Greenpeace International

🚨BREAKING: Kenyan court rules “sharing seeds is NOT a crime”

The High Court ruled in favour of smallholder farmers and their right to save, share and exchange their own seeds. 🌱

This is a landmark verdict for food sovereignty over corporate greed.

Learn more ⬇️
https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/press/59598/historic-victory-kenyan-court-rules-sharing-seeds-is-not-a-crime-in-landmark-verdict-for-food-sovereignty/

HISTORIC VICTORY: Kenyan Court Rules “Sharing Seeds is Not a Crime” in Landmark Verdict for Food Sovereignty - Greenpeace Africa

This judgment establishes powerful legal precedent globally, affirming that the ancient right of farmers to save and share seeds supersedes commercial interests, reshaping the legal balance of power between communities and agribusiness worldwide.

Greenpeace Africa
Nov 27 at 4:50pmWeb
Show threadGreenpeace InternationalNov 28

💥 Historic victory for smallholder farmers: sharing seeds is NOT a crime!

Now we need massive public pressure for the Kenyan government to fully implement this historic judgment and protect Indigenous seeds for good. ✊🏾🌾

Please SHARE!

Show threadBroadforkNov 27

@greenpeace Gideon Muya, Programs Officer, Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya, said:

“This judgment is a shield for our biodiversity. Indigenous seeds are the library of life – they hold the genetic diversity we need to withstand droughts, pests, and a changing climate. The court has recognised that you cannot patent nature’s heritage. We have reclaimed the right to choose what we plant and what we eat, free from the coercion of commercial seed monopolies.” #SeedSaving #SolarPunk

Show threadOlle GladsøNov 27
@greenpeace Awesome!
Show threadLooking for explanations…Nov 27

@greenpeace

The fact that we ever lost sight of this basic right is mind blowing.

Show threadLow TideNov 27
@greenpeace Brand new sentence.
Show threadGoldside543 Nov 27
@greenpeace uhhh is there a particular reason why this would be a crime? did someone copyright the seeds? do seeds have DRM on them?
Show threadjcrieckeNov 27
@Goldside543 yes and yes. Starting in the US.
Show threadGoldside543 Nov 27
@jcriecke the sad thing is how plausible that is
Show threadDJM (freelance for hire)Nov 27
@Goldside543 @jcriecke Don't you remember during TPP or TTiP, the big trade agreements that were negociated less than 10 years ago, and since then other actions from a few big corps (fertilizers, etc.), the risk of not allowing farmers, specially in the Global South, to share seeds has always been extremely huge.
And I'd say that the battle around this subject is far from dead and buried, unfortunately.
Show threadDJM (freelance for hire)Nov 27
@Goldside543 @jcriecke You can check this post I shared some time ago "Seeding disaster"
https://masto.ai/@cybeardjm/112927903870992053
Show thread🇺🇦 haxadecimal 🚫👑Nov 28
@Goldside543 @jcriecke
The sad thing is that it wasn't just "plausible". It is the LAW in much of the world. Hopefully other countries will follow suit, but every country will have the power of giant corporations trying to block similar cases.
Show threadskategoat 🐐 🇵🇸Nov 28
@Goldside543 @greenpeace yep!
Show threadMs. Que BanhNov 28
@greenpeace We are facing a similar #SeedsSovereignty fight in #Canada right now.
Show threadMissConstrueNov 28
@greenpeace This is HUGE! HUGE. Omg. Fantastic.
Show threadHeliographNov 28
@greenpeace rather incredible if not unfathomable that this needed court ruling 😳
Show threadNathan MurdockNov 28
@greenpeace
It's just F******* stupid to think that governments, anywhere they are, would somehow stop people from exchanging or trading in any kind of seed. Absolute absurdity.
Show thread🇺🇦 haxadecimal 🚫👑Nov 28
@NathanMurdock @greenpeace
Governments everywhere are beholden to large corporations. Citizens in many countries have the power of the ballot, but corporations spend vast amounts of money to ensure that they get legislators who will look out for them, not for the little guys.
Show threadskategoat 🐐 🇵🇸Nov 28
@greenpeace fuck yeah
Show threadIngrid_DemokratinAusOLNov 28

@greenpeace

👍👍👍💚💚💚✊✊✊

Show threadAntonio ChavesNov 28
In principle I believe corporations owning the patent to GMO plants have the right to people using their products from saving their seeds, but they cross the line when they prevent neighboring farmers from doing the same based on allegations of "cross-pollination".

I wonder if any lawyer defending non-GMO farmers being prevented from planting seeds can turn this accusation of "patent infringement" turn on its head; and counter accuse the corporations of contaminating their crops with their GMO genes? This might be viable for organic farmers pressing charges because GMO products (via cross-pollination?) can no longer qualify as "certified organic".
Show threadson of sam harrisNov 28
Still feel Kevin McKernan's head is an unresolved and valid counterpoint to all GMO. This detail alone probably means it isn't working as claimed.
Show threadNegative12DollarBillNov 29

@greenpeace
I'm sorry but this story just needs more context and background.

On the face of it, it's sheet insanity, like something from Alice in Wonderland. How could it ever become a crime to share and save seeds?

Show threadMaier AmsdenNov 29
@greenpeace Big Ag can fuck off all the way to fat-cat cartel jail.