CGRFA-10 HIGHLIGHTS:
MONDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2004
The tenth regular session of the Commission on
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA-10) opened on Monday, 8
November, at the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
in Rome, Italy. An opening ceremony was held to mark the Commission's twentieth
anniversary. Delegates elected the meeting's officers, adopted the agenda and
timetable, and addressed issues relating to plant genetic resources.
CELEBRATION OF THE COMMISSION'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Opening the celebration of the Commission's
twentieth anniversary, David Harcharik, Deputy Director General of the FAO,
highlighted the Commission's achievements, including: the International
Undertaking (IU) on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA);
the Code of Conduct for Plant Germplasm Collection and Transfer; the Global Plan
of Action (GPA) for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of PGRFA; and
the International Treaty on PGRFA (ITPGR). He drew attention to the Commission's
ongoing work and future challenges regarding key policy questions on
biodiversity conservation and agro-ecosystem management for sustainable
development.
Hamdallah Zedan, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),
highlighted examples of interaction between the CBD and the CGRFA. He stressed
their mutually supportive roles in the creation of a comprehensive international
framework for biodiversity conservation. He noted the ITPGR's contribution to
the CBD's work on access and benefit-sharing, and the scope for future
collaboration on biodiversity for food security and nutrition, and the
initiatives on pollinators and soil biodiversity.
Emile Frison, Director General of the International Plant Genetic Resource
Institute (IPGRI), on behalf of the Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR), highlighted the establishment of the Global Crop
Diversity Trust. He noted the CGIAR's ongoing collaboration with the Commission
on information exchange and animal genetic resources, and the need for future
collaboration on forestry and fishery genetic resources, public awareness and
the promotion of underutilized crops.
Panama, on behalf of G-77, and the Netherlands, on behalf of European Community
and its Member States (EU), highlighted the Commission's achievements, including
the Global Plan of Action (GPA) and the ITPGR. The EU called for prioritizing
discussions on: the ITPGR's implementation; the Commission's future work;
cooperation with the CBD; and creation of global partnerships to achieve food
security and genetic resource conservation.
The ETC group noted that many of the civil society's goals have been achieved
due to government cooperation, including the CGRFA's creation in 1983, and the
establishment of international gene banks and the Global Crop Biodiversity
Trust. He highlighted unexpected successes regarding the adoption of the GPA and
the IPTGR, and work on the draft code of conduct on biotechnology. He called for
a treaty on livestock and livestock keepers' rights.
The SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) outlined its regional
programme for conservation of plant genetic resources, and expressed hope to
provide assistance in implementing the ITPGR and the GPA.
CGRFA-10 OPENING SESSION
Louise Fresco, FAO's Assistant Director General for Agriculture, highlighted the
need to lay the foundations for CGRFA's future work, particularly regarding:
animal genetic resources; further cooperation with the CBD; implications of the
ITPGR's entry into force; and public awareness.
CGRFA-9 Chair Robert Bertram (US) stressed that
animal genetic resources require urgent and strategic attention. He underscored
the Commission's role in voicing the needs and interests of the agricultural
sector regarding the protection and sustainable use of genetic resources, and
highlighted the role of genetic resources for food security and income
generation for farmers.
Delegates then elected the meeting's Bureau. Upon
a proposal by the G-77, Eng-Siang Lim (Malaysia) was elected as CGRFA-10 Chair,
while the nomination of three Vice-Chairs is still pending. Portugal, on behalf
of the OECD group comprising the regions of Europe, North America and South West
Pacific, nominated Kristianne Herrmann (Australia), Campbell Davidson (Canada)
and Elzbieta Martyniuk (Poland) as Vice-Chairs, and Grethe Evjen (Norway) as the
meeting rapporteur. Delegates adopted the agenda and timetable (CGRFA-10/04/1
and 2), with a minor amendment, and noted the need to address overlaps between
agenda items.
PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
FAO GLOBAL SYSTEM AND ITPGR: CGRFA-10 Chair
Lim opened discussions on the FAO Global System on PGRFA and its potential
contribution to the implementation of the ITPGR (CGRFA-10/04/3). He stressed
that evaluating the Global System's contribution is essential to facilitate
collaboration with the ITPGR's Governing Body. Many supported his view,
stressing the need for building synergies and avoiding duplications. As
suggested by the EU, AUSTRALIA, the US and BRAZIL, delegates agreed to address
interactions between the CGRFA and the Governing Body under each element of the
Global System separately. CANADA proposed that the Secretariats of the CGRFA and
the Governing Body provide views on collaboration. SOUTH AFRICA stressed
capacity building and infrastructural investment, and ANGOLA the Code of Conduct
on Plant Germplasm Collection and Transfer, as useful tools for the ITPGR
implementation.
PROGRESS SINCE CGRFA-9: Chair Lim drew attention to the report of the
second session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on PGRFA (ITWG-PGR)
(CGFRA-10/04/4), the note on the follow-up to recommendations on certain
elements of the Global System (CGRFA-10/04/05) and the progress report on
preparation of the second report on the State of the World's PGRFA
(CGRFA-10/04/05 Add. 1).
The EU proposed designating the ITWG-PGR as a technical subsidiary body of the
ITPGR. TUNISIA emphasized the need for a clear national and regional structure
for implementation of the ITWG-PGR's recommendations.
The Secretariat presented an overview of the
guidance required by the Commission on PGRFA, regarding: progress in
implementation, the facilitating mechanism for, and monitoring of implementation
of the GPA; international plant genetic resources networks; the International
Code of Conduct on Plant Germplasm Collecting and Transfer; strengthening seed
systems and plant breeding; and the Global Crop Diversity Trust
(CGRFA-10/04/05).
The EU expressed concern about regional
differences in GPA implementation, and supported regional and international
task-sharing, including collaboration with gene banks. He also supported
preparing case studies on international plant genetic resources networks, and
noted that efficient implementation of the interim Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)
would facilitate conclusion of agreements between the Governing Body and IARCs.
Second State of the World Report: The
RUSSIAN FEDERATION noted the need to reconsider the feasibility of the timeline
currently set for 2006, and CHINA and ECUADOR highlighted the lack of capacity
of many developing countries to contribute to the second State of the World
report. The EU, the US and AUSTRALIA suggested extending the timeline for
completion of the report to 2008. The EU prioritized thematic studies on the
ITPGR implementation, while the US noted that priority be given to the revision
of country reports and work on the standard MTA. Regarding thematic studies,
AUSTRALIA cautioned against arduous reporting burdens and duplication with other
organizations' work. ANGOLA expressed concern about diminishing support for
agricultural research and declining capacities to utilize genetic resources for
food security in poor countries, and prioritized thematic studies in this
regard.
Monitoring of GPA Implementation: The EU, CANADA, NORWAY and AUSTRALIA
supported the new monitoring approach proposed to CGRFA-9 and the ITWG-PGR. The
EU and NORWAY expressed concern over increasing regional differences in GPA
implementation, with NORWAY highlighting the inadequacy of efforts to restore
genetic material lost during disasters. AUSTRALIA asserted the need to develop
an effective on-ground monitoring approach. The EU supported the new, reduced
list of indicators proposed, and suggested the application of the new monitoring
approach to all countries.
Facilitating Mechanism: The EU supported the proposed framework for the
GPA facilitating mechanism, but cautioned against possible overlaps with other
existing institutions. The US suggested that the objective of the mechanism be
to facilitate the GPA implementation through technical and financial measures.
AUSTRALIA expressed concern whether the proposed mechanism was different from
other international funding mechanisms, in response to which the Secretariat
clarified that it is not a funding mechanism. The Secretariat added that, while
the mechanism would address all priority areas of the GPA, the Commission should
prioritize its activities, and noted that the Global Forum on Agricultural
Research expressed interest in being a partner. Regarding operational
activities, the US stressed that assisting stakeholders to develop project and
package proposals may be difficult. NORWAY noted that the mechanism could play a
catalytic role in creating a meeting place for donors and countries requiring
assistance for the GPA implementation. The US expressed concern regarding the
required extra-budgetary funds. BRAZIL highlighted its national capacity
regarding gene banks, which could be shared with other developing countries.
International Networks: The Secretariat introduced the report on the
international networks of ex situ collections, including those held under
the auspices of FAO (CGRFA-10/04/5 and 6). CANADA recommended continuation of
the "shrink-wrap" approach of the MTAs currently in use by the IARCs. The ETC
group expressed dissatisfaction that IPGRI's Genetic Resources Policy Committee
did not make it possible for NGOs and farmers' organizations to attend a
recently held meeting on genetic contamination of ex situ collections.
IPGRI regretted lack of such participation and noted that the draft guidelines
that the meeting prepared are available for comments.
International Code of Conduct on Plant Germplasm Collecting and Transfer:
Supporting the ITWG-PGR's recommendation, the EU, CANADA and the US noted that
updating the Code is not appropriate at this time.
Seed Systems and Plant Breeding: CANADA and the US suggested a gap
analysis to avoid duplication of work with other organizations. The EU gave low
priority to the item. ANGOLA highlighted the high priority of strengthening
plant breeding for developing countries.
Global Crop Diversity Trust: Amb. Fernando Gerbasi, Chair of the Trust's
Interim Panel of Eminent Experts, indicated that 17 regional and sub-regional
funding strategies have been developed and will be implemented in late
2004-2005. Further discussions were postponed to the upcoming meeting of the
Interim Committee.
IN THE CORRIDORS
Inspired by the celebration of the Commission's
twentieth anniversary, and heartened by the entry into force of the
International Treaty, CGRFA-10 delegates tackled issues relating to plant
genetic resources by swift and easy steps, although some complained that the
pace of discussions was "overwhelming."
More worrisome, according to other participants,
was the low degree of participation of developing countries in the discussions,
particularly since many issues of their concern, such as the strengthening of
seed systems and plant breeding, the promotion of underutilized crops for food
security and the updating of the Code of Conduct on Plant Germplasm featured in
the agenda. While one accounted this to the lack of time for preparation and
regional coordination, another pointed towards the dominating interest of some
well-prepared developed countries to prioritize implementation of the
International Treaty.
The long list of tasks depending on
extra-budgetary resources was another major worry, and many desperately looked
for innovative ideas to attract funding, either through donors' additional
commitments or public-private partnerships.
