New Farmers’ Movements in India By Uwe Hoering Attac European Summer University, Saarbruecken August 2008

Background: Agrarian Situation Green Revolution (1960s) Modernisation supported by the state commercially oriented farming communities „new peasant movements“ Liberalisation (early 1990s) Withdrawal of state support agricultural imports; agribusiness Agrarian Crisis rising costs, reduced prices, increased debts ecological problems: water; soil erosion  farmers’ suicides  farmers’ suicides

Karnataka State Farmers Association, KRRS new peasant movement Winners of the Green Revolution Winners of the Green Revolution Not affiliated to established political parties Not affiliated to established political parties Loose organisational structure Loose organisational structure „Gandhian principles” – village republic  against domination by TNCs „Gandhian principles” – village republic  against domination by TNCs Starting with conventional grievances like debt, prices, taxes Starting with conventional grievances like debt, prices, taxes Land question (tenure, landlessness) no key issue Land question (tenure, landlessness) no key issue Peasants threatened by liberalisation and agrarian crisis Peasants threatened by liberalisation and agrarian crisis Taking up new issues like genetic engineering Taking up new issues like genetic engineering

Convergence of two movements New peasant movements in India e.g. KRRS – response to Green revolution, liberalisation and agrarian crisis New peasant movements in India e.g. KRRS – response to Green revolution, liberalisation and agrarian crisis International movement against genetic engineering & agrobusiness/TNCs – articulated by global activists, e.g. Vandana Shiva International movement against genetic engineering & agrobusiness/TNCs – articulated by global activists, e.g. Vandana Shiva  focal point: bt cotton - Monsanto

Cremate Monsanto Movement 1998 Starting point: farmers against technology/bt cotton against TNC/Monsanto - threat to farmers - threat to national sovereignty - threat to nature and health

Campaigning Direct action Prominent role of global leaders/ movement VIPs Strong media attention Strong international links and support

Limitations Success on international level: Success on international level: grassroots evidence/authenticity for movements in western countries Failure on national level: Failure on national level: Indian government approved bt cotton farmers took up bt cotton - as “single issue” no answer to the agrarian crisis of Indian peasants

From “Cremate Monsanto” to GM-free India Coalition B roadening the agenda: - failure of bt cotton, suicides - other GMOs (food) - farmers’ rights to seeds, knowledge - development of alternatives: NPM, organic farming - food sovereignty - democratisation of policy making in science and technology

Broadening the Alliance Informal network from 15 states Core actors = farmers as “masses” NGOs, networks of civil society organisations, environmentalists, academics, consumers, retailers

Conclusions part of global anti-GMO movement: share logic, symbols & strategies part of global anti-GMO movement: share logic, symbols & strategies Taking up issue of (national and local) alternatives to liberalisation and agrarian crisis Taking up issue of (national and local) alternatives to liberalisation and agrarian crisis Broad alliance – but concentrating on farmers as producers, excluding issues of land (distribution, eviction, tenure security) and agricultural labour Broad alliance – but concentrating on farmers as producers, excluding issues of land (distribution, eviction, tenure security) and agricultural labour