Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations  
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Please fix the following errors:

    Help on this page

    The Inventory

    This online version of the Inventory presents, for each measure, the title and a brief description with information on implementing organization(s), start year, objectives, core elements, key outcomes, and, if applicable, lessons learned. It thus allows users to quickly identify those examples that may be of interest to them. A hyperlink to the original submission is provided, which includes additional information, such as on the history and context of the presented measure, challenges encountered, or target groups reached. In this way, users can get a more comprehensive idea of the measure in question and the specific context for which it was developed.
     
    To facilitate navigation, the Inventory is subdivided into eleven categories. Measures or practices that fall under more than one category are listed under each one that applies. Furthermore, information is provided on the type(s) of measures that are typically involved, such as technical, administrative, legal, and/or others, and on the relevant sub-article of Article 9 that is addressed. Additional search options allow searching by country, region, free text and keyword.
     
     
     
     
     
    Clear search form
    Number of records: 234

    76) The Royal Decree 429/2020, of March 3, Regulation on Access to Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

    The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) is the responsible authority for international relations and State legislation such as related to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. In May 2020, the Official State Gazette published the approved Royal Decree 429/2020, of March 3, a new regulation which establishes procedures for access to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and measures relating to the implementation of Farmers´ Rights. The Regulation includes the following measures: • establishes access mechanisms to plant genetic resources according to relevant international treaties signed by Spain: the International Treaty and the Nagoya Protocol.• facilitates procedures for farmers to access PGRFA that are conserved ex situ for use direct for cultivation, provided that these varieties are not registered• takes into account the Directives 2008/62 / EC of the Commission, dated June 20, 2008 and 2009/145/E of the Commission, November 26, 2009• Creation of a new figure, that of the seed producer dedicated exclusively to the production and marketing of seeds of conservation varieties and varieties developed for cultivation under certain conditions. The requirements for the production and marketing of these varieties have less restrictions and limitations in terms of quantities and packaging.

    Category: 10.Legal measures for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights, such as legislative measures related to PGRFA.

    Type of measure/practice: Legal

    77) Site recognition of traditional agricultural systems

    In 2017, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), together with the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN), the National Bank of Economic and Social Development (BNDES), the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply and FAO Brazil, launched a call for the Traditional Agricultural Systems Prize. The initiative aimed to identify, recognize and protect traditional agricultural systems in which practices, places, instruments and ways of life contribute to on-farm conservation of PGRFA; it thereby addresses Brazil’s obligations under the ITPGRFA. The initiative builds on concepts developed under the National Immaterial Cultural Heritage Programme and the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme of FAO. The prize provides an opportunity for communities to present their initiatives for agrobiodiversity conservation. The organizers received 58 traditional agricultural systems, and selected 15 sites. Initiatives such as collective work, seed fairs, self-demarcation of traditional territories, among others, received the prize. The evaluation was done by a committee consisted of representatives of organizing institutions, universities and civil society organization. The prize includes a financial award and an opportunity for selected communities to participate in a workshop on patrimony and agricultural systems. A film, book and booklet were produced for promotional purposes.

    Category: 5.In-situ/on farm conservation and management of PGRFA, such as social and cultural measures, community biodiversity management and conservation sites

    Type of measure/practice: Technical; Administrative; Others

    78) Facilitation of family farmers and their organizations' access to plant genetic resources for agroecological food production

    Since July 2019, the National Commission for Rural Development, the Agroecology Network, and the National Network of Native and Creole Seed are implementing "Articulating Biodiversity in Family Farming Production project." The project brings together different stakeholders and institutions, including thousands of family farmers in Uruguay. The project objective is to facilitate farmers' access to plant genetic resources to address climate change variability in collaboration with the Collective Centers for the Protection of Agrobiodiversity (CCRA), INIA's Germplasm Bank (BG), and the Faculty of Agronomy (UDELAR), which provide genetic materials of diverse origins and receive native and creole varieties provided by farmers. These materials are evaluated and multiplied on family farms and are disseminated to family farming communities. Sharing and exchange of information are facilitated through meetings and training workshops. Among the main results, cooperation between and among the local producers' organizations, research institutions, and state bodies to establish evaluation and multiplication plots for fodder crops, deciduous fruit crops, horticultural and cereal crops. The main lesson learned highlights the importance of cooperation between and among the institutions, local producers/family farming communities, and other actors involved as a fundamental element for the implementation and realization of the rights of farmers and peasants.

    Category: 7.Participatory approaches to research on PGRFA, including characterization and evaluation, participatory plant breeding and variety selection

    Type of measure/practice: Technical

    79) Advocacy work for the implementation of Farmers' Rights in national laws

    Since 1991, Confédération Paysanne, together with Coordination Nationale de Défense des Semences de Ferme (CNDSF), has engaged in advocacy work to defend the right of farmers to use seeds harvested from their own crops; the organization has further mobilized against transgenic crops on many occasions. In 2001, Confédération Paysanne partnered with organic producer associations and CNDSF to establish the Réseau Semences Paysannes (RSP), pooling the resources of organizations that support and develop peasant seeds for farmers’ and gardeners’ use. Confédération Paysanne and RSP have also participated in several European scientific programmes, which aimed, inter alia, at making proposals for legislative measures to protect and develop agrobiodiversity. In 2008, they initiated the civil society movement ‘Semons la biodiversité’ (‘Let’s sow biodiversity’) aiming to amend French national laws where they limit the rights of farmers. This movement has launched numerous public awareness campaigns (educational documents, petitions, public conferences, open farms, etc.), including with activities directly targeting Members of Parliament (e.g. public letters, internet campaigns, etc.). These campaigns have contributed to several achievements in terms of laws and regulations that facilitate, to a certain extent, the sharing and use of farm-saved seed and other planting materials, at the national and European level.

    Category: 9.Training, capacity development and public awareness creation

    Type of measure/practice: Others

    80) Drought-tolerant maize provides extra 9 months of food for farming families

    In 2014, the International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT), in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and with funding provided through the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Research Program on Maize, started the implementation of the ‘Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa’ project, which will be continued under the ‘Stress Tolerant Maize for Africa’ project. The objective of the project is to improve food and economic security of Zimbabwean farmers by stabilizing and securing maize food security when drought strikes. Core components include development and dissemination of drought-tolerant (DT) maize varieties to farmers in Zimbabwe to improve maize yields and improve livelihood conditions. Key outcomes so far are improved maize yields (up to 40%) under severe drought conditions, providing smallholders in Zimbabwe an additional nine months of food at no additional cost. Key lessons learned include that Zimbabwean households that grew DT maize experienced a significant increase in total maize production; DT maize thus has the potential to improve food and economic security for many farmers.

    Category: 6.Facilitation of farmers’ access to a diversity of PGRFA through community seed banks, seed networks and other measures improving farmers’ choices of a wider diversity of PGRFA.

    Type of measure/practice: Technical