Archive - Feb 2005

The VOICE Seed Houses

In early 2007, VOICE and local farmers formed an Action Group committed to improving their livelihood by creating a source of traditional seed varieties. Several months later, two demonstration seed houses were established in Mymensingh (about 120km north of Dhaka), including one directly adjoining VOICE’s satellite office there. An initiative of local farmers to revive and preserve local seed varieties, the seed houses are maintained and stocked directly by the farmers, who are also encouraged to take their skills and knowledge to their village and discuss the importance of seed preservation and local crop varieties with other community members.
This issue is not just about agriculture, it is about culture. If hybrid seeds take the place of local varieties, we not only lose ownership over our source of food, we also lose our culture. Local crops produced from local seed has a distinct taste particular to that region. Women also play a big role in food production by preserving and, the following year, preparing the seed. All this is being lost as IFI conditionalities open the market to hybrid seeds which discourage seed preservation and increase the farmer’s overhead costs. Farmers are becoming dependant on external markets for seeds to a large extent.

This paper deals with the political economy of aid and conditionalities imposed by the donors such as World Bank and the IMF. It discusses the nature of aid conditionalities of different projects that enforce economic reforms, trade liberalization and privatization, and also of their negative consequences over the Bangladesh's economy. It also critically analyzes the role of global economic order in relation with bilateral and multilateral impositions and aid conditions over the poor countries.

This research paper can be used as an important campaign material against the neo-liberal economic hegemony and also against the bilateral and multilateral impositions that impede the comprehensive development process of a country like Bangladesh.

It can be useful for the activists, researchers, academicians and the members of the civil and political society. Any part of this paper can used, reproduced with the simple acknowledgement.

Friday, Feb 11, 2005

Staff Correspondent - New Age
http://www.newagebd.com/2005/feb/11/nat.html

The National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction, draft of which has already been made, might further worsen the poverty situation by widening the existing gap between the poor and the rich, said leaders of some NGOs on Thursday.
They came up with a number of suggestions, including consultation up to division-level with the civil society, discussion in parliament and television debate especially with the opposition politicians, before finalising the draft policy.
Addressing a news conference at the National Press Club, they also demanded extension of the March 15 timeframe by May for its finalisation.