favouring the free market or imposing the GMO Golden Rice.

Farmers in the Cordillera region protest against the killings of their colleagues. (Photo: Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas - the Philippine peasant movement)

Since Marcos Jr. became president on 30 June 2022, 24 peasants have been killed, according to the International Coalition on Human Rights in the Philippines. The coalition attributes the killings to state forces (source: aljazeera.com). In 2023, the Philippines was the most dangerous country in Asia for land and environmental defenders for the 10th year in a row. (source: Rappler.com)

Respect their rights!

In response to industry's interference in politics, our partner MASIPAG is campaigning for the recognition of Philippine SAD sovereignty and the protection of the rights of peasant.inn.en, as enshrined in UNDROP[2]. That UN Declaration of the Rights of Peasants and Farmers, also signed by the Philippines, states that UN member states should respect and prioritise the rights, needs and realities of peasant.inn.en in seed policies. Farmer.inn.en should be given the freedom to sell and exchange endangered varieties and crops. Protection of plant varieties is also in the declaration. Furthermore, policymakers should support networks that preserve, propagate and distribute seeds.

If the Philippines joins UPOV under pressure from China and the seed industry, free distribution of traditional farmers' seeds will become very difficult

The latter is exactly what MASIPAG does. With its 30,000 member farmer.inn.en, it is the largest agro-ecological farmer movement in the country. They have several seed banks and test fields for rice adapted to numerous local conditions. They distribute the rice seeds - of now 327 varieties, often grown naturally by boer.inn.en itself - to farming communities who use them to propagate themselves. This will help them cope with the impact of climate change on food security. If UPOV is introduced, this operation of MASIPAG, one of its strengths, will become very difficult.

A farmer affiliated to MASIPAG collects the seeds of different rice varieties. With farmers' efforts, the numerous traditional varieties are not lost.

Therefore, we must address the further privatisation of seeds and the loss of genetic diversity to achieve a sustainable and resilient food system. "Recognising and protecting seed sovereignty and farmers' and farmers' rights is not just a matter of policy, it is a matter of survival," MASIPAG echoes. (source)

Read more about the new European bill that threatens farm seeds in Europe.

_{[1] F1 hybrid is a plant or animal produced through breeding, by combining inbreeding and crossing. Hybrid varieties have existed for a relatively very short time; they were mainly developed and became popular in the 20th century in western agriculture, especially after 1950. Hybrid varieties were therefore mainly selected for intensive production using chemical adjuvants such as fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides. Previously, in the history of agriculture, seedfast varieties have always been the basis of agriculture, in traditional farming areas they still are. (source: wikipedia.org)}

_{[2] The declaration is not binding. Like any Declaration of Human Rights, it is above all universal, symbolic and visionary in scope, with the aim of creating a common long-term goal. Member states have great flexibility in implementing the declaration because local contexts and needs are very different. Farmers' and civil society organisations, which have been the carriers of this declaration from the outset, are the partners in implementing its principles. (Source: fian.be)}