CSOs & farmers want full implementation of Farmers’ Rights

Farmers transplanting paddy seedlings in Kushtia in the Ganges Kobadak Irrigation Project area.

We are pleased to share the statement of RAISE Asia that was presented to the Second Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights convened by FAO and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) in Manila on 16 – 19 September 2025. Government representatives, civil society organisations, farmers’ groups and international organisations were participants at the Symposium.

RAISE Asia is “Rights-based and Agroecological Initiatives for Sustainability and Equity in Asia consisting of 24 partners across 12 countries in Asia that work for strengthening peasants rights through regional networks of farmers, pastoralists, farm workers, women and youth.

STATEMENT OF RAISE ASIA PARTNERS[1] ON THE SECOND GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM ON FARMERS RIGHTS (Manila, the Philippines, 16-19 September 2025)

The implementation of farmers rights remains at the core of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA).

In the first global symposium, smallholder farmers have been generously praised and recognized in the conservation, development, and sustainable use of PGRFA.

We thank the secretariat of the treaty for the document, DRAFT ASSESSMENT OF THE STATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 9 OF THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY which provides the gaps and needs in the implementation of farmers’ rights such as fragmented legal frameworks, weak institutional coordination, insufficient financial and human resources, regulatory and market barriers to farmer-managed seed systems, limited public awareness, and socio-economic inequalities, and in some regions, gender-related barriers. We urge the governing body to address these concerns soonest.

Additionally,

1.    We also refer participants to the Governing Body’s decisions in Resolution 7/2022[2] and Resolution 14/ 2022[3], which was reiterated in Resolutions 7/2023[4] and 14/2023[5]. These resolutions request the Secretary to collaborate, particularly with international human rights bodies to realize farmers rights. While such collaboration was identified in the Work Programme for the 2024-2025 Biennium, no activities occurred on the cooperation between the International Treaty and the UN human rights bodies to promote the implementation of Farmers’ Rights. We urge the Secretary to please breath life to the mentioned resolutions and coordinate with the Working Body of the UNDROP since this is the most relevant international human rights body regarding farmers rights;

2.    We also urge Contracting Parties to adopt the Voluntary Guidelines for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Farmers’ Varieties/Landraces. This comprehensive document provides guidance that national governments may use for conserving and sustainably using farmers’ varieties and landraces; and is helpful for contracting parties to develop their National Plan for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Farmers’ Varieties/ Landraces.

3.    We call on all Contracting Parties to urgently and robustly safeguard farmers’ rights in the implementation of the Multilateral System on Access and Benefit Sharing (MLS). Any resolutions aimed at enhancing the MLS must incorporate concomitant obligations to the full and effective realization of fair and equitable benefit sharing arising from the use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA). This includes guaranteeing farmers’ right to timely and meaningful information regarding activities involving their seeds, especially when those seeds are collected, shared, or utilized through the MLS. Strengthening the MLS must prioritize effective governance mechanisms to ensure benefits derived from PGRFA and digital sequence information (DSI) of PGRFA are genuinely and equitably shared. Concrete improvements in transparency, accountability, and participatory oversight are essential prerequisites before any expansion of the scope of Annex 1.

We need to go beyond the recognition and appreciation showered on smallholder farmers as stewards and responsible custodians PGRFA.  This time around, we need to ensure and realize their right to equitably participate in sharing nonmonetary and monetary benefits arising from the utilization of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

[1] RAISE Asia stands for Rights-based and Agroecological Initiatives for Sustainability and Equity in Asia (RAISE-Asia) consisting of 24 partners across 12 countries in Asia that work for strengthening peasants rights through regional networks of farmers, pastoralists, farm workers, women and youth.

[2] RESOLUTION 7/2022 IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 9, FARMERS’ RIGHTS – art. 14

14. Requests the Secretary to strengthen, to the extent feasible, collaboration between the International Treaty and other units and partners that work for the promotion of Farmers’ Rights within and outside FAO, and the broader United Nations including with international human rights bodies, in order to promote the realization of Farmers’ Rights;

[3] RESOLUTION 14/2022 COOPERATION WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL BODIES AND ORGANIZATIONS – art. 13

13. Requests the Secretary to continue to report to the Governing Body on cooperation with other relevant international bodies and organizations, including with the Human Rights Council and other international human rights bodies, and related collaborative activities;

[4] RESOLUTION 7/2023 IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLE 9, FARMERS’ RIGHTS – art. 14

14. Requests the Secretary to strengthen, to the extent feasible, collaboration between the International Treaty and other units and partners that work for the promotion of Farmers’ Rights within and outside FAO, and the broader United Nations including with international human rights bodies and the relevant targets of the GBF, in order to promote the protection and realization of Farmers’ Rights in accordance with Article 9 of the International Treaty;

[5] RESOLUTION 14/2023 COOPERATION WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL BODIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

14. Requests the Secretary to continue to report to the Governing Body on cooperation with other relevant international bodies and organizations, including with the Human Rights Council and other international human rights bodies, and related collaborative activities.

- Third World Network