Genebank Operation in the Arena of Access and Benefit-Sharing Policies

This paper notes that although the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)’s Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-Sharing provides opportunities for easier access to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), plant genebanks face increasing complexity in their operation. Adding material to genebank collections has become more difficult, not only because collecting missions need to be negotiated with national and local authorities, but also because acquiring material from other collections is only possible if the origin of the material is properly documented and is done in compliance with regulations. To prevent a further decrease in access to PGRFA , the authors advice the following: (1) applying the ITPGRFA’s Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA) only, even for material that does not fall under the ITPGRFA, would simplify matters. The scope of the ITPGRFA could be expanded to include all crops, (2) certain ambiguities (e.g. regarding in situ material and wild species) could be resolved, and (3) compliance with the ITPGRFA should be improved and better monitored.