Farmers in Indonesia voiced out the need for freedom of choice in deciding what crops to plant. Specifically, they asked government to allow the use of seeds derived from biotechnology. They also agreed to form farmer networks in the various regions and encourage greater participation with various public and private sectors.

These points were agreed upon during the Asian Farmers Regional Network (ASFARNET) workshop "Technology Promotion and Exchange on Agricultural Biotechnology" held at Hotel Salak, Bogor, Indonesia from November 28 to December 1, 2004. A total of 50 farmers, led by Agusdin Pulungan, ASFARNET's Coordinator in Indonesia, attended the workshop and framed the resolution calling for greater use of agri-biotechnology applications. They came from six provinces of Indonesia - Lampung, Central Java, East Java, West Java, South Sulawesi, and West Sumatera.

The farmers attended lectures of experts from different fields who shared their views about modern biotechnology and also had the opportunity to visit biotech laboratories in Bogor. Farmers from the Philippines shared their experiences in adopting Bt corn and the benefits of establishing a farmers' network.

ASFARNET was established in December 2003 to promote the active exchange of experiences and knowledge on alternative modern farming technologies. It also engages in activities that will ensure responsible farming, accelerate transfer of appropriate modern technology, and ensure community participation in these activities.

For more information about the recent ASFARNET workshop, email Agusdin Pulungan, ASFARNET Coordinator, at augustpu at msn.com. A copy of the farmer's resolution can be downloaded at http://www.isaaa.org/kc.

=======

To know more about ASFARNET, download their brochure in PDF from this site.