Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Biosphere - WBGU

86 D The use of genetic and species diversity
D 3.4.6.2
Action
Sustainable use of agrobiodiversity as a
primary policy goal
Agrobiodiversity is immensely important for the
nutritional security of future generations and for the
sustainability and stability of the Earth’s agroecosystems,
as well as providing the basic material for
innovations in breeding and biotechnology. This
must find an appropriate expression by conservation
and sustainable use becoming a priority goal in all
relevant areas of policy (Section I 1.2).The active use
of agrobiodiversity as a first option must stand at the
forefront of preservation and be applied in the most
diverse agrarian production possible. Particular
attention should be placed on the reliable, sustainable
funding of usage and conservation strategies.
Time delays or interruptions can lead to irreversible
losses if, for example, necessary regeneration measures
cannot be implemented and accessions lose
their ability to germinate, or if ecosystems that provide
the habitat for rare agrobiodiversity components
are destroyed. This irreversibility in the case of
loss distinguishes biological diversity fundamentally
from most other environmental problems and must
be given due consideration in the context of any measures
adopted. Early warning systems, such as
CGRFA (Commission on Genetic Resources for
Food and Agriculture) hopes to introduce for plant
genetic resources, are particularly important in this
respect.
The services of, as well as the major threat to,
diversity in the agrarian systems of the Earth must
form a central aspect of practical and academic training
courses. In the academic context, there is a particular
need for high-quality training in taxonomy,
agro-ecology and genetics.
of priority the collections in the diversity centres of
the various species should be completed. Drawing up
a red data book for endangered plant cultivars as a
basis for the creation of appropriate conservation
measures and funding of the same should be aimed
at. Preserving endangered domestic animal species
and breeds must form a further focus of efforts
towards preserving agrobiodiversity.
Since in many cases in-situ- and on-farm conservation
are the only means of preventing the total loss of
certain components of agrobiodiversity, these measures
must be supported. On the basis of their decentralized
distribution, of course, political will in making
this happen is crucial. In many cases, it is merely
necessary not to disturb the locally organized in-situand
on-farm conservation and use of agrobiodiversity.
In the past this often happened through restrictive
provisions governing the seed market or onesided
agricultural extension focussing on ‘modernization’.
In the context of the utilization of agrobiodiversity,
financing the secondary evaluation of genetic
resources or characterization of currently used agrobiodiversity
is crucial. In particular, the investigation
of resistances and specific quality features must be
considered.
In order to add valuable genes from genetic
resources to elite material and expand its genetic
basis, alongside basic evaluation work there is also a
need for comprehensive, publicly funded pre-breeding
(where possible in association with a gene bank).
Preserving agrobiodiversity
Worldwide the preservation of a considerable portion
of ex-situ collections is considered at risk.Thus, a
priority task is to safeguard and provide financial
support to existing collections. In particular, regular
regeneration measures must be made possible.
Collections that have been built up by various
non-governmental organizations (eg community
gene banks in developing countries, NGO collections
in industrialized and developing countries) should be
included in this support; these include gene banks
like the ones at the CGIAR research centres (Consultative
Group on International Agricultural
Research). For reasons of efficiency and cooperation,
the collections should be coordinated into one global
network. Existing collections must be augmented in
accordance with the precautionary principle. By way