Progress with the Implementation of the

International Treaty in 2016

Dr Shakeel Bhatti

Austria Room 26 January 2016

www.planttreaty.org

Overview
A. Plant genetic resources for food security in the global Agenda &
the 6th Session of the Governing Body
B. Major Updates:
1. The Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing
Dr Bert Visser & Modesto Fernandez, Co-chairs of the
Working Group
2. Farmers Rights
3. The Global Information System
C. Calendar of Meetings
D. Follow Ups

www.planttreaty.org

PGRFA & food security in the Global Agenda

A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish
todays 795 million hungry and the additional 2 billion people expected by 2050, especially
under expected impact of climate change on agricultural systems.

The food and agriculture sector offers key solutions for development, and is central for hunger
and poverty eradication, including the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food
and Agriculture.

The Sustainable Development Goals give great importance to the contribution of plant genetic
diversity to food security, through its conservation, access and benefit-sharing. This is
reflected in particular in targets 2.5 and 15.6:
2.5 By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and
domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and
diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and
promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of
genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed.
15.6 Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic
resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed

Winter vs. spring chickpea in West Asia & North Africa

Mature winter crop

Researchers identified
three lines that can survive
temperatures of 24C.
Source: ICARDAs Tel Hadya research station

Spring sown crop

Freezeresistant
chickpeas
offer higher
, more
stable yields

Impacts of the Treaty:

Multilateral System, incl Benefit-sharing Fund

3508 new varieties of rice, maize, barley, millet, sorghum, etc.
evaluated against resistances to biotic and abiotic stresses
almost 130.000 direct project beneficiaries (including 114.000
farmers)
directly or indirectly reached approx. 10.5 million beneficiaries
(95 % farmers)
16 community seed banks established, fully operating to conserve
1120 crop varieties
310 capacity building workshops and training courses, directly
involving 16.000 participants have been provided
55 applications have been submitted, for rice, millet, wheat,
chickpea and sesame varieties for registration to the Plant Variety
Authority of India
60 research theses from BSc to PhD directly
supported through the implementation of BSF
projects

Salt-tolerant and drought-resistant varieties

Bangladesh
and
IRRI

Binadhan-8
Binadhan-1
BRRI dhan47
BRRI dhan55

http://strasa.irri.org/news-and-events/salttolerantricevarietysuccessstoryofsreefalkathivillage

Conserving and exchanging varieties for food security

and climate change adaptation

Agricultural biodiversity must be made accessible to every farmer and used

by scientists and people to enhance our options to achieve food security

PGR exchange for food security

>1,7 million included accessions documented
47.000 SMTA transferred since 2007
More than 3,2 million accessions transferred
PGRFA received by Region
Africa
Asia

596,340
1,033,024

Europe

465,742

Latin America and the

Caribbean

379,141

Near East

537,795

North America

153,458

Southwest Pacific

153,548

Growth of Treaty membership

Chile and Argentina are joining the Treaty
137 Contracting Parties thereafter

Overview
A. Plant genetic resources for food security in the global Agenda
B. Major Updates:
1. The Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing
2. Farmers Rights
3. The Global Information System on PGRFA
4. Other updates
C. Calendar of Meetings
D. Follow Ups
www.planttreaty.org

Presentation by Co-chairs
The presentation by the Co-chairs can be
found at the end of this document, from page
45 onwards.

2. Enhancement of the Funding Strategy

The Governing Body, at its Sixth Session, adopted Resolution 2/2015 on the
Funding Strategy recognizing that enhancing the Funding Strategy requires also
the enhancement of the Funding Strategy and other Treaty mechanisms.

During the biennium, the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on the Funding Strategy will:
o Assess the results achieved so far by the Funding Strategy;
o Update the Strategic Plan for the implementation of the Benefit-sharing Fund,
including the development of a funding target;
o Develop a long-term investment strategy for the Benefit-sharing Fund;
o Consider measures to strengthen the implementation of the elements of the
Funding Strategy, other than the Benefit-sharing Fund.

The Committee on the Funding Strategy and the Working Group on the MLS
enhancement will liaise closely during the biennium.

Benefit-sharing Fund: 4th funding cycle

The Governing Body also agreed on short-term measures to enable the launch of
the fourth funding cycle of the Benefit-sharing Fund during the biennium;
The target is to allow the launch of the 4th funding cycle for at least US$ 10 million;
As a pilot experience, the Governing Body decided to welcome contributions with
a regional and crop priority focus, upon approval of the Bureau;
The Bureau will receive during the biennium regular updates on progress made to
mobilize contributions by Contracting Parties and other donor prospects.

The Global Crop Diversity Trust:

Pledging Conference April 2015

The Global Crop Diversity Trust is an essential element of the Funding Strategy of
the Treaty and has a relationship agreement with the Governing Body
At its Sixth Session, the Governing Body provided policy guidance to the Global
Crop Diversity Trust through Resolution 8/2015
The Governing Body welcomed the organization of a Pledging Conference for the
Crop Trust endowment fund, which has been scheduled for April 2016 in
Washington D.C. (U.S.A.),
It recognized that the conference will be a major milestone to support the
realization of the Trust Fundraising Strategy and the Funding Strategy of Treaty;
Contributions raised in the conference will support finance core operations of
international collections under Article 15 of the International Treaty;
For more information about the Conference, contact the Trust: info@croptrust.org

Overview
A. Plant genetic resources for food security in the global Agenda
B. Major Updates:
1. The Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing
2. Farmers Rights
3. The Global Information System on PGRFA
4. Other updates
C. Calendar of Meetings
D. Follow Ups
www.planttreaty.org

2. Implementation of Farmers Rights

As requested by GB:
Engage Contracting
Parties and relevant
Organizations to gather
information at national,
regional and global
levels for exchanging
knowledge, views and
experiences and best
practices

Farmers Rights: meetings and conferences

Global Consultation on
Farmers Rights (Indonesia)
Take stock of significant
country experiences, best
practices and lessons
learned in implementing and
protecting Farmers Rights
Explore development of
guidance, support and
capacity building on
implementing and realizing
Farmers Rights

Farmers Rights: Capacity development

Facilitate trainings
and workshops to
raise awareness
and build capacities
Conduct active
outreach and
promote
collaboration with
relevant
organizations

Farmers Rights: Collaboration and Coordination

Collaboration within
FAO (CFS, CGRFA,
Family Farming, etc.)
Interact with UPOV and
WIPO to identify areas
of interrelations
Collaboration and
coordination with CBD
(Article 10c; 8j) and
other relevant
organizations

Joint Capacity Building Programme

with GFAR on Farmers Rights
1. To enhance national consensus of what
Farmers Rights means under the Treaty
2. To advance the development of policies and
legal measures implementing Farmers Rights,
and Support the review and adjustment of
national measures affecting Farmers Rights

Farmers Rights: Follow up Actions for CPs (1)

Consider developing National
Action Plans for the
implementation of Article 9, as
appropriate, and in line with the
implementation of Articles 5
and 6
Contracting Parties to consider
reviewing and, if necessary,
adjusting its national measures
affecting the realization of
Farmers Rights
Engage farmers organizations
and relevant stakeholders in
PGRFA matters and their
contribution to awareness raising
and capacity building

Partnering for implementation of the

Treaty
Dr Yoshihide Endo, Globally Important
Agricultural Heritage Systems
Dr Mark Holderness, Executive Secretary of
the Global Forum on Agricultural Research
(GFAR)
Convention on Biological Diversity
International Fund on Agricultural
Development

Farmers Rights: Follow up Actions for CPs (2)

Enhance interaction and
coordination, as appropriate,
among the different
institutions dealing with
Farmers Rights and PGRFA
Consider providing financial
and technical support for the
implementation of Farmers
Rights, and to enable farmers
organizations to attend
meetings under the
International Treaty

3. Global Information System on PGRFA

Outcomes from GB6 (Resolution 3/2015):
Adoption of the Vision on the Global Information
System;
Adoption of the first PoW-GLIS (2016-2022);
Establishment of the Scientific Advisory Committee on
the Global Information System;

Programme of Work
Vision: GLIS integrates and augments existing
systems to create the global entry point to
information and knowledge for strengthening
the capacity for PGRFA conservation,
management and utilization.

Digital Objects Identifiers for PGRFA: The problem

Overview: More than 1750 plant genebanks
worldwide with more than 7,4 million accessions
The material is exchanged every day worldwide
The material is provided, in most cases, without the
additional non-confidential information (eg. genotypic
and phenotypic information)
The recipients of the material usually change the ID
after the transfer and there is duplicated material
There are no automated mechanisms to discover
where the material is and not much added value is
incorporated to the material

Digital Objects Identifiers for PGRFA: The Solution

Digital Object Identifiers are a necessary glue to
connect scientific data in different information systems
They will help researchers to link and use research data
of great value
The Treaty is developing the needed rules for their
assignation to PGRFA
Free for genebanks and PGRFA research projects
through the Treaty
Testing phase with selected partners
Sample: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrg1729

The Diversity Seek Initiative

GB6 noted the work of the initiative and
requested the Secretary to continue
participating in its Joint Facilitation Unit
Requested the Secretary to compile inputs
and write a synthesis report for GB7.
Workshop in San Diego (Jan 2016 - PAG)

The Bean
Project

ERA-NET for Coordinating

Action in Plant Sciences

to analyze the genetic basis

and phenotypic consequences
of the adaptation to new
environments

Genes for
adaptation

The Bean Project & GLIS

data generation

storage analysis - connectivity

visualisation

Web Portal

Data
Warehouse

interfaces

GBIS

IPK Genebank
information system

(Passport, Geo Reference PGR

Management), Online ordering)

Interactive haplotype
browser
Comparison to existing
marker data to guide prebreeding and collection
management

GLIS

EURISCO
transPLANT &de.NBI
DivSeek
Digital Seed Bank
Global Information
System - GLIS

Scientific Advisory Committee

To advise the Secretary on general recommendations on:
the development and deployment of the System and its
components
the discovery of new areas of work with potential impact
on the system,
the selection of pilot activities for the System and,
upon request of the Secretary, other initiatives and actions
to sustain the operations of the System and the further
update of the Programme of Work.
The committee is composed of up to 2 experts nominated
by the Regions and additional scientific and technical
experts appointed by the Secretary
Meeting in fall 2016 with extra-budgetary support

4. Other Updates

Compliance
Reporting on compliance is now due
The reporting format was corrected at GB6
The Secretariat is setting up an online reporting
system, following the GB6 request
A notification to NFPs and Governments through
the FAO Members Gateway will be issued shortly
A help-desk will be set up to support NFPs;
The Committee will meet in early 2017

Multi-Year Programme of Work

GB6 Welcomed the proposed MYPOW as the
basis for further development;
The Secretary will now circulate the MYPOW with
the inputs received at GB6 and will ask for further
inputs from Contracting Parties for the 20182025 period
The final proposal will be considered at the GB7
and will include expected outputs, outcomes and
milestones, as well as indication of additional
resources needed

Collaboration with CBD & CGRFA

GB6 requested to continue collaboration with the
CBD (NBSAPs including on inf. On GEF, the
Synergies project, InfoMea, etc.) Res 7/2015
Thirteenth meeting of the CBD COP and the second
meeting of the Nagoya protocol in Cancun, Mexico,
from 4 to 17 December 2016

Res 9/2015 Strengthen collaboration to

promote coherence in the development and
implementation of programmes, including for the
update of the GPA and the work on the ABS
Elements

Financial Update

CAB facts

at 31 December 2015

83% of budgeted income has been received

17% remains outstanding

59 CPs paid contributions during 2014-15

55% (71 CPs) made no payment
during the biennium

Contributions unpaid at the end of the

biennium amounted to $1,279,210

Special Funds for agreed purposes

In previous biennia, a large part of the Work Programme was funded from
the Special Funds for agreed purposes due primarily to the generosity of 2
donors. This was an exceptional situation and could not be considered an
on-going funding solution.
Repeatedly flagged need to replenish the Special Funds. Otherwise
negative implications for Work programme delivery.
During the 2014-15 biennium, despite contributions from 5 Contracting
Parties, resources available under the Special Funds have continued to
decline and the available balance to carry on activities in the 2016-17
biennium is less than US$ 800,000.
The reduced availability of money under the Special Funds will have
serious consequences on the implementation of the Work Programme
and functioning of the Treaty. Furthermore there will no longer a
safeguard should a shortfall in the CAB occur.
Essential to ensure adequate funding for the Special Funds from the
largest possible number of donors in order to guarantee the smooth
functioning of the Treaty.

Financial Update: conclusions

CAB receipts in the 2014-15 biennium have remained largely
in line with recent biennia but without showing any
improvement.
The number of Contracting Parties making contributions is still
limited less than 50% of Contracting Parties.
The replenishment of the Special Funds will be essential in
the 2016-17 biennium if the on-going activities relating to the
implementation of the Treaty are to be assured.
Only with sufficient and assured resources can the Secretariat
ensure the implementation of the Work Programme in
accordance with the mandate given by the Governing Body.

Provisional Table of Meetings 2016 (1)

First meeting of the Bureau of the Seventh Session of the Governing Body (GB7Bureau-2) - 6-7 June 2016 (Rome)

Fifth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group to Enhance the

Functioning of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit Sharing (OEWGMLS-5) - 4-6 July 2016 (tbc)

Third meeting of the Ad Hoc Advisory Technical Committee on Sustainable Use

(ACSU-3) - 24-25 October 2016 (tbc)

Global Consultation on Farmers' Rights under Article 9 of the Treaty summer/fall 2016 (Indonesia)

First meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Article 17 (SAC-GLIS-1) 3-4 October 2016 (tbc)

Provisional Table of Meetings 2016 (2)

Sixth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group to Enhance the

Functioning of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit Sharing (OWGEFMLS-6) - 15-19 November 2016 (Rome)

Eighth meeting of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on the Funding Strategy

(ACFS-8) - 20-22 November 2016 (Rome)

Second meeting of the Compliance Committee - February 2017

Second meeting of the Bureau of the Seventh Session of the Governing Body
(GB7-Bureau-2) - March 2017

Second meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Article 17 (SAC-GLIS-2)

- April 2017

Follow-ups
Coordination within and among the regions to
facilitate the enhancement process
Financial contributions: CAB and Agreed
Purposes Funds
Farmers Rights inputs and experiences
Send compliance reports
Ensure technical participation from capitals in the
intersessional processes
Inputs for MYPOW

Questions & answers

Thank you!
Please contact us:
International Treaty Secretariat
at FAO, Building B, 6th floor
Tel.: 06-570-56343
E-mail: pgrfa-treaty@fao.org
www.planttreaty.org
www.planttreaty.org

Long-term seed security at crossroads

26 January 2016, Rome, Bert Visser & Modesto Fernandez

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

This presentation

Importance International Treaty

Major concepts and elements
First decade experiences with implementation
Multilateral System
Benefit-Sharing Fund

Current agenda and challenges

Our request

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

The importance

Seed Treaty instrumental for two SDGs:

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (1)
Ensure environmental sustainability (7)

FAO treaty according to Article 14

In force since June 2004
136 Contracting Parties
Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Food and nutrition security

No food and nutrition security

improved seeds

without

No improved seeds without plant

breeding

No plant breeding without plant genetic resources

No plant genetic resources without International Treaty
Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Treaty objectives

Conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic

resources for food and agriculture

Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of

their use

In harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Major concepts and elements

Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing

In the exercise of their sovereign rights, the Contracting
Parties agree to establish a multilateral system.....

a common, shared pool of plant genetic resources

access for all users, under standard conditions
limited to list of 65 crops
non-monetary benefit-sharing
monetary benefit-sharing to FAO account

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Major concepts and

elements

Funding Strategy and

Benefit-sharing Fund
Funding Strategy:
addressing all initiatives of all stakeholders related to
PGRFA and in line with the Treaty objectives

Benefit-Sharing Fund:
managing financial resources flowing to the Treaty for
the purpose of its implementation

Collections and farmers fields

Farmers Rights: only addressed in International Treaty

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Results of the first decade (MLS)

Multilateral System functional since 2007

Each year > 100,000 samples distributed from

genebanks under standard conditions = major benefit

No financial resources income from users to the BenefitSharing Fund (instead from Contracting Parties)

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Results of the first decade (BSF)

Since 2009, three project cycles developed

38 project in 45 countries
total budget over three rounds approx. USD 23.7 million

BSF filled largely by governments

economic crisis means
less contributions

users were expected to contribute

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Current Governing Body agenda

Review of the MLS and BSF

Working Group established in 2013
Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group to Enhance the Functioning
of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing

next meeting in July 2016

three Friends of the Co-Chairs groups established

Major issues at the table, diverging perspectives,

diverging expectations

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Issues to resolve

How much money needs the BSF?

How much money can we expect
from MLS users?

How can we make the MLS more attractive to users?

Can we expect Contracting Parties to pay to the BSF?

Can we expand the coverage of the MLS to all crops?
To this aim, do we need a Protocol to the Treaty?
Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Additional issues

Should we distinguish between user

categories? Crop categories?

Should users pay differentiated fees? Should all

payments be obligatory? Can we establish a library

system?

Should some users be exempted from payments?

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

The challenges

Challenges not technical but

political

How to contribute to food security and sustainable

production under climate change?

How to guarantee affordable high-quality seeds to all

farmers at all times?

How to promote plant breeding and maintain diversity?

Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

The crossroads

Far-reaching decisions needed

Thus, Treaty needs political attention
Not only a matter of delegates to the Governing Body
Attention in capitals and between ministries needed
to arrange political decision-making
to provide necessary mandates to delegates
Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands

Our proposal

Could you provide us

with the contact details
of a major high-level
policy maker in your
capital?

Could you sensitize that

person on the
importance of the
International Treaty and
on the crossroads?

We shall follow up!!

shakeel.bhatti@fao.org
Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands