Collective Rice Action - Press Releases

CORA (Collective Rice Action) ASIA 2011 was launched on 1 January 2011 with the theme "Safe Rice for Life and Livelihood!" in 15 countries across the region. In China, CORA started with activities on March 10, 2011. 100 questionnaires were distributed to the public to learn more about their knowledge on traditional rice varieties and hybrid rice, habits when purchasing rice and awareness about pesticide residues. The results revealed that consumers generally had some knowledge about pesticides and were concerned about the safety of the food consumed in their daily life.

On World Consumer Rights Day, March 15, 2011, Lok Sanjh organized "Organic Farmers and Consumers Interface: Seminar on organic rice as safe food" at District Sheikhupura, the home of basmati. The activity was organized in conjunction with Collective Rice Action (CORA) 2011 being celebrated in fifteen Asian countries with support from Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP). The purpose of the activity was to promote organic produce as safe food, assert the rights of the consumers to safe food, and to foster close interaction between consumers and organic farmers.

The Society for Rural Education and Development (SRED), an anchor organization for CORA Asia 2011organized a seminar focusing on organic rice as safe food, the dangers of pesticides and GE on March 11, 2011, at Kancheepuram. It was attended by farmers, consumers and the general public.

The All Nepal Peasants' Federation of Nepal (ANPFa) in collaboration with Pesticide Action Network Asia and Pacific (PAN AP) organized a peoples' tribunal on saving rice for CORA (Collective Rice Action) Nepal 2011. Held at the National Agricultural Research Centre premises in Khumaltar, Lalitpur, a panel of three judges heard the testimonies of small rice farmers, scientists and activists on the situation of rice in the country.