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Joint Statement of Farmers, Scientists, CSOs, and NGOs against the Philippine Government’s Plan to Join the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)

We, farmers, scientists, and civil society organizations stand united in firm opposition to UPOV-based legislation and similar seed laws that threaten the very foundation of our agri-food systems and the rights of farmers worldwide. These laws, cloaked in the rhetoric of benefiting farmers, breeders, and society, falsely claim to foster a competitive plant-breeding sector that provides high-quality seeds while protecting intellectual property. The reality, however, is a stark contrast.

UPOV and its associated seed laws are instruments of corporate power, facilitating the privatization of seeds and concentrating control in the hands of a few powerful corporations. This shift erodes centuries-old practices of seed saving, sharing, and breeding—practices that are essential for sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and food sovereignty. Instead of supporting farmers, these laws criminalize them, stripping away their rights to use and manage seeds, and pushing them into dependence on corporate-controlled seed markets. [...]

Globally, resistance to UPOV is intensifying, with social movements, Indigenous peoples, scientists, and civil society organizations challenging its imposition in various countries.

In Benin, social movements successfully halted the national parliament from discussing a proposal to join UPOV.In Guatemala, Indigenous communities are actively protesting against a government bill to adopt UPOV standards, referring to it as “the Monsanto Law”, and their resistance is part of a broader nationwide strike.

In Thailand, civil society organizations are resisting free trade agreements that enforce UPOV at the expense of farmers’ rights to use and preserve their local seeds.

In Indonesia, farmers and civil society continue to reject UPOV, which is being pushed through free trade negotiations, particularly under pressure from Japan.

This rising global opposition reflects a broad-based rejection of UPOV’s corporate-driven agenda. It is a clear signal that communities around the world are standing up against the privatization and monopolization of seeds, advocating instead for a system that respects and supports local seed systems and farmer autonomy.

We call on all governments, organizations, and citizens who value sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty to join this growing movement against UPOV and similar laws. We must defend the rights of farmers to save, share, and cultivate seeds—rights that are crucial for our collective future. The time to act is now before further damage is done to our farms, our food, and our freedoms.

Read the FULL STATEMENT.