Approaching & Engaging the Community:

Community Biodiversity Registers

Bhuwon Sthapit and Pablo Eyzaguirre

b.sthapit@cgiar.org

p.eyzaguirre@cgiar.org

Farmer-Led Documentation FAO 28 Sept 2007

Conserving diversity: Raising awareness

Increasing public awareness includes returning information and project results to the communities who participated

Sharing information helps ensure resource conservation, local economic development and distribution of the benefits from biodiversity top those who pay the direct costs for its maintenance.

Techniques for sharing information: Public meetings and workshops Exchange visits Use of radio, film and paper media Diversity fairs Traditional food fairs Use of poetry, songs, essays and drama Courses, exhibits, games in schools Local museums

sharing of ideas between

local artists & team

field visit for picking up

local story base

drama in rural setting

Impact-reaching a

wide range of people

across age, gender,

wealth and ethnic groups

Rural Diversity DramaRural Diversity Drama

Conserving diversity: Raising awareness

Orientation on project

concept and goals

Overnight field visit by a team

of poets

Creation of poems about

value of biodiversity

Recite in situ for local people

Impact: popular and good

documentation

Rural Poetry JourneyRural Poetry Journey

Conserving diversity: Raising awareness

Conserving diversity: Raising awarenessConserving diversity: Raising awareness

Diversity fair ..community based competitive event to display local crop diversity

locating diversity and recognizing custodians

enhance exchange of materials and knowledge

rapid assessment of varietal diversity

sensitize community enhance farmer participation collection of germplasm

Impact: awareness; increased diversityImpact: awareness; increased diversity

Diversity blocks

non-replicated blocks (by ecological domain) under farmer’s management

characterization and evaluation of farmers’ varieties and preferred traits

assessment of consistency of farmers’ descriptors in naming and describing cultivars

selection for parent seed multiplication for diversity

kits community sensitization

Conserving diversity: Raising awareness

Diversity kits

a set of small quantity of seeds for informal research and development

encourage farmers to search, select and maintain preferred local genetic resources

deployment diversity for managing pests and disease stresses

strengthening seed networks for improved gene flow

enhance farmer participation

Conserving diversity: Raising awareness

Community bio-diversity register

NationalGenebank

Options• VA• PPB

Diversity fair/ block*

Householdseed store

Formal Breeding

Farmer’s seedsupply system

Community-based PGR management(Source: Sthapit and Jarvis, 1999)

Community-based genetic resource management: linking farmers to genebank and utilization

Community Biodiversity Register

A register (farmer information database) maintained by community based organizations for keeping inventory of biodiversity and associated knowledge holders and monitoring local crop diversity for the community benefits and needs.

recognition that community controls information, materials and decision making process

strengthen local capacity for conservation and utilization decisions

decentralization of farmer information database at community level

local commitment and a sense of ownership address the needs of rural livelihoods and income code of conduct for access to and benefit sharing

Community Biodiversity RegisterCommunity Biodiversity Register

Difference in approach?:Difference in approach?:

documentationdocumentation

monitoringmonitoring

marketingmarketing

exchangeexchange

fight biopiracyfight biopiracy

ownershipownership

Objectives:Objectives:

Community Biodiversity RegisterCommunity Biodiversity Register

Minimum data set required at house-hold level

What do we have? Why do we need to conserve them? How do we utilise them? What are the values of the materials? Who has traditional knowledge and how is it

transmitted? What are genetic resources that can be shared

within and outside the community? What are the most valued TK and resources that

should be kept as community-specific trade secret or prior informed consent?

Analysis and sharing of information and link with Analysis and sharing of information and link with R&DR&D

Recording of CBR for understanding diversityRecording of CBR for understanding diversity

Agreement on roles and responsibilities and code Agreement on roles and responsibilities and code of conduct for sharing information and benefitsof conduct for sharing information and benefits

Diversity fair for locating diversity and custodiansDiversity fair for locating diversity and custodians

Sharing ideas with community and grassroots Sharing ideas with community and grassroots institutionsinstitutions

Steps for implementing farmer information database, CBR

Training for CBR documentation Training for CBR documentation

Setting objectives of CBR with communitySetting objectives of CBR with community

Using CBR information for plant conservation

Large area Large area Many householdsMany households

Large area Few households

Small area Small area Few householdsFew households

Small area Many households

Ex situ conservation

rare

Germplasm enhancementParticipatory plant breeding

Value additionMarket linksAwareness

On-farm conservation

commonUsing four-cell analysis

Conserving diversity: Local initiatives

Community genebanks – Link conservation to production at community level

Distribute seeds on a loan basis

Income generation Address farmers’ needs for

access to crop genetic diversity Ensure sustainable supply of

planting materials Facilitate market access

Strengthening capacity of local institution as community resource centre

Support CBM programme:Support CBM programme:

Community seed bank e.g. ADCS, NepalCommunity seed bank e.g. ADCS, Nepal Support network of nurseries e.g. home garden in Ilam Support network of nurseries e.g. home garden in Ilam Support the annual work plan of CBOs, women groups Support the annual work plan of CBOs, women groups

and NGOs etc… and NGOs etc…

Nepal: Community biodiversity register: Transferring Nepal: Community biodiversity register: Transferring knowledge from one generation to the nextknowledge from one generation to the next

Thank you.