Improving the identification, handling and storage of “difficult” seeds ...

Activity Areas on Institutions and Capacity Building:
▪ Building Strong National Programmes
▪ Promoting Networks for PGRFA
▪ Constructing Comprehensive Information Systems for PGRFA
▪ Developing Monitoring and Early Warning Systems for Loss of PGRFA
▪ Expanding and Improving Education and Training
▪ Promoting Public Awareness of the Value of PGRFA Conservation and Use
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Objectives - the Treaty provides for:
▪ The conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture
▪ The fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from their use, in harmony with the
Convention on Biological Diversity, for sustainable agriculture and food security
▪ Adopted by the FAO Conference in 2001
▪ Entered into force on 29 June 2004
▪ Currently ratified by more than 100 countries
General Provisions - each Contracting Party shall:
▪ promote an integrated approach to the exploration, collection, conservation (in situ and ex situ),
characterization, evaluation and documentation of PGRFA
▪ develop and maintain appropriate policy and legal measures that promote the sustainable use of
PGRFA
▪ integrate these activities into its national programmes and policies and cooperate with other
Parties and with international organizations
Provisions regarding collection and conservation of PGRFA (Art. 5.1)
▪ Survey and inventory PGRFA
▪ Promote the collection of PGRFA and relevant associated information on those under threat or
of potential use
▪ Promote or support, as appropriate, farmers and local communities’ efforts to manage and
conserve on-farm their PGRFA
▪ Promote in situ conservation of crop wild relatives and wild plants for food production
▪ Promote the development of an efficient and sustainable system of ex situ conservation, giving
due attention to the need for adequate documentation, characterization, regeneration and
evaluation, and promote the development and transfer of appropriate technologies
▪ Monitor the maintenance of the viability, degree of variation, and the genetic integrity of
collections
Farmers’ Rights:
▪ Recognition of the enormous contribution that farmers and their communities have made and
continue to make to the conservation and development of plant genetic resources.
▪ The responsibility for realizing Farmers’ Rights rests with national governments. Measures can
include
- protection of traditional knowledge
- right to equitably participate in sharing benefits
- participation of farmers in making decisions at national level
The Multilateral System of Access and Benefit Sharing:
▪ States have the sovereign rights over their PGRFA
▪ Establishment of a Multilateral System (MLS)
- to facilitate access to PGRFA