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 This year millions of men and women farmers of the international peasant movement, La Via Campesina, mobilize worldwide in favor of pasant seeds. Since April 17, 1996 (1) la Via Campesina designated this day as a global day of action with allies and friends.

With more than 100 actions at a local and global level (see map) in all continents, la Via Campesina reasserts the importance of local struggles and at the same time underlines the need of a global resistance and organization between the cities and the rural areas. Actions such as land occupations, agroecological festivities, debates and seed exchanges will be carried out until the end of the month as part of these global days of action.

La Via Campesina denounces laws and interests that seek to prohibit the use, exchange and access to peasant seeds that we consider a heritage of the people at the service of humanity, as well as food sovereignty as part of a commitment to end hunger in the world.

Historically, men and women farmers, and indigenous peoples have conserved and cared for seeds. La Via Campesina says NO to all attempts to criminalize and make illegal our practices for caring for, producing and sharing seeds.

To defend our seeds means to defend the rights of men and women farmers. Seeds in hands of peasant farmers guarantee a dignified and autonomous future in agriculture.