Our work in this area is to promote on the ground for demonstration and community strengthening purposes the policies that we have been advocating to successive governments for years. Starting with Plant Genetic Resource Conservation (PGRC) where community seed banks and farmer based seed multiplication programs will be promoted. Further, sustainable use of bio-diversity (agro-diversity) and participatory plant breeding which is still in the realm of academics will be brought down to the ground and given into the custody of the ultimate stakeholders – namely, the farmers and their communities.


We are also planning to set up farmer field schools based on models that have been successfully implemented by the FAO. Here, all aspects of organic farming will be taught to both farmers as well as trainers. These in turn will fill a void in the availability of demonstration centers and we plan to build agriculture and energy demonstration farms in strategic locations.
Lobbying activity is a constant priority. We need a chemical free market and right now there are no plans on the part of the government in this direction and advocacy and lobbying activity is being planned to pressurize the authorities to firm up policies as part of our national responsibility.


Further to this, our ultimate goal is to achieve food sovereignty as opposed to food security. The GMSL firmly believes that every citizen has a right to choice and currently, with a market-driven economic paradigm in place, this right has been removed. We will lobby with the authorities for this dreamscape to come true but with little actual faith that they will do anything since they are intrinsically tied by the requirement for aid to subscribe to this paradigm. What we hope to do is to prevent any further deterioration of the rights of the people in this respect while building (through are development activities) a counter-force powerful enough to withstand and overthrow the model in favor of a better and more holistic one.


In short, what the GMSL plans is the rejection of agro-chemicals, the introduction of organic farming practices, re-introduction of livestock as an alternative to machinery, rejection of cash crops, ensuring food security and food sovereignty, re-introducing indigenous remedies as a first choice, using appropriate technology, re-introduction of traditional recreational activities, re-introduction of traditional rituals and religious activities, environmental awareness and conservation from an agrarian perspective will be addressed nationally via lobbying for changes in policy and at a grass roots level with interventions beings very specific to each different geography and its attendant environmental, social, economical and cultural parameters. This will ensure enthusiasm and the active participation of the target communities and this will result in the gradual increase of self belief in individuals and their communities to previous levels of strength.