The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) in conjunction with Action Aid Ghana and the Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD) has appealed to the government to review some clauses contained in the plant breeders’ bill.
The plea was contained in a petition they presented to Parliament Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
According to the Association, the debate on the Plant Breeders Bill (PBB) and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOS) in Ghana and across the globe is of concern to food security, socio-economic, cultural and human dignity.
The Vice President of PFAG, Godwin Atople in his address further explained that “the Plant Breeders Bill when implemented in its current state will only be to the detriment of the peasant farmers” .
Speaking to Citi News, the National Coordinator of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Victoria Adongo says the bill favors large scale plant breeders while violating the basic rights to seed of the indigenous small scale farmers
“We are not against the totality of the bill but we are worried about the whole idea of just opening your agriculture for foreign breeders and seeds to come and take over. They may be using our scientist for research but at the end of the day they will be in control anyways,”Ms. Adongo said.
“We will also embark on a demonstration and then hold a press conference to officially present our views about the bill and we hope with all this that our cry is heard”
The association moved to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture where they presented the same petition to the Minister.
It was received by the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture (Crops), Hon. Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan on behalf of the Minister for Food and Agriculture Mr. Kofi Humado who thanked them and commended them for coming to the ministry despite the torrential rains.
Mr. Yakubu Alhassan on his part advised the farmers to be in constant touch and also learn to dialogue with the ministry.
“This is your ministry of agriculture, it is not for me alone, and we the ministers are here are just here to make sure that all goes well in the agricultural sector.
“In all this, I wish we meet and discuss instead of meeting at radio and television station and give other people who ought not to be part of the discussion the opportunity to distort information. These people bring the name of the association into disrepute and also send out the wrong signal that after all people in the agricultural fraternity are quarrelling all over,”Mr. Alhassan said
The group proceeded to the Attorney General’s department to present another petition.
By : Afriyie Amoakoa Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana