Highlights and images for 23 September 2022

On the penultimate day of GB 9, an air of cautious optimism permeated the meeting hall as informal discussions on the resolution on farmers’ rights, one of the traditionally controversial items for the Treaty, concluded. Among the outcomes, a global symposium on farmers’ rights is expected to be hosted by India in 2023.

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Plenary was frantically busy, as delegates worked late into the night to finalize consideration of all draft resolutions. Among the day’s highlights, the Federation of Seed Industry of India made a donation of two million Indian Rupees (approx. USD 25,000) to the Treaty’s Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF).

François Pythoud (Switzerland) and Sunil Archak (India), Co-Facilitators of the contact group on enhancing the Multilateral System (MLS), presented the draft resolution to plenary. They underscored that all participants in the contact group were “very eager to restart the process and enhance the MLS,” thanking them for their constructive contributions during the deliberation. Plenary approved the resolution reestablishing the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group to enhance the Treaty’s MLS, and nominated Michael Ryan (Australia) and Sunil Archak as Working Group Co-Chairs.

Small groups continued negotiations late into the night on the Multi-Year Programme of Work, the Global Information System, and conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.