6 Two Examples of PGRFA Conservation
Systems: India and Germany
In Chapter 5.2 the different countries involved in PGRF A conservation were
characterized according to their expenditures and state of agrobiodiversity. There
are the supply-driven spenders on the one side - countries identified by high
expenditures for the conservation, a high level in agrobiodiversity as well as the
technological potential for national breeding activities. The countries' objectives
are to promote the national breeding efforts as well as to be prepared for a future
free exchange ofPGRFA. India is one of the countries in this category.
Germany, however, as a demand-driven spender, is interested in safeguarding
the breeding industry's demand for genetic resources. The demand driven
spenders are agrobiodiversity-poor countries with a high-standard breeding sector.
These countries invest in the maintenance of their ex situ collections and
information processing. Furthermore they are interested in a secure in situ
conservation system, especially in countries rich in agrobiodiversity. The demanddriven spenders are willing to compensate the in situ conservation in
agrobiodiverse countries to protect PGRF A as future input for breeding.
6.1
Indian Case Study"
India covers 3,287,263 km 2 , of which 60% is used for agricultural production.
India, representing only 2.4% of the total world's area, has a population of more
than 920 million people, which makes up 16% of the world's population. India is
very rich in plant biodiversity, with 20,000 vascular plant species, of which
approximately 7,000 are endemic (lCR, 1995). The 20 agro-climatic zones of the
country represent all of the existing agro-climatic zones, ranging from arid to
humid ecosystems and from highland to island ecosystems (Chandel, 1995). In all
these ecosystems, 160 crop species are cultivated, of which 35 species were
domesticated in the Indian gene center (Chandel and Rana, 1995). Crops like kodo
millet, aubergine, mango, black pepper, and some types of rice originate in the
gene center of the Hindustani area (Zeven and Zhukovsky, 1975). The major
77 Important information was collected during the visit to India in 1996 and through the Indian
Country Report submitted to FAO.
Systems: India and Germany
In Chapter 5.2 the different countries involved in PGRF A conservation were
characterized according to their expenditures and state of agrobiodiversity. There
are the supply-driven spenders on the one side - countries identified by high
expenditures for the conservation, a high level in agrobiodiversity as well as the
technological potential for national breeding activities. The countries' objectives
are to promote the national breeding efforts as well as to be prepared for a future
free exchange ofPGRFA. India is one of the countries in this category.
Germany, however, as a demand-driven spender, is interested in safeguarding
the breeding industry's demand for genetic resources. The demand driven
spenders are agrobiodiversity-poor countries with a high-standard breeding sector.
These countries invest in the maintenance of their ex situ collections and
information processing. Furthermore they are interested in a secure in situ
conservation system, especially in countries rich in agrobiodiversity. The demanddriven spenders are willing to compensate the in situ conservation in
agrobiodiverse countries to protect PGRF A as future input for breeding.
6.1
Indian Case Study"
India covers 3,287,263 km 2 , of which 60% is used for agricultural production.
India, representing only 2.4% of the total world's area, has a population of more
than 920 million people, which makes up 16% of the world's population. India is
very rich in plant biodiversity, with 20,000 vascular plant species, of which
approximately 7,000 are endemic (lCR, 1995). The 20 agro-climatic zones of the
country represent all of the existing agro-climatic zones, ranging from arid to
humid ecosystems and from highland to island ecosystems (Chandel, 1995). In all
these ecosystems, 160 crop species are cultivated, of which 35 species were
domesticated in the Indian gene center (Chandel and Rana, 1995). Crops like kodo
millet, aubergine, mango, black pepper, and some types of rice originate in the
gene center of the Hindustani area (Zeven and Zhukovsky, 1975). The major
77 Important information was collected during the visit to India in 1996 and through the Indian
Country Report submitted to FAO.