First Global Symposium on Farmers' Rights Launched

On 12^th September, 2023, the President of India officially opened the inaugural Global Symposium on Farmers' Rights in New Delhi.

Key Points

Symposium Organizers: The symposium is organized by the Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Treaty), under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome.
India's Biodiversity: India, despite occupying only 2.4 percent of the world's land area, is home to 7-8 percent of recorded plant and animal species globally.
It boasts a vast agro-biodiversity, which has been a valuable resource for the global community.
Indian farmers have preserved local plant varieties, domesticated wild plants, and nurtured traditional varieties that have served as the foundation for crop breeding programs, ensuring food and nutritional security.
Significance of Farmers: The President acknowledged farmers as the foremost conservers of crop diversity, emphasizing their vital role in protecting and reviving various plant and species varieties essential to humanity.