Statement by India at the 39th Session of the Human Rights Council under Agenda Item 5: Report of IGWG on Rights of Peasants, delivered by Dr. A. Sudhakara Reddy, Counsellor [Geneva, 21 September 2018]

Mr. President,

   India welcomes the report presented by Chair-Rapporteur on Inter-Governmental Working Group (IGWG) on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas.

2. Agriculture plays a vital role in India’s economy. More than 50% of the population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities in India. Agriculture contributes 17.4% to the country’s Gross Value Added. Given the importance of agriculture sector, Government of India took several steps for its sustainable development.

3. To address welfare of farmers, India enacted a legislation granting Farmers' Rights in the form of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001. The Act, further, seeks to address the rights of plant breeders and farmers on an equal footing and recognizes the multiple roles played by farmers in cultivating, conserving, developing and selecting varieties.

Mr. President,

4. We thank the Chair- rapporteur of the Working Group for organising five sessions involving States, experts and other participants who had finalized the draft while addressing several challenges associated with various provisions of the draft declaration.

5. Before I conclude, my delegation would like to reiterate our support to the draft declaration. The draft declaration is a forward looking one and is the result of 6 years of long constructive, inclusive and transparent negotiations, recognising the importance of protecting the rights of the peasants and other people working in rural areas.

I, Thank you Mr. President.