Global Information System

Number of records: 233

121) Strengthening community resilience through in situ conservation and management of crop diversity for food security

The Instituto de Investigaciones Fundamentales en Agricultura Tropical ‘Alejandro de Humboldt’ (INIFAT), together with other partners, received financial support from the Benefit-sharing Fund of the International Treaty. One of the funded projects addressed the ‘Contribution of traditional methods for the in situ conservation and management of maize (Zea mays L.) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to the food security of peasant families executed in 2011 to 2012 provided an in-depth information of crops’ characterisics based on farmers’ perceptions. The project enabled to document corn and bean varieties and the traditional farming system in rural areas, while also providing training workshops, agrobiodiversity fairs and culinary festivals to promote awareness among communities regarding the importance of in situ conservation of crops. Through these activities, farmers were motivated to rescue the ‘lost’ cultivars; non-academic workshops were important tools for the dissemination of good practices of relevance for interested farmers. A second project commences in 2019, aims to strengthen community resilience and improve food security of farming communities in two Biosphere Reserves through in situ conservation and sustainable use of crop diversity. It will support farming community in crop improvement, strengthening community seed bank and networks, and organization of seed fairs and culinary festivals.

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; Others

122) Locally adapted varieties in Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, Guatemala

This good practice started in 1999 in the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, Huehuetenango, Guatemala, with active participation of the Asociación de Organizaciones de los Cuchumatanes (ASOCUCH), technical support by Fundación para la Innovación Tecnológica (FUNDIT) and Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Agrícola (ICTA) and financial support by the Norwegian Development Fund (Utviklingsfondet). The main objective was to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmer families and indigenous communities through the sustainable use of native agrobiodiversity, including for adaptation to climate change. The core components of the initiative include: (1) participatory characterization of local varieties of maize, beans, vegetables and native herbs with the participation of farmers organized in Community Seed Banks and/or Local Agricultural Research Committees (CIALs); (2) Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) of maize varieties adapted to specific conditions; and (3) improvement of local varieties, mainly maize, through the use of the Stratified Mass Selection method. The main results obtained include the generation of 10 improved varieties of maize; the dissemination of more than 3,000 seed packages

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

Type of measure/practice: Technical; Administrative

123) Law for Agrobiodiversity, Seeds and Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture (2017)

This law was developed under the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and entered into force in 2017. The main objectives are to protect, revitalize and promote dynamic conservation of agrobiodiversity; ensure production, free and permanent access to quality seeds, including by strengthening scientific research and promoting sustainable agricultural production models. It also respect the diverse identities, knowledge and traditions that guarantee the availability of healthy, diverse, nutritious and culturally appropriate food to achieve food sovereignty and contribute to the ‘Good Living’ (‘Sumak Kawsay’). It guarantees the free use and exchange of peasant seeds, and establishes rules for the production, certiﬁcation and commercialization of certified seeds. The law is a normative instrument that would allow the conservation of diverse agricultural biodiversity species of nutritional and economic importance, as well as with industrial potentials. The law consists of three chapters: (1) conservation of native seed; (2) regulation of certified seed; and (3) sustainable agricultural practices. It includes a clarification of rights in the context of PGRFA as well as provisions for the conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA, including monitoring, research and innovation activities; knowledge sharing and seed exchange. A technical committee is currently developing the implementation modalities of this new law.

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

Type of measure/practice: Legal

124) Conservation of traditional crop varieties

There are over 100 Dutch agrobiodiversity initiatives that are concerned with the conservation of traditional crop varieties. The Government of the Netherlands supports these initiatives, focused on the management of Dutch biocultural heritage, through the Centre for Genetic Resources the Netherlands (CGN). The CGN genebank, focusing mainly on vegetables and animal genetic resources, plays an important role in safeguarding genetic resources for the current and future generations of farmers. CGN is engaged in activaities including the development and maintenance of the knowledge-sharing platform ‘the Oerakker’, further development of the ‘Orange List’ for conservation varieties, support for the implementation of European conservation guidelines, regeneration of the last part of ‘Eternal Mash’ collection and its conservation under long-term genebank conditions. Moreover, CGN is involved in communication on biodiversity for better understanding of the conservation of genetic resources and their sustainable use.

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

Type of measure/practice: Technical

125) Conservation and sustainable use of cultivated and wild Tropical fruit diversity: promoting sustainable livelihoods, food security and ecosystem services

The Indonesian Fruits Research Institute, East Java Assessment Institute for Agriculture Technology, and South Kalimantan Assessment Institute for Agriculture Technology implemented this program between 2009 and 2015 to promote on-farm conservation activities of tropical fruits. Objectives were to (1) increase farmers’ capacities and capabilities in managing genetic resources of tropical fruits through learning exchange visits; (2) implement community nursery activities; (3) establish field genebanks; (4) implement product processing and marketing to increase product value and farmers’ income; (5) disseminate results; and (6) produce publications. Core components included community development based on knowledge of management systems and the code of ethics for sharing knowledge and material. For example, descriptions used by farmers and farmer groups in distinguishing varieties and species were identified and consistency in naming cultivars promoted; project locations were identified based on social, cultural, economic and environmental interests; methods for implementing good conservation practices at the project site were developed and promoted; project partners were trained to describe genetic diversity through participatory assessments. Key outcomes include improved awareness of the importance of conservation; increased community participation in conservation programs; and increased income and welfare of the participating communities.