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

    151) Public access to seed of formerly protected varieties after expiry of the Plant Breeders’ Rights

    In the U.S., seed samples of protected varieties are available to the public through the US National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) when the plant variety protection on the variety expires for any reason. At that point, seed samples are transferred to the NPGS genebanks and can be requested by farmers, breeders, and the public without restrictions for use in research, plant breeding, and education. The objective is to facilitate access to such seed for qualified variety developers, which will ultimately benefit farmers. This arrangement, which relies on an agreement between the Plant Variety Protection Office and the NPGS, has been in place since the mid 1970’s.

    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

    152) Centers for Bio-knowledge and Agricultural Development (CBDA)

    The national agricultural research organization (Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIAP) together with universities and association representing farmers and indigenous peoples established the Centers for Bio-knowledge and Agricultural Development (CBDAs). The CBDAs are aimed at: investigating the agrobiodiversity richness in the area in a participatory manner; contributing to the management and conservation of native seeds and propagating materials; multiplying seeds of diverse origin (including ‘formal’ and peasant seed) to contribute to food security and climate-change adaptation; and capacity and awareness development for farmers and society in general on conservation, management and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity. Between 2003 and 2016, five CBDAs were established, providing a physical space in which activities can take place. Key results include suitable varieties of potatoes, corn, beans, cacao, coffee, peanuts, and cassava in their agroecological conditions; seed production of native species and varieties, and re-introduction of these native crops to farmers’ fields. The main lesson learned is that the CBDA must have a management plan that allows sustainability; legal commitment of the State to finance CBDA’ activities is also important, as is the case of Ecuador, which enforces the Law for Agrobiodiversity, Seeds and Promotion of Sustainable Agriculture.

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

    Type of measure/practice: Technical; Administrative

    153) Activities of the Mapuche Peoples in Chile and limitations of the legal framework

    The Organización Mapuche Consejo de Todas las Tierras represents more than three hundred Mapuche communities living in their ancient territories in Araucanía region of Chile. Mapuche peoples are known for being deeply attached to the earth and natural environments, they have unique culture, language and strong customary laws. Mapuche communities have followed ancestral practices of domestication and cultivation of various crops and their respective varieties to achieve food security, including potatoes, wheat, legumes, lentils, tomatoes, peppers and beans, among others. They continue to cultivate these crops despite the increasing presence of agro-industry in the region. Mapuche communities have no major obstacles for the cultivation and use of seeds in the communities; for example, there are no restrictions to the exchange of seeds between Mapuche families. However, there is currently no national or local legislation on the role of peasants in the dynamic management of biodiversity; no recognition of traditional knowledge and practices; and no differentiation between ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ seeds. While the absence of a legal framework has not prevented Mapuche communities from carrying out crop conservation activities based on Mapuche customary laws, it exposes seeds for traditional use to risks of genetic contamination and misappropriation.

    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: Others

    154) Community Seed Banks: enhancing local seed conservation

    The establishment of Community Seed Banks (CSB) has been undertaken by Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE) in collaboration with research institutions, universities, government and non-government organizations through various projects aiming to empower communities and small-scale farmers in Southeast Asia since 1996. CSB’s are collections of seeds that are administered by the communities and play a significant role in ensuring seed security, conserving agricultural biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, and providing options for climate-change adaptation; they can also contribute to the realization of Farmers’ Rights. The main component of the practice was capacity development through Participatory Plant Breeding, Participatory Variety Selection and ecological management through experiential learning in Farmer Field Schools. In the Philippines, the CSB’s became a model of both climate resiliency and agrobiodiversity: mitigating drought through seed distribution to affected farmers in Bohol and enriching the local ‘Dinorado’ variety in North Cotabato. In Bhutan, there was a resurgence of local crop varieties and the inclusion of conservation of PGRFA in their national policies. The impact extends further in Thailand, enabling the revival of the local cultural festival ‘Bun Kao Mai’, a Buddhist celebration of bountiful harvest, excellent seeds and diversity in rice varieties.

    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; Administrative

    155) Community Seed Banks

    In 2003, Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), in collaboration with the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and Bioversity International, started to establish Community Seed Banks (CSB) with the aim to: (1) promote on-farm conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA; (2) provide easy access to quality seeds and planting materials of diverse crop species and varieties; and (3) promote Farmers' Rights and food sovereignty. Core components include a well-functioning farmers' group/organization; trained human resources/members; properly maintained databases and records; good physical infrastructure; a self-financing mechanism; as well as linkages and collaboration with local and provincial government, national genebank and stakeholders. As a result of the initiative, more than 1000 local varieties of nearly 65 crop species have been conserved on farm by various CSB producing nearly 200 tons of good quality seeds of popular improved varieties and making them available locally to over ten thousand households annually. Key lessons learned include that CSB are not only physical structures nor technical matters, but a group operation requiring empowerment of individual farmers and groups operating the CSB. In addition, self-financing mechanisms are required to ensure sustainability.

    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