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Towards a Strategic and Integrated Management of Plant Genetic

Resources for Food Security and Sustainable Development

Dr.Kakoli Ghosh, Agricultural Officer, Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO, Rome

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CONSERVATION OFPLANT GENETIC RESOURCES

FARMERSAGRO-ECOSYSTEM

PLANT BREEDING SEED

PRODUCT

ION

AND SU

PPLY

Fundamental aspects of PGRFA

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1996, Leipzig International Conference on Plant Genetic Resources

→ Adoption of the first State of the World’s Plan Genetic Resources (SOW)

→ Adoption of the Global Plan of Action (GPA)

1999, FAO Conference

→ Need to periodically assess the SOW in order to facilitate the analysis of changing needs and gaps, as well as to contribute to the adjustment of the rolling GPA

2001, FAO Conference

→ Adoption of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT-PGRFA)

→ The GPA became part of the IT-PGRGA as a supporting component

Key dates towards a strategic management of PGRFA

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The Global Plan of Action for Conservation and Sustainable Use of PGRFA

(www.globalplanofaction.org)

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Drawn from findings and needs identified through the State of the World, the Global Plan of Action is a set of recommendations and

activities in all PGRFA activities

Coherent framework for 20 priority activity areas in

conservation and sustainable utilization, institutions and

capacity-building

Rolling plan that needs to be periodically updated based on the State of the World’s

PGRFA

Better management, cooperation, and coordination of all PGRFA-related

activities

All NENA countries have adopted the GPA

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The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

(www.planttreaty.org)

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Main objective of the IT-PGRFA

Access to PGR and Equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the

use of PGR

Members of the IT-PGRFA:

- take on the obligation to implement the IT-PGRFA

- are called to cooperate in the periodic reassessment of the SOW-PGRFA in order to facilitate the updating of the rolling Global Plan of Action (Art. 14 and 17.3)

Efficient and effective management of PGRFA for food security and sustainable management

Enhanced conservation coupled with sustainable

use of PGRFA

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Structure of the SOW-2

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Periodic Assessment of the SOW

The first Report on the State of the World’s PGRFA represented the first comprehensive global assessment of the status and use of PGRFA

Contribution to the implementation of the IT-PGRFA

Update of the first SOW with a focus on the changes occurred

since 1996

Adjustment of the 20 priority activity areas of

the GPA taking into account changing needs

and gaps

Periodic Assessment

Assisting national, regional and global efforts for effective conservation and sustainable utilization of PGR to achieve food security, rural

development and sustainable agriculture

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The preparatory process of the SOW-2 is:

103 countries have prepared a Country Report on the State of PGRFA 15 other countries reports are being prepared or possibly expected

(March 2009)

• Fully integrated with the process of monitoring the implementation of the GPA

• Country driven (Country Reports, NISM)

• Conducted in collaboration with various partners (IPGRI/Bioversity, genebanks, CGIAR centers, etc.)

• Guided by the Inter-Governmental Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources of the Commission - Fourth Session: 15-17 July 2009

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Country Reports received from 103 countries, including 16 country reports from NENA countries

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Thematic Background Studies

Country Reports

National Information Sharing Mechanisms

Focusing on Key Changes since 1996

Second State of the World

on PGRFA

Updating of the rolling Global Plan of Action

Analysis of changing needs and gaps

Integration of new emerging issues

COUNTRY-DRIVEN PROCESS

Food security, rural development, sustainable agriculture, protection of environment

Implementation of the IT-PGRFA

Strategic and Integrated Management of Plant Genetic Resources Food and Agriculture

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Gaps and challenges as reported by Countries

Hinders the efficiency of all PGRFA related activities and sustainable agricultural development at the country level

1. Fragmentation in the national approach to PGRFA conservation and use

→ No linkages between in situ conservation, crop improvement programmes, ex situ conservation, seed systems and markets

2. Poor documentation, outdated information, and lack of knowledge support

3. Lack of institutional capacities for the elaboration, coordination, and implementation of adequate policies and programmes on PGRFA

4. Limited stakeholder participation and lack of partnership between PGR users and seed producers

5. Lack of legislation and limited implementation of legislation

Hinders the implementation of the IT-PGRFA

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Needs and requests as reported by CountriesRecognition of the equal importance and the strong

interconnections between PGR conservation, crop variety improvement, and seed production and delivery systems

Challenges of Climate Change, Food Security and Sustainable Development

The IT-PGRFA enables efficient and strategic management of PGRFA at the global level that can serve as the model for the national-level strategies for efficient PGRFA management

Need for a strategic and integrated plant genetic resources management system for better

utilization of PGRFA benefits

Strong and centralized

institutions at all levels

National integrated strategies

establishing all necessary linkages

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All NENA countries are members of the IT-PGRFA (ratification or accession) except : Azerbaidjan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Somalia and Iraq

The development of a legislation for accessing and exchanging genetic resources is at an advanced stage in Syria and drafts are under-development in Morocco, Lebanon, and Egypt

! Challenges: 1. Encourage member countries of the NENA region to develop and adopt appropriate legislation on access and benefit-sharing

2. Encourage non-member countries of the NENA region to join the IT-PGRFA

3. Encourage the development of a Strategic and Integrated Management of Plant Genetic Resources for Food Security and Sustainable Development

The Near East and North African Countries and the IT-PGRFA

FARMERS CULTIVAR

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FARMERSAGRO-ECOSYSTEM

SEED

PRODUCT

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AND SU

PPLY

CONSERVATION OFPLANT GENETIC RESOURCES

PLANT BREEDING

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GERMPLA

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FORMATIO

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GENET

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EMERGENCYRESTORATION

ON-FARMIN SITU

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FARMER BREEDIN

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PLANT BREEDING

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Thank You

for your kind attention