PH champions farmers' rights

The Philippines is leading the charge in uplifting the livelihoods and safeguarding the rights of farmers amid challenges threatening food producers worldwide, as it hosts the Second Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights.

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Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, whose agency serves as the country’s implementing arm for the symposium, noted that there are gaps in global policies that are delaying much-needed progress for farmers.

Pangilinan shared during the forum’s opening session on Tuesday, Sept. 16, that farmers still face limited access to diverse and high-quality seeds, often limiting their produce.

He said the protection of traditional knowledge remains uneven, putting indigenous practices at risk of being lost to time.

Likewise, he explained that legal literacy on farmers’ rights is still low in rural communities, making them vulnerable to unscrupulous individuals or policies.

“These gaps threaten not only farmers’ livelihoods but also the country’s agricultural biodiversity and food security,” said Panganiban.

Panganiban said the Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights is a critical measure in addressing these challenges, as it seeks to provide farmers the necessary support in performing their livelihoods.

In particular, the symposium seeks to uphold Article 9 of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), which embodies the Farmers’ Rights.