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

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    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.
     
     
     
     
     
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    Number of records: 235

    81) 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

    82) Preparation of a biocultural identity map in the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve for agro-tourism purposes

    The Instituto de Investigaciones Fundamentales en Agricultura Tropical ‘Alejandro de Humboldt' (INIFAT), together with other governmental and non-governmental organizations, has engaged in the development of innovative mechanisms for the valorisation and certification of quality products with territorial identity in the Biosphere Reserves. Since this approach was new for the Cuban context, a preliminary methodology was elaborated based on lessons learned through a Diploma course in Territorial Development with Cultural Identity in Chiloé, Chile, in which a representative from Cuba participated in 2013. ‘Biocultural identity maps’ were then elaborated for the Biosphere Reserves ‘Sierra del Rosario’ and ‘Cuchillas del Toa’. This methodology allows to ‘draw’ the territory in its historical, cultural, economic and ecological dimensions, and on this basis to develop and implement a ‘basket’ of goods and services carrying the biocultural identity; local stakeholders take a leading role in identifying elements that should be included in the map and in establishing requirements for access to labels and seals. The final bulletin, accompanied by interviews with stakeholders, allows to visualize the activities that are carried out by each of them, and to guide tourists on their way to explore the products and services derived.

    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

    83) Protocol on in situ on-farm conservation of traditional crops

    In 2013, the Department of Agriculture developed a protocol for in situ on-farm conservation of traditional varieties of crops, which focuses on traditional varieties, farmer varieties and landraces. The protocol was formulated based on the experience and lessons gained from a previous project on in situ on-farm conservation of local crops (rice, yam, taro and sweet potato) funded under the Benefit Sharing Fund of FAO-ITPGRFA, executed by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and implemented by the Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños. The Protocol aims to provide guidance to stakeholders and institutionalize in situ on-farm conservation of traditional crops. The Protocol covers two main areas, technical (e.g. capacity development) and institutional (e.g. mainstreaming conservation and sustainability of traditional crop varieties in development plans at different administrative levels), and was agreed upon and adopted during a national stakeholders’ consultation attended by relevant national government agencies, including local government units, NGOs, civil society organizations and private companies. As a result, local government units expressed their willingness to conserve traditional varieties, continue the practice and provision of funds.

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

    Type of measure/practice: Technical; Administrative

    84) The Plant Heritage Award

    The Plant Heritage Award was created in order to support awareness, engagement and action to preserve and use plant genetic resources. It was awarded for the first time in 2006. The candidates are proposed to the Norwegian Centre for Genetic Resources at the Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) and approved by its advisory board. The award is meant as an appreciation for special efforts that promote the goal of conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic diversity. It can be awarded to individuals as well as institutions and is not exclusively directed towards farmers. However, since it was established, several farmers have been awarded the prize, which consists of a unique lithography by a Norwegian artist as well as a diploma. Thus, the prize also recognizes the important efforts of farmers in addition to those of researchers and formal institutions in conserving PGRFA and ensuring sustainable use of those resources. It creates an annual event that gives an opportunity to strengthen awareness on the importance of conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA, thus addressing the general public, other farmers as well as the political leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, amongst other public institutions.

    Category: 1.Recognition of local and indigenous communities’, farmers’ contributions to conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA, such as awards and recognition of custodian/guardian farmers

    Type of measure/practice: Administrative; Others

    85) Community biodiversity registries and biocultural community protocols: strengthening communities’ capacity to manage crop genetic diversity in Benin

    From 2015 to 2018, Community Biodiversity registers and Biocultural Community Protocols were developed in Benin. The national agricultural research organization Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Benin (INRAB) as well as several NGOs were involved (see submissions for detailed lists of project partners). In a first step, community biodiversity registries were established in the participating communities to identify crop, forage and agroforestry diversity in their agricultural systems. These registers can be used, for example, for the documentation of traditional knowledge associated with PGRFA, for monitoring purposes or to identify potentially interesting materials for exchange with outsiders. Biocultural Community Protocols were then developed with the objective of helping local communities to take advantage of their countries’ commitments under both the ITPGRFA and the Nagoya Protocol by establishing mechanisms to regulate access to genetic resources in their territories. These protocols can set out rights and responsibilities under customary, state and international law as the basis for engaging with external actors, such as governments, companies, academics and NGOs, and to establish the terms and conditions for access to and use of their traditional knowledge and resources.

    Category: 4.Catalogues, registries and other forms of documentation of PGRFA and protection of traditional knowledge

    Type of measure/practice: Administrative; Others