commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture (cgrfa) rome, 20 october 2009

Preparation of the Second Report on the State of the

World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

(CGRFA-12/09/5)

Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA)

Rome, 20 October 200901/36

1996: SoW-1 and the GPA were received by 150 countries at the Leipzig International Technical Conference on PGR.

2004: CGRFA requested FAO to revise the timeline, encouraged participation

2005: Guidelines for the preparation of CRs agreed

2007: CGRFA stressed - high quality document, focus on changes since the SoW-1 with regional and global analysis to identify gaps and needs

2009: ITWG-PG4 revised the draft SoW-2 and recommended to the CGRFA to endorse and use it to update the rolling GPA

Background

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Update SoW-1 with the best data and information available, focusing on changes that had occurred since 1996

Provide sound basis for updating GPA taking into account changes, needs and gaps

The Second Report on the State of the World’s PGRFA (SoW-2)

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SoW-2 ContentSoW-2 Content

•Diversity• In situ management•Ex situ conservation•Use•National programmes•Regional - International collaboration•ABS and farmers' rights

•Contribution of PGRFA to FS and SAD04/36

Country-driven process (through Country Reports)

Guided by the ITWG-PG

Fully integrated with the process of monitoring the implementation of the GPA (NISM - 61)

Partners: Bioversity International, GCDT, genebanks, CGIAR centres, NGOs, etc

Supported by the Governments of Canada, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain

Preparatory Process

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Country Reports’ preparation

SoW-2 Preparatory ProcessChallenges

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Region Number of countries

Africa 22Americas 22Asia and the Pacific 19Europe 29Near East 17Total 109

Geographical Distribution of Geographical Distribution of Country ReportsCountry Reports

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8

Country Reports’ preparation

Information on SoW-1 – qualitative Most of the CR arrived in 2009 Time constraint to prepare the first

draft of the SoW-2 SoW-1 with SoW-2 sample difference Quality of the Country Reports

SoW-2 Preparatory ProcessChallenges

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Preparatory process

Country Reports

Thematic StudiesLiterature

Regional Analysis

Expert Consultation

ITWG-PG4

09/36July 09 June 09 May 09 – April 08

The state of diversity

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Changes since SoW-1• Scientific understanding on farm management

increased

• Interest and awareness of the importance of conserving CWR increased

• Interest in neglected and under-utilized species increased

• Genetic erosion and vulnerability – new tools – but not possible yet to clearly understand the magnitude and extent of the effects

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The state of in situ management

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• Large number of surveys and inventories of PGRFA have been conducted

• CWR received much more attention - strategies and protocols were developed

• Increase in the use of participatory approaches to on farm conservation

Changes since SoW-1

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• The draft global strategy on the conservation of CWR needs to be finalized and adopted

• Effective policies and legislative frameworks and closer collaboration between agriculture and environment sectors needed

Gaps and Needs

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The state of ex situ conservation

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Changes since SoW-1 (1/2)• 1750 genebanks - (15% > 1996)

• 130 genebanks > 10,000 accessions

• 7.4 m accessions – (1.4 m > 1996)

• 6.6 m national genebanks

• 45% held in only 7 countries (1996 = 12)

• 2 m estimated to be distinct accessions16/36

Changes since SoW-1 (2/2)

• > 240,000 new accessions collected

• Increase in collection missions carried out by countries - focus on obsolete cultivars, landraces and CWR

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• Lack human capacity, funds or facilities to conserve PGRFA under the required standards

• High level of unintended global duplication, mainly for the major crops

• For many under-utilized species and CWR collections still do not exist

• Documentation, characterization and evaluation need to be strengthened and data more accessible

Gaps and Needs

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The state of use

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Plant breeding capacity

• Has not changed– Urgent need for capacity building– National investments in PB

• SoW-1 to SoW-2– Decrease in public PB– Increase in private

• Increase in use of wild species20/36

Crops and traits

• Crops– Focus remain on major crops– Increased importance of under-utilized

• Traits– Focus remain on yield– Breeding for resistance to biotic and

tolerance to abiotic stresses– Major genes– “Breeding” for climate change

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Changes since SoW-1 (1/2)

• PB capacity has not changed

• # accession characterized and evaluated has increased

• Increased in farmers’ involvement in PB

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Changes since SoW-1 (2/2)

• Main constraints = SoW-1 (human capacity, funds and facilities)

• Area with transgenic crops increased

• Increase in seed trade – fewer and larger seed companies – major crops

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Constraints to improve use

• Human resources– lack trained people (age)

• Funding– Long term funding– Under-utilized crops

• Cooperation and linkages– Curators, breeders and seed producers

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The state of national programmes, training needs and legislation

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Changes since SoW-1

• National programme 53% (1996) and 71% (2007)

• National programmes - participation of other stakeholders increased

• New training opportunities have opened in several countries

• Biosafety has emerged as an important issue

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The state of regional and international collaboration

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Changes since SoW-1

• New networks have been established(regional - crop specific – thematic)

• FONTAGRO (1998)• GFAR (1999)• Entry into force the ITPGRFA (2004)• GCDT (2004)• FAO – GIPB (2006)• SGSV (2008)

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Access to PGR, the sharing of benefits arising out of their utilization and the

realization of farmers rights

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Changes since SoW-1

• MLS of ABS under the ITPGRFA

• 30 countries with ABS regulations

• Policy and legislations on farmers’ rights

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The contribution of PGRFA to food security

and sustainable agricultural development

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Changes since SoW-1

• Growing efforts to strengthen the relationship between agriculture and the provision of ecosystem services

• Impact of climate change and importance of PGRFA as a response to its consequences

• Niche and high-value markets are expanding rapidly

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• Integrated approach to the management of PGRFA at national level

• Indicators to monitor the specific role of PGRFA

• Better integration among conservation, utilization and delivery systems at national level

Gaps and Needs

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$ITWG-PG4

Recommendations

Guidance Sought

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ITWG-PG4 Recommendation to the CGRFA and Guidance Sought• Endorse the SoW-2 as the authoritative

assessment of this sector

• Request FAO to publish the SoW-2

• Governments and donors to make available financial resources to translate and publish the SoW-2

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Thank You

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Thank you