ABSTRACT

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.

chapter 1|23 pages

Introduction

A Treaty to Fight Hunger – Past Negotiations, Present Situation and Future Challenges

part I|107 pages

Regional Perspectives on the Treaty

chapter 2|13 pages

Overview of the Regional Approaches

The Negotiating Process of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

chapter 3|16 pages

The African Regional Group

Creating Fair Play between North and South

chapter 4|11 pages

The Asian Regional Group

chapter 5|12 pages

The European Regional Group

Europe's Role and Positions during the Negotiations and Early Implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

chapter 6|11 pages

The Latin American and Caribbean Regional Group

A Long and Successful Process for the Protection, Conservation and Enhancing of PGRFA

chapter 7|16 pages

The Near East Regional Group

Centring the Diversity for Unlocking the Genetic Potential

chapter 8|11 pages

The North American Group

Globalization That Works

chapter 9|11 pages

The Southwest Pacific Regional Group

A View from the Pacific Island Countries and Territories

part II|101 pages

Perspectives on the Treaty by Stakeholders in the World Food Chain

chapter 10|14 pages

International Non-governmental Organizations

The Hundred Year (or so) Seed War – Seeds, Sovereignty and Civil Society – A Historical Perspective on the Evolution of ‘The Law of the Seed'

chapter 11|14 pages

International Research Centres

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

chapter 12|12 pages

The Seed Industry

Plant Breeding and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

chapter 13|7 pages

Farmers' Communities

A reflection on the Treaty from Small Farmers' Perspectives

chapter 14|14 pages

Gene Bank Curators

Towards Implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture by the Indian National Gene Bank

chapter 15|12 pages

Plant Breeders

The Point of View of a Plant Breeder on the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

chapter 16|13 pages

The Global Crop Diversity Trust

An Essential Element of the Treaty's Funding Strategy

chapter 17|11 pages

Consumers

Biodiversity Is a Common Good

part III|45 pages

Experts' Views on Future Challenges in Implementing the Treaty

chapter 18|12 pages

Our Heritage Is Our Future

Humankind's Responsibility for Food Security

chapter 19|8 pages

An Innovative Option for Benefit-sharing Payment under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Implementing Article 6.11 Crop-related Modality of the Standard Material Transfer Agreement

chapter 20|23 pages

General Conclusions

Summary of Stakeholders' Views and Suggestions to Cope with the Challenges in the Implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture