International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Latest News

Indian farmers and experts are urging the government to reject proposed expansions to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

About International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture 

• It was adopted by the Thirty-First Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on 3 November 2001.
• Entering into force in June 2004, it is the only legally binding international agreement that specifically deals with the conservation and sustainable management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA).
• The countries which participate in the treaty exchange and share genetic material and information for most of the world’s most important food crops.
• Objectives:
  • Conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA.
  • Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity, for sustainable agriculture and food security. 
• The treaty ensures that farmers and plant breeders access, easily, the raw genetic material needed to develop new crop varieties, including those with higher yields and those that are resilient to climate change.
• The International Treaty makes it possible to share plant genetic resources across borders through a unique Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing (MLS).
  • MLS applies to 64 major crops and forages over which recipients cannot claim Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) or any other rights. 
• The exchange of material from the MLS is operationalised through the standard material transfer agreement (SMTA), a legal document that governs the terms under which genetic material is shared.
• Those who access genetic materials through the Multilateral System agree to share any benefits from their use.
  • Fair sharing of benefits from use can be achieved through information exchange, access to and transfer of technology, capacity building, and sharing of the financial and other benefits of marketing.
• This treaty established and operates a special initiative operated for the benefit of developing countries–the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF).
• BSF supports agricultural projects for farmers, public institutions and others in developing countries to conserve and use PGRFA to improve food crop production, fight plant pests, and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Source: DTE

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