Climate change has had an adverse impact on the indigenous people’s culture and livelihood around the world, because they can no longer grow their traditional crops as a result, said Lin Yih-ren, chair of the Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine of Taipei Medical University.

The declaration, signed on the first day of the two-day inaugural alliance meeting of the International Network of Indigenous Ecological Farmers (INIEF) at the university, said in order to prevent the harm that could be created by GM crops to the environment, indigenous people will not plant such crops, but will seek the help of farmers and international seed banks to find suitable replacements to be grown on their land.

It also calls for support from governments and international organizations in the INIEF’s efforts to tackle challenges facing indigenous people, and welcomes indigenous people, farmers’ groups and other organizations to join the network.     [FULL  STORY]