144
5 Conservation Costs of PGRFA
the documentation work as well as for the exchange of accessions. Consequently, a
conservation system with long-term storage facilities, but without working
collections significantly reduces the potential of accessibility of genetic resources
for present use. Hence, the existence of a working collection is the first indicator for
a good accessibility to conserved genetic resources.
As can be seen in Table 5.19, all relevant countries, except Haiti, Seychelles, and
Suriname, have working collections. Most of the analyzed countries have the
potential to provide germplasm to whoever requests it.
Documentation: In addition to the physical existence and the flexible handling of
germplasm practiced with working collections, the quality standard of the
documentation of stored germplasm indicates the degree of accessibility to PGRF A.
The documentation of stored germplasm is a very important component for the
users of PGRF A in their decision making and research process. Better information
result in less search costs. One main factor of the search costs, apart from the costs
for looking for the physical existence, is the time spent in producing the necessary
information, if it is not available. The user is able to collect most of the necessary
data only by cultivating the germplasm. Not only the information quantity, but also
the information availability determines the accessibility to genetic resources. Even
though accessions may be well documented in a specific storage facility, as long as
this information is not accessible for all the potential users, for instance through
Internet, the actual exchange of specific accessions will not occur, even though
there is a demand for it. Consequently, with increasing information content and
increasing information availability, the accessibility to PGRF A is increasing as
well.
A good quality standard in the germplasm documentation is necessary for the
accessibility of the accessions. The more data is available, the higher will be the
specific information value. Hence, the percentage of available passport,
characterization, and evaluation data for the germplasm collection may be used as
key indicators in determining the quality standard of the documentation. In this
context, good quality standards for the documentation are defined by the existence
of more than 80% passportdata and more than 50% other data (characterization and
evaluation data) in the whole collection. Basic quality standards must have more
than 80% passport data and 30 to 50% other data. If a collection has less than 80%
passport data and less than 50% other data or even 100% passport but no other data,
then the documentation of the collection is considered having a poor quality.
It must be stressed once again: although international standards for PGRF A
conservation exist, the amount and quality of information included in the passport
data of accessions in many collections may, however, be minimal or different.
Some passport data only contain information about country of origin (Peeters and
Williams, 1984).
As could be seen while assessing the goal achievement for the first objective,
i.e., freezing, these measurements chosen are rough estimates. Therefore, other
indicators determining the accessibility of accessions more precisely, e.g., the
existence of more user-friendly documentation systems with standard formats or
computerized data available on the Internet, are not included due to the present lack
of necessary information from the majority of countries. The complexity of the
5 Conservation Costs of PGRFA
the documentation work as well as for the exchange of accessions. Consequently, a
conservation system with long-term storage facilities, but without working
collections significantly reduces the potential of accessibility of genetic resources
for present use. Hence, the existence of a working collection is the first indicator for
a good accessibility to conserved genetic resources.
As can be seen in Table 5.19, all relevant countries, except Haiti, Seychelles, and
Suriname, have working collections. Most of the analyzed countries have the
potential to provide germplasm to whoever requests it.
Documentation: In addition to the physical existence and the flexible handling of
germplasm practiced with working collections, the quality standard of the
documentation of stored germplasm indicates the degree of accessibility to PGRF A.
The documentation of stored germplasm is a very important component for the
users of PGRF A in their decision making and research process. Better information
result in less search costs. One main factor of the search costs, apart from the costs
for looking for the physical existence, is the time spent in producing the necessary
information, if it is not available. The user is able to collect most of the necessary
data only by cultivating the germplasm. Not only the information quantity, but also
the information availability determines the accessibility to genetic resources. Even
though accessions may be well documented in a specific storage facility, as long as
this information is not accessible for all the potential users, for instance through
Internet, the actual exchange of specific accessions will not occur, even though
there is a demand for it. Consequently, with increasing information content and
increasing information availability, the accessibility to PGRF A is increasing as
well.
A good quality standard in the germplasm documentation is necessary for the
accessibility of the accessions. The more data is available, the higher will be the
specific information value. Hence, the percentage of available passport,
characterization, and evaluation data for the germplasm collection may be used as
key indicators in determining the quality standard of the documentation. In this
context, good quality standards for the documentation are defined by the existence
of more than 80% passportdata and more than 50% other data (characterization and
evaluation data) in the whole collection. Basic quality standards must have more
than 80% passport data and 30 to 50% other data. If a collection has less than 80%
passport data and less than 50% other data or even 100% passport but no other data,
then the documentation of the collection is considered having a poor quality.
It must be stressed once again: although international standards for PGRF A
conservation exist, the amount and quality of information included in the passport
data of accessions in many collections may, however, be minimal or different.
Some passport data only contain information about country of origin (Peeters and
Williams, 1984).
As could be seen while assessing the goal achievement for the first objective,
i.e., freezing, these measurements chosen are rough estimates. Therefore, other
indicators determining the accessibility of accessions more precisely, e.g., the
existence of more user-friendly documentation systems with standard formats or
computerized data available on the Internet, are not included due to the present lack
of necessary information from the majority of countries. The complexity of the