planttreaty

1. The international Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA): Inter-dependence of countriesDr. Shakeel BhattiSecretaryInternational Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and AgriculturePlant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculturegeneral aspects and research opportunitiesRome, 5 November 2009 http://www.planttreaty.org http://www.planttreaty.org

2. 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

3. The scope of the Treaty is all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture J. T. Esquinas

4. 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

5. Interdependence

6. 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;

7. 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.

8. Voluntary contributions (eg, NW, IT) PrivateSector Multilateral System International Treaty Main Operational Systems & Mechanisms Others Benefit-sharing fund 1,1% of net sales SMTA3 100,000+ transfers 07 600+ transfer/day PrioritiesCriteria Operational Procedures R2 SMTA2 R1 GB priority: farmers in developing countries who conserve and sustainably utilize PGRFA SMTA1 P1 On-farm conservation information exchange & tech.transfer sustainable use Others CP Int’l org Natural and legal person

9. Daily Transfers of PGRFA

10. Number of SMTAs from IRRI – by Month Sample only

11. Transfers of Rice Germplasm Under SMTAs From IRRI – Global IRRI Transfers by Sector Sample only

12. Transfers of Rice Germplasm Under SMTAs From IRRI – by Sector and Country Sample only

13. 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) Annexesof Funding Strategy adopted 1-5June 2009 –Third Session of the GB (Tunis) Benefit-sharing Projects Approved 2011 –Fourth Session of the GB (Indonesia)

14. 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.

15. 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

17. Joint Capacity Building Programe for Treaty Implementation

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. Indonesia 2011 – GB4 Climate Change, Food Security and role of genetic resources

21. Thank you!/ ¡Gracias! / Merci! Please contact us: International Treaty Secretariat at FAO, Building B, 6th floor Tel.: 06-570-53554 E-mail: pgrfa-treaty@fao.org www.planttreaty.org