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The international Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

(PGRFA): Inter-dependence of countries

Dr. Shakeel BhattiSecretary

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculturegeneral aspects and research opportunities

Rome, 5 November 2009

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Overview– Introduction: the International Treaty

– Main Achievements since 2007• Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing• Funding Strategy: Call for Proposals for Benefit-sharing

Fund

– 4th Session of Governing Body• PGRFA, Climate Change and Food Security

– Discussion

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The scope of the Treaty is all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture

J. T. Esquinas

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What Are the Treaty’s Objectives?

• 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

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Interdependence

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Special Features of PGRFA - I

• The fundamental role of PGRFA and of their exchange for satisfying basic human needs, including global food security and sustainable agriculture;

• The interdependence of countries regarding GRFA, i.e. the fact that all countries depend largely on GRFA that originated elsewhere;

• The fact that many PGRFA have been developed over long periods of time based on material originating from different parts of the world, and thus, often are the products of many generations of people from many different countries;

• PGRFA are handled in large numbers of samples and sometimes, for example in the case of biological control, require that access be granted very quickly;

• The fact that the purpose of such accessions is usually known, i.e. the ultimate use of the final products for food and agriculture;

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Special Feature of PGRFA - II

• The existence of traditional and customary exchange patterns applicable to many PGRFA, indigenous knowledge and culture are integral parts of the management of PGRFA;

• For many PGRFA, human use is a fundamental condition for, rather than a threat to their survival; and

• The interaction between the environment, genetic resources and management practices that occurs in situ within agro-ecosystems often contributes to maintaining a dynamic portfolio of agricultural biodiversity.

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Multilateral System

P1

R1

R2

SMTA2

SMTA1

SMTA3

On-farm conservation

On-farm conservation

information exchange &

tech.transfer

information exchange &

tech.transfer

sustainable use

sustainable use

1,1% of net sales

PrioritiesCriteria

Operational Procedures

PrivateSectorVoluntary

contributions(eg, NW, IT)

Benefit-sharing fund

Benefit-sharing fund

CP

Int’l org Natural and legal person

Others

OthersInternational Treaty Main Operational Systems & Mechanisms

priority: farmers in developing countries who conserve and sustainably

utilize PGRFA

100,000+ transfers 07

600+ transfer/day

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Daily Transfers of PGRFA

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Jan-

07

Mar

-07

May

-07

Jul-0

7

Sep-0

7

Nov-07

Jan-

08

Mar

-08

Number of SMTAs from IRRI – by Month

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366 55%

25 4%

579%

212 32%

Public

Private

Individual

Academic

Transfers of Rice Germplasm Under SMTAs From IRRI – Global IRRI Transfers by Sector

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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Australia China India USA Phillipines

Public

Private

Academic

Individual

Transfers of Rice Germplasm Under SMTAs From IRRI – by Sector and

Country

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Policy: The Governing Body (GB)Timelime

2001- Adopted by the FAO Conference

2004 - Entered into force

2006 – First Session of the GB (Madrid)

SMTA & Funding Strategy adopted

2007 – Second Session of the GB (Rome)

Annexes of Funding Strategy adopted

1-5 June 2009 – Third Session of the GB (Tunis)

Benefit-sharing Projects Approved

2011 – Fourth Session of the GB (Indonesia)

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Progress since 2007 Legal and Policy Aspects

• Treaty has moved from text to operational system;

• Several technical and practical questions that have been raised by users in day-to-day operations worldwide;

• The GB provides guidance and takes major decisions on future management of the Gene pool.

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Funding Strategy (FS)

• Article 18 of the Treaty• 2006: Adopted at First Governing Body• 2007: Second Governing Body:

– adopted Annexes 1-3 and– delegated responsibility for project approval to

the Bureau

• 2008: opened Call for Proposals• 2009: Third Governing Body:

– Strategic Plan for resources mobilization – Target– Projects under the Benefit-sharing Fund

approved

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Joint Capacity Building Programe for Treaty Implementation

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Challenges for the Treaty

• Further operationalize MLS; • 2nd cycle of the Benefit-sharing Fund;• recognize two-fold nature of the Treaty:

– intergovernmental process;– operational systems & mechanisms;

• Maintain policy and operational coherence in Treaty implementation;

• Improve communication on Treaty & ongoing operation and evolution;

• Facilitate interaction between Contracting Parties & users & other stakeholders;

• Address the challenges of the agricultural sector in a changing environment (biodiversity loss, food prices, climate change, development, etc.);

• Leverage Treaty as a model for other sectors.

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Policy relevance of the Treaty• The only fully operational, international Access and

Benefit-sharing System for plant genetic resources;• Represents the agricultural sector and its specificity

within Plant Genetic Resources policy, while:• Providing innovative instrument to address

simultaneously several global challenges:– genetic erosion and biodiversity loss;– rural poverty of small-holder farmers; – food crisis and escalation of food prices;– crop adaptation to climate change;– bottom-up approach to development policy in

agriculture;• Becoming a model for numerous other sectors, eg.

WHO, animal genetic resources, UNCLOS, etc.

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Indonesia 2011 – GB4

Climate Change, Food Security and role of genetic resources

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Thank you!/ ¡Gracias! / Merci!

Please contact us:International Treaty Secretariat

at FAO, Building B, 6th floorTel.: 06-570-53554

E-mail: pgrfa-treaty@fao.orgwww.planttreaty.org