Group wants ADB to give farmers its due

"ADB is guilty of compromising food security", this was the consensus among Asian food activists in a forum today held in Quezon City.

 

Arze Glipo, convenor of APNFS*, criticized the bank for its loan conditionalities that forced governments to deregulate and turn over agriculture to the profiteering private sector. Ms. Glipo cites the case of the Philippines and many other Asian member countries who are now threatened by the rice shortage.

 

The Philippines is among the world's top rice producers (rank = 8) yet it remains a net importer of the staple. It was rice sufficient up to the early 80s but lost control and relied on importation since the early 90s. Current RP rice production can only cover for 80% of the country's needs.

 

The ADB must be held accountable to the growing food insecurity in developing countries. Since its founding in 1967, the Bank had financed countless agricultural projects, but weakened farmers and communities instead of strengthening them. ADB supported the commodification of rice, application of market mechanisms and the price system in agriculture, liberalization and opening of trade.

 

"ADB projects like the Grain Sector Development Program (GSDP) in the Philippines and the Khulna-Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project in Bangladesh have been given with many policy conditionalities, including the removal of quantitative restrictions and lowering of tariffs of agricultural products. ADB conditionalities force countries to adopt policies that are harmful, especially those in the margins, farmers and fishers included", Ms. Glipo concluded in her presentation. 

 

Many of the Bank's projects are controversial and are considered "onerous" because other than its anti-poor conditionalities, the projects have destroyed lives. The Khulna-Jessore Drainage in Bangladesh now caused prolonged flooding in surrounding communities, causing families to lose livelihoods and wallow in poverty. The Philippines' Grain Sector Development Program barely took off, and was cancelled after US$ 100 million had been taken by government. In both instance, the supposed benefits are non-existent, and beneficiaries continue to suffer. The absurdity of it all is that the ADB will collect on these debts, no matter what.