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: 233

    96) Participation of farmers in the conservation and use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, as well as their involvement in decision-making at local and national level

    In 2019, the Agricultural University of Tirana, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other private stakeholders started implementing the project titled: "Identification, evaluation and genetic improvement of some local crop varieties to face with impact of climate change, increase the productivity, food security and on-farm incomes, for poor farmers in remote mountainous areas in Albania". The core components of the project include: (1) creating awareness on the effects of climate change and the importance of agrobiodiversity conservation, (2) identification, collection and characterization of locally adapted crop varieties of maize and beans, to be used by farmers, (3) improvement of local crop varieties, seed multiplication and distribution to farmers, (4) strengthening of seed system capacities to provide quality seed of adapted local cultivars, among others. Some of the key outcomes of the project include: supporting farmers to maintain and conserve agro-biodiversity in areas vulnerable to climate change and food insecurity, in addition to strengthening of research capacities to produce locally adapted varieties. The lessons learned by the implementation of the measure are that participatory approaches that directly involve beneficiaries during implementation, enhance the success and sustainability of the activity, and that the direct participation of farmers plus cooperation with scientific institutions are key for success.

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

    Type of measure/practice: Technical

    97) Landrace enhancement (‘grassroots breeding’)

    In 1998, Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), in cooperation with the Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC), Bioversity International and farmer groups, engaged in ‘grassroots breeding’ to promote conservation and use of local varieties by enhancing them for relevant traits and distributing them via formal and farmer-managed seed systems. Core components include: (1) identification of local crop diversity important for food security and/or income generation; (3) setting breeding goals based on in-depth discussion with communities; (3) collecting seed samples; (4) evaluation of collected samples; and (5) registration, seed production and distribution. Key outcomes include the development of a systematic method for landrace enhancement leading to the development of several improved varieties, e.g. of rice, millet and common beans. For some, variety release/registration proposals have been submitted to the National Seed Board (NSB) to enable formal distribution. In addition, community seed-producer groups and Community Seed Banks make the developed varieties constantly available to local farming communities. This process directly contributes to improving farmers' seed systems, promotes seed exchange and income-generation for farmers involved in seed production activities; varieties that were about to disappear are again cultivated by many farmers in large areas.

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

    Type of measure/practice: Technical

    98) Annual support to the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF)

    Norway launched its annual contribution to the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF) during the official opening ceremony of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in 2008 to stress the importance of on-farm conservation of PGRFA, complementing ex situ conservation efforts, and to ensure financial support based on a predictable contribution to the BSF from a user country. At the same time, this annual contribution is done in recognition of the benefit of Norwegian agriculture of plant genetic resources that originate from other areas of the globe. To illustrate this argument, this voluntary contribution is related to the seed trade and equals 0.1% of annual seed sales in Norway. It is referred to in the State Budget, endorsed by the parliament. Norway considers it to be a use-based, voluntary monetary benefit sharing. In addition, the annual contributions give an opportunity to bring the issue regularly to the attention of the political leadership of the ministry.

    Category: 2.Financial contributions to support farmers conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA such as contributions to benefit-sharing funds

    Type of measure/practice: Others

    99) Participatory plant breeding

    In 1997, Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), in collaboration with researchers of Bangor University (UK), the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and Bioversity International, implemented Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) to develop farmer-preferred new varieties while maintaining useful traits of local varieties. Core components of PPB include: (1) identification of community, crop and farmers’ needs; (2) selection of breeding material; (3) crossing selected parents; (4) selecting in segregating materials in farmers’ fields; (5) quality and quantitative assessments by farmers and breeders, including post-harvest traits; (6) development of local seed supply systems; and (7) registration/release from the national system. Key outcomes were the development of new rice and maize varieties using local varieties as breeding parents. Kachorwa Community Seed Banks produce around one ton of newly developed rice variety seeds every year, which are sold and distributed locally. The rice variety registration proposal has been submitted to the National Seed Board. The maize variety is already registered in the national system and a community-based seed producer group is producing and marketing seeds of the newly developed variety. Lessons learned include the importance of involving farmers in setting breeding goals and strengthening their institutions.

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

    Type of measure/practice: Technical

    100) Court ruling confirming the implementation of the Constitutional measure as contained in Article 401 of the Ecuadorian Constitution, a legal measure that protects and enforces farmers’ rights to seeds and crops that are GM-free

    Article 401 of Ecuador’s 2008 Constitution declares the country free of transgenic crops and seeds. It prohibits the cultivation of Genetically Modified (GM) crops and protects farmers’ rights to access GM-free seeds and crops, and ensures that their farmer seeds and seed systems are not contaminated. In 2018, the presence of transgenic soybean crops was verified in several farms in Los Rios province by non-governmental and peasant organizations. Two campesino organizations (Centro Agrícola de Quevedo and Federación de Centros Agrícolas del Litoral) in collaboration with the Ombudsman's Office and Acción Ecológica as a witness, filed an action for protection against the presence of GM crops. On 18 January 2019, the criminal judicial unit based in Quevedo canton issued a judgment order for the Los Rios province to remain a territory free of transgenic crops and seeds. In June 2017, Ecuador’s National Assembly approved the "Organic Law on Biodiversity, Seeds, and Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture." However, Article 56 of the Organic Law sidestepped the provisions of Article 401 and that it permitted GM cultivation for research purposes. As a result, several social movements appealed to the Constitutional Court, citing the unconstitutionality of the Organic law. In January 2022, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador declared Article 56 of the Law on Seed, Agrobiodiversity, and Sustainable Agriculture unconstitutional through Judgment No. 22-17-IN.

    Category:

    Type of measure/practice: Legal