92
4 Institutional Frameworks for the Exchange and Utilization of PGRFA
concern of saving all threatened genetic resources, the conservation efforts were
carried out in a very unsystematic way, determined mainly by the individual
commitment of those involved. Furthermore, in the present multilateral system
most countries share part of a total genepool of interest concerning most staple
food crops and the governments have exercised little control over the exchange of
germplasm in this informal system (Gass, 1996).
FAG and the IARCs combined with the NARS tried to systemize and link all
conservation efforts on an international and a national level. Consequently, the
main coordinators of the existing system in its present state are the "Global
System for the Conservation and Utilization of PGRFA" and the network of
genetic resource units and plant breeding activities, promoted and financial
supported by the IARCs and the relevant NARS.
The global system consists of three pillars, based on the International
Undertaking as framework agreement, and is accountable to the intergovernmental
forum of the Commission of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (FAG,
1997b):
• global mechanisms: an international network of ex situ collections under the
auspices of FAG, a network of in situ and on-farm areas, crop related networks,
and the World Information and Early Warning System on Plant Genetic
Resources (WIEWS);
• global instruments: the international fund on Plant Genetic Resources for the
implementation of Farmers' Rights, a periodic report on the State of World's
Plant Genetic Resources, and a rolling Global Plan of Action on PGRFA;
• international agreements: an international code of conduct for plant germplasm
collecting and transfer, a draft code of conduct for biotechnology, technical
guidelines for the safe movement of Plant Germplasm, as well as the genebank
standards.
The achievements of this system whose legal framework is still evolving, because
of the obligation of renegotiating the International Undertaking, are the following:
• most of the earth's important PGRFA have been collected and conserved ex
situ under this evolving, informal system (WIEWS, 1996);
• genetic resources have been utilized for breeding and provided the base for a
tremendous food production increase (Wright, 1996);
• the system provided the fora for international negotiations on policies and
regulations on PGRF A and enabled the emergence of the first report on the
state of the world's PGRFA as well as the first global plan of action for the
conservation and utilization of PGRFA;
• the first international PGRFA information system was created (WIEWS) and
crop-specific and regional PGRFA networks emerged for cooperation reasons;
• the present exchange system with its free availability of PGRFA to bona fide
users upon request enabled the advantageous utilization of more PGRFA from
international sources than contributed to other national and international users
because of the interdependence of all countries as regards the utilization of
PGRFA.
4 Institutional Frameworks for the Exchange and Utilization of PGRFA
concern of saving all threatened genetic resources, the conservation efforts were
carried out in a very unsystematic way, determined mainly by the individual
commitment of those involved. Furthermore, in the present multilateral system
most countries share part of a total genepool of interest concerning most staple
food crops and the governments have exercised little control over the exchange of
germplasm in this informal system (Gass, 1996).
FAG and the IARCs combined with the NARS tried to systemize and link all
conservation efforts on an international and a national level. Consequently, the
main coordinators of the existing system in its present state are the "Global
System for the Conservation and Utilization of PGRFA" and the network of
genetic resource units and plant breeding activities, promoted and financial
supported by the IARCs and the relevant NARS.
The global system consists of three pillars, based on the International
Undertaking as framework agreement, and is accountable to the intergovernmental
forum of the Commission of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (FAG,
1997b):
• global mechanisms: an international network of ex situ collections under the
auspices of FAG, a network of in situ and on-farm areas, crop related networks,
and the World Information and Early Warning System on Plant Genetic
Resources (WIEWS);
• global instruments: the international fund on Plant Genetic Resources for the
implementation of Farmers' Rights, a periodic report on the State of World's
Plant Genetic Resources, and a rolling Global Plan of Action on PGRFA;
• international agreements: an international code of conduct for plant germplasm
collecting and transfer, a draft code of conduct for biotechnology, technical
guidelines for the safe movement of Plant Germplasm, as well as the genebank
standards.
The achievements of this system whose legal framework is still evolving, because
of the obligation of renegotiating the International Undertaking, are the following:
• most of the earth's important PGRFA have been collected and conserved ex
situ under this evolving, informal system (WIEWS, 1996);
• genetic resources have been utilized for breeding and provided the base for a
tremendous food production increase (Wright, 1996);
• the system provided the fora for international negotiations on policies and
regulations on PGRF A and enabled the emergence of the first report on the
state of the world's PGRFA as well as the first global plan of action for the
conservation and utilization of PGRFA;
• the first international PGRFA information system was created (WIEWS) and
crop-specific and regional PGRFA networks emerged for cooperation reasons;
• the present exchange system with its free availability of PGRFA to bona fide
users upon request enabled the advantageous utilization of more PGRFA from
international sources than contributed to other national and international users
because of the interdependence of all countries as regards the utilization of
PGRFA.