WP5 Case study on genetic resources in food and agriculture

• Creation of national rare, locally adapted and distinctive breeds gene banks• Creation of a national rare breeds libraryDefra (2002) highlights the importance of programmes for animal genetic resources beingcompatible with other biodiversity policy, linking conservation of native breeds toecological projects. An example is the Traditional Breeds Incentive by English Naturein cooperation with the Traditional Livestock Foundation in certain areas, where the useof eligible traditional breeds in environmental land management projects qualifies forextra support in England and Wales (up to £60 per hectare). The Grazing AnimalsProject, currently co-ordinated by two contracts funded by English Nature and steered byrepresentatives mainly of NGOs, provides information and encourages within severalpilot projects, e.g. the use of native breeds for conservation grazing.For an effective conservation and utilisation of animal genetic resources the creation of aNational Action Plan, based on the outcomes of the report, and a National SteeringCommittee is strongly recommended.3.3 Conservation of plant genetic resourcesThere is little in situ conservation of plant genetic resources in the UK. All majorcommercial crops are of non-native origin. 66 native wild species of economic value,including some wild relatives of cultivated plants are known in the UK, but these are notmonitored or recorded. Only one wild relative of asparagus is a priority species under theBiodiversity Action Plan. The others might be protected by chance within nature reservesor through agri-environment schemes. Some landraces and old varieties of crops aregrown in private gardens or on-farm, such as ancient orchards, barley landraces andheritage vegetable varieties. Apart from funding maintenance, restoration and creation oftraditional orchards under the Environmental Stewardship scheme, Defra is currently notinvolved in any in situ conservation of crop genetic resources.Ex situ collections of internationally important crops (e.g. potatoes, vegetables, fruits,cereals, peas, oats, hops, soft fruit, grasses and forage crops) are kept in the UK, themajority of them for research purposes by research organisations, represented by the UKNational Culture Collections for public service collections and the UK Federation ofCulture Collections for a wider group. Many of them are funded by the Ministry.There is need to develop a national inventory for genetic resources with informationabout any collections and sites. As well, where appropriate, plant genetic resources forfood and agriculture should be incorporated into policies of nature conservation (Defra,nd).16