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Increasing genetic diversity and realizing Farmers’ Rights through Evolutionary Participatory Plant Breeding (EPPB)

Since 2008, the Centre for Sustainable Development and Environment (Cenesta) has started an Evolutionary Participatory Plant Breeding (EPPB) Programme in Iran in collaboration with several national and international partners, including governmental, non-governmental and research organizations as well as farmers’ associations. The objective was to enhance the resilience of targeted low-input marginal farmers in different microclimates of Iran through increasing genetic diversity and developing evolutionary crop populations with higher and stable yields under conditions of climate change and local stress conditions, including drought, water scarcity, salinity, pests and diseases. Core components were: (1) establishing evolutionary populations (EPs) in farmers’ fields and ensuring sustainable seed supply; and (2) enhancing the policy and regulatory frameworks for sustainable use of PGRFA. The Programme further addressed capacity development of farmers and researchers to ensure the necessary institutional support to access, maintain and use evolutionary crop populations, which increase productive gains while at the same time maintaining yield stability and ecosystem resilience under changing climate conditions. Additionally, EPPB can provide the market with nutritious food and feed.

DOI	(not set)
Most relevant categories	Participatory approaches to research on PGRFA, including characterization and evaluation, participatory plant breeding and variety selection
Also relevant categories	Recognition of local and indigenous communities’, farmers’ contributions to conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA, such as awards and recognition of custodian/guardian farmers Approaches to encourage income-generating activities to support farmers’ conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA Catalogues, registries and other forms of documentation of PGRFA and protection of traditional knowledge In-situ/on farm conservation and management of PGRFA, such as social and cultural measures, community biodiversity management and conservation sites Facilitation of farmers’ access to a diversity of PGRFA through community seed banks, seed networks and other measures improving farmers’ choices of a wider diversity of PGRFA. Farmers’ participation in decision-making at local, national and sub-regional, regional and international levels Training, capacity development and public awareness creation Legal measures for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights, such as legislative measures related to PGRFA. Other measures / practices
Institution/organization	Non Governmental Organization
Provision of Art. 9 addressed	Art. 9.1; Art. 9.2a; Art. 9.2b; Art. 9.2c; Art. 9.3
Types	Technical
Countries	Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Regions	Near East
Keywords	Capacity development; Crop diversity; Farmers’ Rights; Local varieties; Seed system; Smallholder farmers
Resource link	https://www.fao.org/3/ca4109en/ca4109en.pdf

DOI

(not set)

Most relevant categories

Participatory approaches to research on PGRFA, including characterization and evaluation, participatory plant breeding and variety selection

Also relevant categories

Recognition of local and indigenous communities’, farmers’ contributions to conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA, such as awards and recognition of custodian/guardian farmers
Approaches to encourage income-generating activities to support farmers’ conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA
Catalogues, registries and other forms of documentation of PGRFA and protection of traditional knowledge
In-situ/on farm conservation and management of PGRFA, such as social and cultural measures, community biodiversity management and conservation sites
Facilitation of farmers’ access to a diversity of PGRFA through community seed banks, seed networks and other measures improving farmers’ choices of a wider diversity of PGRFA.
Farmers’ participation in decision-making at local, national and sub-regional, regional and international levels
Training, capacity development and public awareness creation
Legal measures for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights, such as legislative measures related to PGRFA.
Other measures / practices

Institution/organization

Non Governmental Organization

Provision of Art. 9 addressed

Art. 9.1; Art. 9.2a; Art. 9.2b; Art. 9.2c; Art. 9.3

Types

Technical

Countries

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Regions

Near East

Keywords

Capacity development; Crop diversity; Farmers’ Rights; Local varieties; Seed system; Smallholder farmers

Resource link

https://www.fao.org/3/ca4109en/ca4109en.pdf