Towards a coherent in situ conservation frameworkEhsan Dulloo, Leader Conservation and Availability Programme, Bioversity International

IFAD NUS III Second Steering Committee 22 July 2013, New Delhi, India

Content

• Bioversity’s strategy on in situ conservation• Central concepts of in situ conservation• Participatory monitoring of diversity• Global Strategy for in situ/on farm• Links to Consortium Research Programmes• Concluding thoughts

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Use of biodiversity by smallholder farmers• Demonstrate how smallholder farming communities can

significantly improve their livelihood and nutrition, and ensure more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems through the improved use of biodiversity; with the potential to benefit 320 million people.

Conservation and availability of plant diversity• (a) Support the development of an innovative operational global

programme of in situ conservation of plant diversity, tested and applied on at least 30 crops and their wild relatives, and 100 priority forest tree species on three continents.(b) Significantly improve the availability of plant genetic resources through conservation, information management and a supporting policy environment.

Recall Bioversity’s Strategic Goals

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Conserving plant diversity where it is found on farms and in the wild, and improving the availability of plant genetic resources so that the global community can use it to provide sustainable farming solutions.

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Agricultural biodiversity of importance to smallholder farmers (in particular Crop Landraces,

Neglected and Underutilised Species and their Crop Wild Relatives) is prioritised, better valued,

better understood and better conserved on farm and in the wild, in the most cost effective way.

And that they are accessible and available for use.

What are we trying to achieve?

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In situ conservation ensures continuing evolution and adaptation to changing conditions, on farms and in the wild, for crops, trees and crop wild relatives; but knowledge and implementation of these practices falls short of what is needed.1. Potential of molecular methods for assessing useful

diversity patterns and supporting conservation decision making is insufficiently known.

2. Conservation of crops and other useful plant species on smallholder farms yields direct and indirect benefits

3. In situ conservation, in the wild, of crop wild relatives and trees requires new management practices, monitoring methods and policies as well as local, national and international collaboration

Central concepts

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In situ conservation sensu stricto v/s on farm conservation

Two distinctive approaches which requires two distinctive solutions

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In Situ Conservation of Agricultural Biodiversity On farm & in the wild: Key Objectives

In situ conservation of crop wild relatives • To support and enable effective and efficient local, national and global in situ

conservation and use strategies of targeted crop wild relatives to be implemented in priority sites through the participatory involvement and strengthening of local institutions and stakeholders.

On-farm management of agricultural biodiversity• To gain a better understanding of the interactions between genetic and crop

diversity on-farm, in household diets and of diversity in markets so as to support sustainable food production and ecosystem service provision, as well as improved food security, dietary diversity (nutrition and health), income generation and poverty alleviation.

Economics of agricultural biodiversity conservation• To identify, develop and test global public good valuation methods, economic

decision-support tools and incentive mechanisms for improving the in situ conservation of CWRs and the on-farm management of agrobiodiversity.

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Agricultural biodiversity assessment on farm

To gain a better understanding of the interactions between genetic and crop diversity on-farm, in household diets and of diversity in markets so as to support sustainable food production and ecosystem service provision, as well as improved food security, dietary diversity (nutrition and health), income generation and poverty alleviation.

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Indicator Development and Integrated Participatory Monitoring

• “You can’t manage what you don’t measure” (Peter Drucker)

• There is no global, harmonized observation system for delivering regular, timely data on agrobiodiversity change

• Different organizations and projects adopt diverse measurements, with some important biodiversity dimensions, such as genetic diversity, often missing

• Only limited information available regarding actual threat status.• Conventional monitoring efforts, where they exist at all:

• subject to ad hoc approaches that lack rigorous survey and sampling approaches• do not systematically involve the participation of local-level actors• usually based on collections instead of direct observations in the field.

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Key aspect to monitor• Use of target variety/species in order to

map out the accrual of its benefits to people,

• the maintenance of associated knowledge and traditions associated to it

• document possible drops in their use below a certain threshold, beyond which the variety/species would no longer provide the expected benefit to the community as a whole

This will allow us to assess current trends and possible decline of its cultivation over time and ensure that local crop diversity is used in most sustainable way

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• Review state of the art regarding documentation and monitoring of ABD;

• Identify approaches, methods and tools for the development of a common framework for the documentation and monitoring of ABD, including a red Listing system for wild and cultivated species;

• Identify stakeholders, capacity building needs and scaling up options, with a special focus on women and students

• Explore policy options • Expert Meeting in Huancayo and High level event in Lima

Expert Planning WorkshopDevelopment of Systematic ABD Monitoring Approaches

Lima and Huancayo (Peru), 4-8 November 2013

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Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992

Aimed at conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, including access ------

www.cbd.int

Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of PGRFA (1996 FAO)

ensure the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture as the basis of food security,

promote sustainable use of plant genetic resources to foster development and reduce hunger and poverty,

promote the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of plant genetic resources,

assist countries and institutions to identify priorities for action,

strengthen existing programmes and enhance institutional capacity.

www.globalplanofaction.org

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The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, 2001

•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

www.planttreaty.org

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Flagship Project: In situ conservation of wild relatives of root tuber and bananas• In situ conservation methodologies

• Prioritization of hotspot areas for in situ conservation of targeted crops

• Threat assessment- determining status and trends

• Development of Red list system for cultivated plants

• Creation of genetic reserves for wild relatives within protected areas and outside protected areas-

(Consortium Research programme – RTB)

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• Create a visionary global and multiyear initiative to link biodiversity conservation and agricultural production in the fight of poverty

• Forge a deep debate in conservation and agriculture agenda

• Synthesize scientific evidence for conservation and sustainable food production

• Lead a cutting edge research programme

• Offer new knowledge ad tools to conservation and development actors

• Develop practical partnership with farming and conservation community

Bridging agriculture and Conservation

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Key Event – Meeting of Thought Leaders and Global Influencers

12th July 2013, Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden

• Engage a coalition of visionary leaders from both the private and public spheres to provide intellectual, influential and financial capital for the initiative

• Harness shared commitment perspective and networks of significant global players in conservation, sustainable development, smallholder agriculture

• To learn together how to enshrine sustainable use and conservation objectives in to commercial food production and distribution systems

Global Network on in situ conservation and on farm management of PGRFA

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The 13th Regular Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture requested FAO:

“to elaborate on the means and opportunities for establishing a global network for in situ conservation

and on-farm management of PGRFA, avoiding duplication of efforts.”

CGRFA-13/11/ report, paragraph 41

Scientific approach to CWR conservationGlobal CWR conservation strategy

Selected crops: banana/plantain, barley, broad beans, cassava, cowpea, finger millet, maize, pearl millet, potato, rice, sorghum, sugar beet, sweet potato and wheat

FAO – Global Network of CWR Genetic Reserves (Maxted and Kell, 2009) www.fao.org/docrep/013/i1500e/i1500e18a.pdf

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• Carried out a world wide survey on ‘on farm management’ targeting both policy makers and on farm practitioners ;

• 1168respondents

Survey on ‘on farm management’

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Global network supporting OFM?

OFM practitioners PGRFA managers and policy-makers

95%

86%

5%

14%

YesNo

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Frequency of collaboration between on-farm management practitioners, and managers and policy-makers

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• For farmers and organizations:

– Enhance utilization and economic benefits

– Knowledge-sharing and tools for capacity development

– Financial support and funding opportunities

– Recognition of farmers, crops and diversity-rich sites

• For national PGRFA programmes– Financial support and funding opportunities

– Knowledge-sharing and tools for capacity development

– Building partnerships

– Enhance utilization and economic benefits

– Policy, legal and institutional support

Global network: what type of services?

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FAO Technical Workshop – November 2012

• Organised as a side event to the 6th Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on PGRFA

• Purpose is to identify options, ways and means for establishing a global network.

• The workshop was attended by technical experts, National PGRFA Focal Points (NFPs), international organizations (CBD, the International Treaty, Bioversity International and others).

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Discussion points Main conclusionsBenefits of global network

• Stimulate financial support• building partnerships • knowledge-sharing, capacity development and

technology transfer • Promote awareness raising • Policy, legal and institutional support

Type of global network

• Network of networks linking farmers' organizations and CBOs to global network ;

• National approach, building upon national structures Management of global network

• Ownership by the associated actors/stakeholders • Joint partnership of a consortium of key players

including farmers, farmers' organizations and CBOs, CSOs,

Single or dual network • Separate networks for OFM and CWR • Work under a broader umbrella of PGRFA

management

Main conclusions

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• Concept note on the structure, functions and financial implications of the establishment of either a global network for in situ conservation and on-farm management or two networks separately

• Should also consider means of improving and strengthening national and regional networks and means of avoiding duplication of efforts

• Stressed importance of genetic reserves for CWR

Recommendation from 14th Regular Session CGRFA

Some concluding thoughts

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National Strategic Plan on in situ conservation of crop diversity

• An integrated approach that brings together work on different stakeholders working on crop diversity

• Muliti-discriplinary approach that combine research on genetic, biological, agronomical, socio-cultural, market and economic aspects.

• Development of national plans focusing on NUS, landraces and CWR

• Assessment of the status and trends- indicators.

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Conclusion• Diversity is critical for sustainable agricultural production and food

security• Understanding extent, distribution and functions of genetic

diversity for enhancing better use• Global monitoring system is needed to track the trends in crop

genetic diversity- national inputs• Holistic approach to conservation is needed• Enhanced use is as important as conservation—through use

comes sustainability; conservation should not be undermined.

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4th International Genetic Resource SymposiumTo be held during the 29th International Horticultural Congress

Brisbane, Australia, 17-22 August 2014

• Germplasm conservation strategies and technologies.• Diversity for sustaining livelihoods.• Harnessing the diversity of crop wild relatives.• Sustainable access to planting material and seed supplies• Utilization of plant genetic resources

Call for abstract is already opened and will close on 1 November 2013.

Thank you

www.bioversityinternational.org