THE attempt for domination by multinational companies is more focused in the seed sector. Agri-business TNCs and private houses are hell bent on establishing their stranglehold on the seed business. This is because, seed is the first link in the food chain. The nature of seed determines the nature or brand of fertilizers, pesticides, quantum of water required and the cropping pattern. The seed plays a role in deciding whom to approach for credit and marketing. The nature of seed does play a major role in the decision-making process of a peasant. Establishing absolute control over seed extends the leverage to influence the nature of agricultural development and the life of a peasant. There are many traders who even supply seeds without any cost so as to retain control over small peasants.

The TRIPS and the WTO Agreement on Agriculture facilitates the operation of TNCs in this business. It encourages the monopoly control of TNCs. This, in turn, makes farmers dependent on the corporations for seeds, the most critical input in agriculture. In this process, the seed monopolies destroy the farmers’ own varieties, do away with agricultural bio-diversity, make them dependent on commercial mono-cropping for markets, force them to abandon their self-sufficiency in food and subsistence agriculture. The destruction of seed varieties the peasants owned since time immemorial and the dependence on the market for seeds effectively abolishes the independence the peasant enjoyed. Now, everything has been turned into a commodity in the market. And the market has no respect for notions like either food security or biodiversity, it only respects profit. The TNCs can never be concerned about starvation deaths or suicides, their concern revolves only around profit and monopoly control. One can imagine the implications.

In 2001, the Indian Parliament passed The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act, 2001, that upheld the rights of farmers as breeders. The act claimed to have recognized the rights of farmers as conservers, breeders and cultivators in the context of adverse effects of TRIPS. But, the subsequent decision on the part of the government to seek entry into UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) is bound to undo the implications of the Act. In spite of all difficulties and pressures from various quarters, 85% of seed planted in the country is still in the domain of farmers, rich or otherwise, of the country. But, joining UPOV model will snatch away the rights of farmers as breeders and will establish the dominance of corporate plant breeders. This is also a direct threat to food security and to the protection of small and marginal farmers.

Genetically Modified Organisms are one of the major threats faced by the developing countries. The problem is that the dangers associated with GM crops cannot be estimated in a short span of experimentations and tests. In some cases, we may realize the associated health hazards even after 50 years.

Bt Cotton is being liberally allowed into India while it is banned in Europe and several other countries. Europe has encountered a series of food and drug safety issues, precisely as genetically modified food varieties were beginning to enter the market. Mad Cow Disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE) is suspected of killing at least 8 people and leading to slaughter of herds in Britain worth $5.5 billion, rocked public confidence in the government and the agri-food industry’s credibility and capacity. The European public’s distrust of government food-protection institutions has led to demands that they be directly informed and directly involved. In contrast, our country is wide open to the seed monopolies.