A Multilateral System For Plant Genetic Resources

This paper argues that a comprehensive Multilateral System for plant genetic resouce for food and agriculture is required which ensures the conservation of plant genetic resources and their utilization form human benefit at a global level. Such a system would incorporate agreements on access to plant genetic resources which ensured their availability; mechanisms for the sharing of benefits derived from plant genetic resources; conservation networks and information systems, and research and plant breeding capacity which meets the needs of farmers worldwide. Such a system should be developed with the full participation of all groups involved in teh management genetic resources.

History and development. The FAO global system for the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. The International treaty on plant genetic resources for dood and agriculture. The Convention on Biological Diversity. Origin and movement of OGR: implications for acess and benefit-sharing policies. The TRIPS agreement. UPOV. Phytosanitary and biosafety measures. Development and improvement of genetic resources. Cross-cutting issues. Economic issues.

Our food and livelihood security depend on the sustained management of the diverse biological resources that make up the Earth's plant genetic resources. This book is about the creation, management and use of the global crop commons, based upon the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

At head of cover: IUCN Environmental Law Programme.

The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) is a pivotal piece of recent legislation, providing a route map for the use of such resources for sustainable agriculture and food security. Plant Genetic Resources and Food Security explains clearly the different interests and views at stake between all players in the global food chain. It touches upon many issues such as international food governance and policy, economic aspects of food and seed trade, conservation and sustainable use of food and agricultural biodiversity, hunger alleviation, ecological concerns, consumers' protection, fairness and equity between nations and generations, plant breeding techniques and socio-economic benefits related to food local economies. The book shows that despite the conflicting interests at stake, players managed to come to an agreement on food and agriculture for the sake of food security and hunger alleviation in the world. Published with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and with Bioversity International.

The 6th session of the FAO Commission on Plant Genetic Resources requested that IPGRI study the feasibility of possible systems for the exchange of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA)1 and the equitable sharing of benefits. The following report is the result of that study. It seeks to provide the Commission with a set of options and their implications and thus to inform international negotiationsconncerning the revision of the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Tesources. As part of the study process a wide series of consultations was held with major stakeholder groups. A fundamental justification for conserving and characterizing PGRFA is their potential for use in the development of improved crop varieties. These improved varieties are necessary to meet the food needs of a growing population and the demands of changing agro-ecological and social conditions.

This book discusses the means, instruments and institutions to create incentives to promote conservation and sustainable use of traditional knowledge and plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, in the framework of the world trade order. It approaches these topics on a broad basis: it analyses in depth the option to create specific sui generis intellectual property rights of the TRIPS Agreement. It then discusses the ways to support the maintenance of information which cannot be allocated to specific authors, and examines alternative concepts within the trade of traditionally generated information and related products. This book will be of significant interest to those studying and researching biotechnology, plant breeding, genetic resources, intellectual property law and agricultural economics.