Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations  
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

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    The Inventory

    This online version of the Inventory presents, for each measure, the title and a brief description with information on implementing organization(s), start year, objectives, core elements, key outcomes, and, if applicable, lessons learned. It thus allows users to quickly identify those examples that may be of interest to them. A hyperlink to the original submission is provided, which includes additional information, such as on the history and context of the presented measure, challenges encountered, or target groups reached. In this way, users can get a more comprehensive idea of the measure in question and the specific context for which it was developed.
     
    To facilitate navigation, the Inventory is subdivided into eleven categories. Measures or practices that fall under more than one category are listed under each one that applies. Furthermore, information is provided on the type(s) of measures that are typically involved, such as technical, administrative, legal, and/or others, and on the relevant sub-article of Article 9 that is addressed. Additional search options allow searching by country, region, free text and keyword.
     
     
     
     
     
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    Number of records: 233

    191) Training and awareness-raising activities for farmers and their associations carried out by the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources of the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Technology (CRF-INIA)

    Since its creation in 1981, the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources (CRF), now part of the National Research Institute of Agriculture, Food and Technology (INIA), maintains ex situ collections of cultivated plants and their wild relatives and makes them available to users. In the exercise of its functions, the CRF participates in activities such as technology transfer, training for farmers and dissemination of information to the general public. The objectives of these activities include (1) to inform the agricultural sector and the general public of the availability of the PGRFA conserved in the CRF and other genebanks of the National Network of Germplasm Collections; and (2) to offer training and information regarding the characteristics of available genetic resources and most suitable forms of management for their cultivation. The CRF participates in the following types of training and awareness-raising activities: technology transfer activities aimed at the national agricultural sector, such as the Annual Conference of the Group for the Evaluation of New Varieties of Extensive Crops in Spain (GENVCE); awareness-raising activities aimed at the general public, such as participation in the Science Week organized by the Foundation for Knowledge ‘madrid’ of the Community of Madrid; various training activities in the agricultural field and media interventions.

    Category: 9.Training, capacity development and public awareness creation

    Type of measure/practice: Technical

    192) Community based on-farm conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA

    Community based on-farm conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA was initiated in 2001. The activities are mainstreamed and implemented in collaboration with Agriculture Research and Development Centres (ARDC), Dzongkhag (District) Agriculture Sector and farming communities. Objectives include to conserve, develop and sustainably utilize diversity of PGRFA and associated traditional knowledge for livelihood, sustenance and adaptation to changing climate. In Bhutan, about 98% of seed requirements are covered through farmers’ seed systems. To strengthen this system, seed selection, purification and rehabilitation of traditional crops (buckwheat, rice and maize) is being carried out and Community Seed Banks with basic seed storage facilities have been established. During the last five years, over 36 rice, three buckwheat and four maize varieties have been rehabilitated and promoted. Farmers are recognised for their contributions to crop conservation and awarded in kind and cash during biodiversity fairs held on important national days; in/ex-country educational visits to relevant institutes are facilitated through government and international supports. Around 5000 farmers have taken part in exchange visits and experience-sharing activities. To enhance production and promote sale of farm produce, cooperatives and farmers groups are established. 155 functional farm shops were opened; 61 cooperatives and 370 farmers groups were registered.

    Category: 5.In-situ/on farm conservation and management of PGRFA, such as social and cultural measures, community biodiversity management and conservation sites

    Type of measure/practice: Technical; Administrative

    193) Plant Variety Protection Act, 2019

    The Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with relevant government organizations and public research institutes, has engaged in a process to develop an act providing protection of the rights of plant breeders and farmers with regard to plant varieties. This process resulted in the adoption of the Plant Variety Protection Act, 2019. This act sets rules for the establishment of a Plant Variety Protection Authority as well as for the registration of varieties, protection of breeders’ and Farmers’ Rights and other related matters. It recognizes innovative farmers as ‘plant breeders’; farmers are now entitled to submit applications for registration of varieties they have developed or maintained. They will be rewarded for maintaining landraces and developing new plant varieties. A certificate, a medal and some money will be paid to farmers as a recognition of their contribution to crop improvement. They will also participate in decision-making on the management of landraces. The act has passed the legislative procedure only recently; it is expected that the production of a wide variety of crops will continue to increase.

    Category: 10.Legal measures for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights, such as legislative measures related to PGRFA.

    Type of measure/practice: Legal

    194) Provisions on Farmers’ Rights in Biodiversity Act of Bhutan, 2003, and Access and Benefit Sharing Policy of Bhutan, 2015

    The Biodiversity Act of Bhutan, 2003, was developed as key legislation after Bhutan became a member of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1993, to establish sovereign rights over Bhutanese Genetic Resources and to promote their conservation and sustainable use as well as the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization. It is implemented by the National Biodiversity Centre. The Act covers biodiversity access and benefits, plant variety protection, protection of traditional knowledge, and offences and penalties. Both farmers’ and breeders’ rights are recognized and protected under the Act. It provides legal recognition of varieties that are not protectable under internationally existing patent and/or plant breeders’ rights systems and includes a provision on benefit-sharing if farmers’ or traditional varieties are used as breeding material for commercial purposes. The Competent Authority may restrict breeder’s rights in order to permit small-scale farmers to propagate seed which they have harvested on their holdings and to exchange it on a non-commercial basis. The Access and Benefit Sharing Policy of Bhutan, 2015, supports local communities to develop community protocols on which they can grant prior informed consent (PIC) and negotiate mutually agreed terms (MAT); it also establishes a Benefit-sharing Fund.

    Category: 10.Legal measures for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights, such as legislative measures related to PGRFA.

    Type of measure/practice: Administrative; Legal

    195) Ways to implement the farmers’ right to participate in decision-making

    In 2016, a network of five civil society organizations published a study entitled ‘Farmers’ Right to Participate in Decision-making – implementing Article 9.2 (c) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources’ that gives an overview of how this right of farmers can best be implemented. The objective of the study was to support governments, farmer organizations, civil society organizations and other stakeholders in the implementation of Article 9.2 (c). The study discusses the context and scope of Article 9.2(c) and its importance for the realization of Farmers’ Rights. Using examples and experiences gained, it reviews the status of farmers’ participation in decision-making processes and identifies some of the key issues and challenges. Drawing from norms, principles, good practices and mechanisms that already exist within the United Nations system, especially within the human rights framework, the study also presents key elements for the effective implementation of Article 9.2(c). For example, the right to participate in decision-making should have a solid legal basis and be enforceable by law; requires prompt, effective and practical access to information over process and substance in appropriate form and language; and should include the right to seek a review of a decision and redress/remedies.

    Category: 6.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.

    Type of measure/practice: Others