The People's Caravan 2000

Citizens on the Move for Land and Food without Poisons!

Details of The People’s Caravan 2000 – November 13–30th

 The People’s Caravan is the outcome of discussions and collaboration amongst the partner groups working with PAN AP, who want to come together to take action on the most crucial aspects of the lives of millions of peoples in the South, especially in Asia. The People’s Caravan will be a consolidation and physical output of action plans suggested by partner groups who, in collaboration with PAN AP, have undertaken work on:

  • Monitoring, Analyzing and Taking Action on Pesticides and their negative impacts
  • Monitoring and Campaigning on Genetic Engineering in Food and Agriculture
  • Monitoring and Launching the International Alliance Against Agrochemical TNCs
  • Analyzing and mobilizing against the impacts of Globalization – in particular the impact on the Agreement on Agriculture on Women (AoA) and their crucial role in Food Security
  • Launching the Safe Food Campaign in the Asian region
  • Analyzing and mobilizing on promoting sustainable agriculture and food production

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Objectives of the Caravan:

 

The People’s Caravan is a public Awareness and Outreach initiative aiming to educate, excite and mobilize people on the main themes of the Caravan.

  

Short Term Objectives:

  • Raising awareness among a broad range of people (farmers, agricultural workers, students, mothers, women’s groups, trade union groups, policy makers etc) on the key issues of the Caravan.
  • Educating and Mobilizing people towards advocacy and policy changing efforts at local, national, and even international levels—especially on pesticides, GE foods etc
  • Actively mobilize and promote interest in preserving and appreciation of local, traditional and indigenous food sources, and the attendant knowledge systems.
  • Actively mobilize and promote Sustainable Agriculture practices.
  • Fostering, building and strengthening partnerships for action with NGO’s and PO’s concerned over these issues
  • Strengthening and supporting local initiatives to resist the onslaught of globalization process and TNC control – especially with regards to the food and agriculture.
  • Strengthen the media interest in issues raised during the Caravan.

 

Long Term Objectives:

  • Strengthen our local efforts through this regional collaboration.
  • Increase awareness about the dangers of pesticide use, GE and how we can work towards a pesticide-free, GE-free future.
  • Develop awareness about the pesticides/GE industry, and the need to make it accountable is part of the larger struggle of our communities. Provide analysis, training, and tools to support the local activities of participating organizations—and efforts to make TNCs accountable.
  • Supporting and promoting sustainable (especially organic) agriculture as the only kind of agriculture for safe food, and food security, safe environment and health living.
  • Supporting and promoting more sustainable consumption – promotion of "reduce, reuse, recycle" ethic in consumption behaviour to counter the monopoly paradigm of these TNCs

 

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The Groups Involved

 PAN AP, as Caravan coordinator will be working with the following groups in the following countries to realize the Peoples Caravan 2000:

 India - Tamil Nadu Women’s Forum and the Society for Rural Education and Development (SRED), both organizations are concerned with land rights, impacts of pesticides, genetic engineering and links to globalization–especially on the lives of rural women. Tamil Nadu Women’s Forum works with over 300 groups all over Tamil Nadu, while SRED works with over 200 groups. A major priority is the rights and concerns of the Dalit community (considered "untouchables" within the caste system in India), in particular, women.

 

Bangladesh - UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternatives) who have been very active on the issues of pesticides (and other legacies of the Green Revolution), women’s reproductive health issues, genetic engineering, impacts of TNC activities especially in Bangladesh; and a key part of the New Agriculture Movement for sustainable, safe and healthy farming and food production (Nayakrishi Andolon)—with a special emphasis on the contribution and crucial role of women in agriculture. The Nayakrishi Andolon consists of over 50,000 farming families in Bangladesh.

 

The Philippines - Kilusang Magbubukid Ng Pilipinas (the Peasant Movement of the Philippines), an organization of landless peasants, small farmers, farmworkers, subsistence fisherfolk, rural youth and peasant women – totally a membership of 800,000. The KMP has been cited as the most significant of peasant movements is Asia. Also involved will be PAN Philippines and affiliates.

 

Other Countries - Additionally, other partner groups from Japan, Korea, Indonesia will holding simultaneous events in their own countries, and will be sending farmer representatives to participate in the activities taking place in the Philippines commemorating "One Year Since Seattle".

 

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Activities Planned for the Caravan:

 

  • Educational "Teach-in’s" on Globalization, Pesticides, Genetic Engineering etc; and Public Seminars and Forums.
  • Meetings and Debates with local Scientists, Academe etc
  • Press Conferences, and other media events
  • Food Festivals - promoting pesticide free foods, local and indigenous foods, celebrating local food diversity and farming communities, and campaigns against globalization etc
  • Direct Actions on the Pesticides and GE TNCs
  • Street Theatre, Song Festivals, Video Screenings etc.
  • Seed Exchanges (as alternatives to increased corporate control of our seeds)