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Description
The aim of this project is to develop public awareness that the right to seeds is a human right and to ensure that it is recognized through the legal framework, and thus the right of all Croatian citizens to quality, affordable locally produced food. Also, the goal is to recognize the importance of the informal sector (growing seeds for own needs, exchanges among producers and organizing community seed banks as part of the civil sector) in the protection and development of plant genetic resources, according to UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) documents. The new draft of the Seed law, which was adopted at the end of 2020 at the session of the Croatian Government, opened Pandora''s box, encroaching on the right to grow seeds for the farm''s own needs. The Initiative "Seeds is our human right" mobilized a large number of citizens and sought dialogue with the institutions, but no consensus was reached. The parliamentary procedure has already begun and the next two months will be a critical period in which significant decisions need to be made on how the disputed Article 16 will be amended. The Initiative wants to take an active watch dog role in this process in order to monitor it and ensure respect for farmers'' rights to basic seed resources as well as to participate in decision-making on genetic resources. The planned activities are the development of an expertise on the possible effects of regulations that the legislator failed to prepare, the launch of a facilitated process of reaching consensus through a round table and public advocacy. The main beneficiaries of the project are agricultural producers whose fate is being decided, citizens and institutions involved in the process. The project will offer a better, reasoned dialogue on possible solutions leading to Better Regulation Agenda principles promoted by European Commission and Croatian government. The partners have been equally involved in the Initiative from the very beginning.
Summary of project results
Through all project activities we achieved the main goal - which is that seeds are a human right and ensure that the legal framework ensures the right to seeds and plant genetic resources as a fundamental human right of every farmer, and thus the right of all Croatian citizens to quality, affordable locally produced food.
In the amendments to the draft Law on Seeds, in the first working version - this right to seeds was recognized and the draft text of Article 16 was amended. This project was carried out at a critical time between 2 readings and we managed to initiate amendments to Article 16 through public campaigns and a round table and achieve the recognition of the right to seeds. The initiative has taken an active watch dog role to monitor the process and ensure respect for farmers'' rights to basic seed resources as well as participation in genetic resource decision-making.
We also prepared a research-expert basis on the possible effects of regulations that the legislator failed to prepare, initiated the process of reaching consensus through a round table on the right to seeds, which we continued with a direct meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture and conducted public advocacy - lectures, seed exchanges, online campaigns. The main beneficiaries of the project are agricultural producers whose fate is being decided, citizens and institutions involved in the process such as the Croatian government, Parliament, FAO, scientific and professional public - we have involved all stakeholders in project activities.
Also, in the talks we managed to warn the Ministry of Agriculture about other issues related to the issue of placing seeds on the market and started a dialogue on these issues (eg for standard seeds in the Republic of Croatia are much greater restrictions and regulations than the EU - so there is no seed production in the Republic of Croatia, the role of the informal sector in the conservation of plant genetic resources - the association was included by the Ministry of Agriculture in the Commission for Plant Genetic Resources).
05/12/21 we held our last meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture where we found our satisfaction with the new version of the draft Law on Seeds regarding the recognition of the right to seeds and the conservation of biodiversity. The advocacy initiative resulted in success and the article of the law was amended and the proposal we submitted was adopted.