Global Information System

Number of records: 233

31) 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

32) Implementation of the program Bioeconomy Brazil Sociobiodiversity

During the past two decades, the Brazilian government has implemented policies addressing concerns of smallholder farmers, indigenous people and traditional communities living in close relation with biodiversity. In 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, launched the Bioeconomy Brazil Sociobiodiversity program. The program aims at promoting partnerships between the government, family farmers, small scale and medium-scale farmers, traditional communities and their enterprises, and the business sector. The programme further aims at promoting the sustainable use of sociobiodiversity and extractive resources, as well as the production and use of energy from renewable resources, while allowing the participation of the communities living closely with biodiversity in the productive and economic arrangements through the concept of bioeconomy. The program axes comprised of (i) productive structuring of the extractivism chains; (ii) medicinal, aromatics, condiment herbs and special teas of Brazil; (iii) sociobiodiversity routes; (iv) potentialities of Brazilian agrobiodiversity; and (v) renewable energy for family farming. With these axes, the Ministry intends to raise the income-generating capacity of farmers through the aggregated values of biodiversity.

Category: 3.Approaches to encourage income-generating activities to support farmers’ conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA

Type of measure/practice: Technical; Administrative

33) Farmer participatory approach in increasing genetic diversity in farmers field with exotic taro plant genetic resources

The National Agricultural Research Institution (NARI) of Papua New Guinea (PNG), together with international partners, implemented a Participatory Plant Breeding project from 2011-2015 with the aim to increase the diversity of taro, which is the fourth most important crop in PNG. It also aims to address adaptation to climate change, pest and disease outbreaks and new market needs. In a survey conducted in 2013 and other previous documentation by NARI, it was found that the genetic diversity of taro in farmers’ field is very narrow; however, enhancing the diversity of this crop, which is mostly vegetatively propagated, requires specific technical know-how. The project thus brought together scientist working directly with local farmers in 18 village communities in three districts; around 300 farmers participated. The project included activities such as participatory evaluation of genetic resources, including from international collections, selection of breeding parents, crossing and seed harvesting and evaluation of progenies. Promising new progenies are the key outcome and were distributed to the village communities for on-farm evaluation, including for local adaptation and eating quality, based on farmers’ own criteria. Women played a key role in the process since they do most of the farming activities, such as planting, weeding and harvesting.

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

Type of measure/practice: Technical

34) Implementation of EU directives on conservation and amateur varieties, and preservation mixtures

Since 2009, Germany has translated several European directives, which aim to promote sustainable use of plant genetic resources, in national ordinances. Landraces and varieties naturally adapted to the local and regional conditions and significant for the conservation of plant genetic resources can be accepted for inclusion in the national list of registered varieties as ‘conservation varieties’. Vegetable varieties with no intrinsic value for commercial crop production can be registered as ‘amateur varieties’. Less stringent uniformity requirements apply to such varieties. Only limited amounts of seed of these varieties may be marketed. The seed does not require official certification but must meet the requirements for certified seed (agricultural varieties) or standard seed (vegetable varieties). The Federal Plant Variety Office (BSA) has registered 131 amateur and 48 conservation varieties as of June 2019.

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

Type of measure/practice: Administrative; Legal

35) Securing local seed systems through Farmers’ Seed Clubs

Empowerment of farmers has been an ongoing undertaking and objective in Mekong Delta since 1996, based on various projects and partnerships. One such initiative, implemented by the Mekong Delta Development Research Institute (MDI), in collaboration with Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE), included capacity development in rice breeding and seed production through experiential learning in Farmer Field Schools. As a result, over 300 seed clubs were formed across the Mekong Delta, which produced and distributed 158,000 tons of seeds of 77 rice varieties in 2018, benefitting 24,000 households. They supply at least 35% of the seed in the region and are recognized by farmers and local government authorities, such as Seed Centers, Extension Centers and the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) as important suppliers of good quality seeds. Furthermore, they developed 359 rice varieties, of which four have been registered and certified nationally, while five are in the process of registration. The contributions of seed clubs to improving seed systems and encouraging participation of individuals and communities in local seed production and distribution caused the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to issue Decision 35/2008/QĐ-BNN, encouraging local authorities to support community-based on-farm seed management.

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.