Regional Consultation of Asia and the Pacific on the Implementation of Indigenous Peoples & Peasants’ Rights to Plant Genetic Resources for Food & Agriculture

In this document, ‘farmers’ includes those who produce and/or use seeds in both industrial and cultural seed systems in line with Article 9 on Farmers’ Rights in the Seed Treaty. The custodians of cultural seed systems are referred to as ‘indigenous peoples and peasants’, and more broadly also include smallholders, artisanal fisher folk, pastoralists, forest dwellers, women and all the communities that produce food in agro ecological ways and contribute to maintaining biodiversity. The insecurity in rights of tenure and ownership of indigenous peoples and peasants, whether as owners or possessors or users, frustrates the full realization of their right to seed. In many areas in Asia and the Pacific, indigenous peoples and peasants are embroiled in land conflict issues such as displacement and land grabbing. As a result, indigenous peoples and peasants are impeded in their capacity to realise farmers’ rights to Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA).