ICPPC 10th Anniversary Conference and 21st Century Manifesto for Food & Farming
“ICPPC 10th Anniversary Conference and 21st Century Manifesto for Food &
Farming”
Dear Friends,
We have just completed a very successful international conference entitled
“Food Sovereignty, Self Sufficiency and the Family Farm” which attracted
participants from India, Russia, England, Wales, Canada, Holland, Sweden and
Germany. Polish participants came from many Provinces.
Devinder Sharma spoke eloquently about the shocking plight of Indian farmers
subjected to GM cotton crops introduced into India during the past five
years and how a GM resistance committee of just three people sprouted into a
mass movement that led to the overturning of the Indian government’s attempt
to allow GM Brinjal to be planted into India.
Irina Ermakova explained exactly how her research (at the Russian Academy of
Science) on rodents fed a GM diet led to the premature infertility and death
of these animals. She was subjected to considerable harassment when this
information was released. However, she said that the Russian authorities
have not allowed any GM planting to take place in the Country.
Participants enjoyed many excellent talks which confirmed and re-enforced
the view that small scale food and farming operations with strong links to
their communities are essential for the future of healthy people and a
healthy planet.
On Sunday afternoon participants were given a guided tour of the ICPPC Eco
Centre, with its energy self sufficient clay/straw houses, and a developing
ecological herb garden and orchard.
Participants also enjoyed excellent Polish farmhouse foods and an
exhilarating horse cart ride as darkness descended at the farmstead in
Zawoja where ICPPC was inaugurated exactly ten years ago.
Another positive element of these two packed days is the ratification of a
‘Manifesto for 21st Century Food and Farming’ – “Farming for the People with
the People”. Here is a sample:
“As we approach the second decade of the 21st century, it is becoming
abundantly clear that an entirely new vision, understanding and
implementation is required for agriculture to truly serve its original
purpose of feeding humanity (all peoples) with good quality, affordable and
mostly local foods in ways that do not harm the environment…”
We do urge you to make good use of this statement!
Please send it to any organisations or individuals you are in touch with who
are engaged in agricultural issues, as well as to parliamentarians and other
appropriate authorities.
With best wishes,
Julian and Jadwiga