Philippines: Asian Farmers, Scientists Hit Agrochemical TNCs� Control on Rice

Landlessness experienced by millions of farmers in Asia is worsened by liberalization dictated by the WTO and the monopoly of agrochemical TNCs over rice production.

BY ABNER BOLOS
Gitnang Luzon News Service
Posted by Bulatlat

MU�OZ, NUEVA ECIJA � Feliciano Gazpar, 50, a farmer in Barangay Bibiclat, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, owns a one-hectare rice land but because he has no money to buy enough commercial farm inputs, he cultivates only about a quarter of his plot this year.

�Gusto ko mang tamnan ng palay ang lupa namin wala akong magagawa, wala naman akong mailalagay na pataba at gamot. Malulubog lang lalo kami sa utang.� (I cannot plant rice to all of my land even if I wanted to. I can�t afford to buy fertilizers and pesticides. We will only be more indebted), Gazpar said.

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