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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Towards a Strategic and Integrated Management of
Plant Genetic Resources for Food Security and
Sustainable DevelopmentDr.Kakoli Ghosh,
Agricultural Officer, Plant Production and
Protection Division, FAO, Rome
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Fundamental aspects of PGRFA
CONSERVATION OFPLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
FARMERS AGRO-ECOSYSTEM
PLANT BREEDING
SEED PRODUCTIONAND SUPPLY
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Key dates towards a strategic management of PGRFA

• 1996, Leipzig International Conference on Plant
  Genetic Resources
• ? Adoption of the first State of the Worlds
  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

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The Global Plan of Action for Conservation and
Sustainable Use of PGRFA (www.globalplanofaction.o
rg)
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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 Worlds 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.planttreat
y.org)
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Main objective of the IT-PGRFA

Efficient and effective management of PGRFA for
food security and sustainable management
Access to PGR and Equitable sharing of the
benefits arising from the use of PGR
Enhanced conservation coupled with sustainable
use of PGRFA

• 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)

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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 Worlds
  PGRFA represented the first comprehensive global
  assessment of the status and use of PGRFA

Adjustment of the 20 priority activity areas of
the GPA taking into account changing needs and
gaps
Update of the first SOW with a focus on the
changes occurred since 1996
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

Contribution to the implementation of the IT-PGRFA
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The preparatory process of the SOW-2 is

• 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

103 countries have prepared a Country Report on
the State of PGRFA 15 other countries reports
are being prepared or possibly expected (March
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
COUNTRY-DRIVEN PROCESS
Integration of new emerging issues
Second State of the World on PGRFA
Analysis of changing needs and gaps
Updating of the rolling Global Plan of Action
Strategic and Integrated Management of Plant
Genetic Resources Food and Agriculture
Implementation of the IT-PGRFA
Food security, rural development, sustainable
agriculture, protection of environment
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Gaps and challenges as reported by Countries
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 efficiency of all PGRFA related
activities and sustainable agricultural
development at the country level
Hinders the implementation of the IT-PGRFA
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Needs and requests as reported by Countries
Recognition 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
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
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
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The Near East and North African Countries and the
IT-PGRFA

• 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

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CONSERVATION OFPLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
RESTORATION
ELITE GERMPLASM INFORMATION
EMERGENCY RESTORATION
ON-FARM IN SITU
GERMPLASM
FARMERS CULTIVARS
GENETIC DIVERSITY
FARMERS AGRO-ECOSYSTEM
TRIALS
SEED GROWERS
FARMER BREEDING
SEED PRODUCTIONAND SUPPLY
PLANT BREEDING
OWN SEED
PARTICIPATORY PLANT BREEDING
SEED FOR PRODUCTION
NEW CULTIVARS
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Thank You

• for your kind attention