Mr. President,
As rightly acknowledged in the report of the Working Group, seeds are more than mere commodities; they are essential elements of biodiversity, agriculture, and food sovereignty.
They serve as a source of life, cultural heritage, livelihoods, the fruits of innovation, repositories of knowledge, and an expression of self-determination for millions of people around the world.
Given their importance, the right to seeds has been widely reaffirmed in international law. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights calls upon States to ensure access to productive resources, including land, water, and seeds, and to refrain from adopting regressive measures that undermine such access, such as the privatization of or restrictions on essential food resources.
For its part, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants recognizes the fundamental role of rural workers in the conservation, use, exchange, and sale of seeds, as well as in the development and preservation of knowledge related to these biological components.
The full realization of these rights remains an outstanding goal in many parts of the world. Therefore, we support the Working Group’s recommendation on the need to promote equitable and redistributive agrarian reform that guarantees the right of peasants to seeds.
Cuba will continue to support the important mandate of the Working Group on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas. Our country is part of the group of nations that will present a draft resolution at this session of the Council to renew the mandate of this mechanism.
Thank you very much.