In an interview with Real World Radio Lopez talks about the current scenario in Uruguay as regards to agroindustrial monoculture crops like grains (especially genetically modified soy) and forestry monocultures, as well as dwindling family farming.

He highlighted the importance to begin a debate about land use and ownership, water, genetic resources and natural goods “avoiding to take these things in isolation”.

“The pressure over natural resources requires an analysis not only of its effect on family farming, but also based on the investment protection treaties and other elements that make up a scenario that needs to be changed”.

Lopez was the speaker for his organization at the Forum on Land Concentration, monoculture plantations, GM crops and investment treaties organized on 15 September in Montevideo by: CNFR, Redes-Friends of the Earth Uruguay and the Rural Women’s Network (Vía Campesina).

In his opinion, the aim of meetings like the one organized last week by rural organizations should be to generate “a critical mass that will enable us to make some pressure so that laws around these issues are passed”.
The CNFR highlighted the need for a law to limit land concentration either by corporations or people.

“We are talking about public goods here, that belong to all Uruguayans, such as land, water, genetic resources”.

The use and conservation of soil, the taxing aspects and the promotion of local food production, as well as the already existing legal control mechanisms would be, according to Lopez, the necessary steps for a positive change in Uruguay.

He then said that although “there is communication” between farmers organizations and government authorities of Mujica’s administration, it is also necessary to analyze how effective this communication is in order to come up with proposals. When we make our own assessment, even though there has been progress, sometimes they move forward in the promotion of other sectors of the economy instead of family farming”.

Photo: rel-uita.org