ALIANSI GERAKAN REFORMA AGRARIA (AGRA) INDONESIA

Jakarta, Indonesia -- On 16th October 2012, Peasants from Alliance for Agrarian Reform Movement (Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria-AGRA), a militant andprogressive national peasant organization in Indonesia, held acommemorative event on International Food Day, together with other civil society organizations in Jakarta

PRESS RELEASE
17 October 2012

On October 16, Jakarta: Peasants from Alliance for Agrarian Reform Movement (Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria-AGRA), a militant and progressive peasant national organization in Indonesia, held acommemoration on International Food Day, together with other civil society organizations in Jakarta. Rahmat, the General Secretary of AGRA said that October 16 is International Food(less) Day instead of International Food Day. “There are many people in various countries that live in hunger, that’s why today is called the International Foodless Day” said Rahmat in his speech to the masses in front of the Presidential Palace last 16 October 2012.

Due to capitalist monopolies in the agrarian sector, promoted through neoliberal policies, there are 105 out of 149 underdeveloped countries that import food to meet their needs. Ironically the world food supplies are coming from these same agricultural countries in Asia and Latin America. These countries cannot fulfill their domestic food needs due to various binding free trade agreements. 60% of the global hungry come from Asia and the Pacific Region, followed by Sub-Saharan Africa, and 24%, and 6% from Latin America and the Caribbean respectively. Every year, those who died from hunger is increasing: approximately 5.4 million people every year.           “They are losing their capacity to produce their own food, they are losing their food sovereignty, and they live in hunger, these facts tell us that the food producers are starving” said Rahmat.

The main cause is the massive land monopoly of the state and multinational corporations. Land grabbing is the driver of foodlessness. Lands are being taken from the people in the name of development and monoculture plantations that are export-oriented. The monopoly is dedicated to serve the demands for international crops and of the food markets. “Monopoly ownership and control of lands is being done through land grabbing; its effect is marginalization of small peasants and agriculture farming for food/crops” Rahmat explained.

In Indonesia, land grabbing is being used to open massive plantations for palm oil, timber and sugar cane, while the Government benefits from land rent through its program called Merauke Integrated Food and Fuel Estate (MIFFE). Another effect of the absence of food sovereignty is the domination of transnational corporation of seed, which contributes to the degradation of peasant life, through their patents of artificial seeds. “International monopoly corporations destroy peasant knowledge of seeds, that are proved environmental-friendly, and suitable to the local culture and biodiversity” Rahmat said.

These are the reasons why AGRA and other CSOs commemorate International Food(less) Day. AGRA puts forward the following demands to the Indonesian Government to redress the problems posed by the current food system.:

1. Genuine Agrarian Reform is the way out to solve the food crisis that is taking place. Genetic engineering of seeds is not the answer to boost food production and open massive plantations for food.
2. Scrap seed monopolies and fight for freedom for the people to choose their own seeds and seed production.
3. Protection for the peasant and fisherfolk through people-centered laws.
4. Revoke all free trade agreements that threaten national food sovereignty.