After justifying our Agroecological proposal, for a transition towards community organic agriculture, we make a formal request to the Ministry of Agriculture (MAG) for the following:
Considering:
That, according to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, signed by Costa Rica and in force since 1976, in its article 11, paragraph 2, indicates that:
The States Parties to the present Covenant, recognizing the fundamental right of everyone to be protected against hunger, shall adopt, individually and through international cooperation, the measures, including specific programs, that are needed to:
1- Improve the methods of food production, preservation and distribution through the full use of technical and scientific knowledge, the dissemination of principles on nutrition and the improvement or reform of agrarian regimes for exploitation and the most effective use of natural wealth; (…)
2- That we are facing the first stage of an emergency that is going to leave global economic repercussions. The national agrarian system regarding the production of basic grains presents serious deficiencies that cause a very low participation in the economy, emphasizing a vision of free market and comparative disadvantages. It is time to propose actions with scientific criteria that are projected in the short, medium and long term, to correct this.
We point out and propose to the rectory of the agrarian administration, represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), these measures:
- It is not time to make the registration of pesticides more flexible. Organic production has been shown to increase yield much over conventional and chemical methods, as demonstrated by comparative data (Acosta;2011) We quote: “Through the use of organic fertilizers, the producers who have adopted SICA have been able to verify how, by eliminating synthetic fertilizer and abolishing the repetitive and toxic use of herbicides, crops produce more rice because the biological conditions of soils improve with the increase in macro and micro fauna populations (Uphoff, 2007).” The assessment of this flexibility policy must be thoroughly revised.
- Promote policies that discourage the use of chemical fertilizers and agro-toxic inputs such as pesticides, to progressively reduce dependence on these harmful technologies.
- Encourage agroecological production of basic grains through support policies for sustainable access to water through coordination with SENARA and MINAE, arable land through INDER and support from the CNP for productive sustainability by strengthening and expanding consumption networks of marketing systems.
Other proposals to the Ministry of Agriculture:
- Integrate the Public Universities to the support networks of the agroecological production system for small productive units, so that they also collaborate actively in training and advice in the field, as well as in the technological innovation necessary to promote this agricultural field in the country.
- Limit the agricultural frontier for export monocultures, through a moratorium on new permits and prioritize the process of access to resources for basic grain food self-sufficiency projects, so as to guarantee access to sufficient optimal arable land for these purposes.
- Prioritize financing for small agricultural production of basic grains and develop a system of public subsidies to increase the progressive and sustainable incorporation of small producers to participation in global food production.
- Guarantee the protection of the Creole seed reproduction cycles and traditional peasant production, discarding any initiative that imposes patent models on traditional systems.
The approaches made to the Ministry of Agriculture are very important.
Costa Rican Federation for the Conservation of Nature (FECON) May 05, 2020
