102
5 Conservation Costs of PGRFA
including the opportunity costs of the foregone food production in the overall cost
calculation, a different national program, based on a more cost-intensive ex situ
conservation system, may have less overall conservation costs due to reduced
opportunity costs. Consequently, the national and the global welfare could be better
off with that system.
Different approaches may be taken in identifying the specific costs for the
conservation of PGRFA. Costs can be identified on different levels as well in
different categories. Considering the players in the conservation activities, costs can
arise at the farm level or at national and international levels as well as at the level of
conservation activities in the private sector. Conservation costs may, however,
occur in different categories, depending on the conservation methods used: costs of
in situ and ex situ conservation as well as costs for the supporting activities and
institutional process for the conservation of and access to PGRFA. Therefore the
method of estimating costs depends upon the approach taken. In view of the
inherent difficulties and limitations in compiling data on the current expenditures
on PGRFA, the purpose of these costing estimates were confined to obtain orders of
magnitude of the current efforts made. Hence, no attempt was made at this stage to
differentiate one-time expenditures in the form of investments or fixed-term
projects for capacity building from running expenditures for PGRFA programs
(e.g., gene bank maintenance). In Chap. 5.1, the costs of conservation will be
identified for particular cases according to the different cost categories. The costs
on national level will then be presented for specific countries - supplemented by a
rough estimation for the overall costs of all countries involved in PGRFA
conservation (Chap. 5.2). In concluding on the cost aspect, the incremental costs on
international level are pointed out in Chap. 5.3. An analysis of the effectiveness of
conservation in specific countries will be combined with the cost analysis of the
countries involved and the results are discussed in Chap. 5.4.
5.1
Analysis of the Costs for PGRFA Conservation According
to Different Categories
Conservation costs arise from the different ex situ and in situ conservation activities
as well as all supporting activities including the institutional process determining
the access to PGRFA and the cost and benefit sharing of the conservation and
utilization of PGRFA. Hence, the following cost calculations will be presented for
particular cases of conservation activities. By differentiating the costs according to
the place of origin, all conservation costs involved can be identified (see Table 5.1).
The costs involved are compiled according to three main categories: labor costs -
predominantly for the ex situ conservation; costs for area demand - partly as
opportunity costs and partly as compensation payments to farmers for in situ
conservation; costs for conservation material and investments - mainly for ex situ
conservation.
5 Conservation Costs of PGRFA
including the opportunity costs of the foregone food production in the overall cost
calculation, a different national program, based on a more cost-intensive ex situ
conservation system, may have less overall conservation costs due to reduced
opportunity costs. Consequently, the national and the global welfare could be better
off with that system.
Different approaches may be taken in identifying the specific costs for the
conservation of PGRFA. Costs can be identified on different levels as well in
different categories. Considering the players in the conservation activities, costs can
arise at the farm level or at national and international levels as well as at the level of
conservation activities in the private sector. Conservation costs may, however,
occur in different categories, depending on the conservation methods used: costs of
in situ and ex situ conservation as well as costs for the supporting activities and
institutional process for the conservation of and access to PGRFA. Therefore the
method of estimating costs depends upon the approach taken. In view of the
inherent difficulties and limitations in compiling data on the current expenditures
on PGRFA, the purpose of these costing estimates were confined to obtain orders of
magnitude of the current efforts made. Hence, no attempt was made at this stage to
differentiate one-time expenditures in the form of investments or fixed-term
projects for capacity building from running expenditures for PGRFA programs
(e.g., gene bank maintenance). In Chap. 5.1, the costs of conservation will be
identified for particular cases according to the different cost categories. The costs
on national level will then be presented for specific countries - supplemented by a
rough estimation for the overall costs of all countries involved in PGRFA
conservation (Chap. 5.2). In concluding on the cost aspect, the incremental costs on
international level are pointed out in Chap. 5.3. An analysis of the effectiveness of
conservation in specific countries will be combined with the cost analysis of the
countries involved and the results are discussed in Chap. 5.4.
5.1
Analysis of the Costs for PGRFA Conservation According
to Different Categories
Conservation costs arise from the different ex situ and in situ conservation activities
as well as all supporting activities including the institutional process determining
the access to PGRFA and the cost and benefit sharing of the conservation and
utilization of PGRFA. Hence, the following cost calculations will be presented for
particular cases of conservation activities. By differentiating the costs according to
the place of origin, all conservation costs involved can be identified (see Table 5.1).
The costs involved are compiled according to three main categories: labor costs -
predominantly for the ex situ conservation; costs for area demand - partly as
opportunity costs and partly as compensation payments to farmers for in situ
conservation; costs for conservation material and investments - mainly for ex situ
conservation.