FRP Phase II, which was launched in June 2004 and will be completed in July 2007, is an extension of the three-year Farmers’ Rights Programme (FRP) Phase I. The Phase I Programme focused on farmers’ rights to seed in the context of globalisation and the WTO. The ongoing Phase II Programme also seeks to protect farmers’ rights in the context of globalisation and the WTO. The farmers’ rights issues identified under Phase II are Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and Farmers’ participation in the decision making process. The project is being carried out in five South Asian countries namely Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Advocacy, Research, Sensitisation, Capacity Building, Information Dissemination, Networking and Alliance Building are the major focus areas of FRP Phase II.
The project is being coordinated at the regional level by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE), Kathmandu and is being implemented at the country level by its five member institutions. Pro Public is the programme implementing partner in Nepal.

• Sensitising key stakeholders including policy and lawmakers, non-governmental and community-based organisations, farmers’ groups, private sector and decision-makers.
• Advocating and lobbying for the protection of farmers’ rights.
• Complementing the initiatives of the government in the process of preparing ABS and PIC related policies/laws and closely evaluating their implementation aspects for devising future advocacy strategies.
• Documenting and disseminating the information on national, regional and international issues related to farmers’ rights.
• Encouraging debates and discussions at various national, regional and international platforms.
• Expanding and strengthening the networks established at the local, national, regional and international levels.

Publications of briefing papers, discussion papers, campaign kits, research reports, and organisation of national level forums/events are the major activities of the project.