162
6 Two Country Examples of PGRFA Conservation Systems
actors who influence the process on different levels. The actors and their influence
on decisions relating to the conservation and management of PGRFA will be
described in the following section and are depicted in Fig. 6.3.
Germany shows a decentralized structure through the legislative competence of
the federal states for certain policy areas and partial tasks. Joint competence exist
for nature conservation, agricultural structure and research policies of the Federal
Government and the federal states. Even though the conservation of genetic
resources falls under both legislation structures, the coordination for genetic
resources conservation takes increasingly place at a national level. Hence, the
federal government, plays an increasingly important role in all activities related to
the conservation and utilization of genetic resources:
• The conservation and utilization of PGRFA is expected to contribute significantly to the future food security and to the agricultural improvement of the
production conditions. Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture
and Forestry (BML) has the largest share in the conservation activities regarding the conservation and utilization of PGRFA. The Federal Ministry is
leading the German delegation in international negotiations at FAO, mainly
revising the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources. BML is,
however, able to achieve its objectives in PGRFA conservation and utilization on a national and an international level only in close association with
other federal ministries.
• For instance, the implementation of any in situ conservation activities must
be coordinated with the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and its subordinate departments and institutes. BMU is taking the lead in the negotiations in most international fora
concerning the environment - mainly CBD and its follow-ups. It is responsible for the implementation of CBD on the federal level. One important result
of BMU's work in the field of implementing CBD is the German CHM
Working Group on the Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) under the Convention on Biological Diversity. This group, consisting of representatives
from BMU, GTZ, UBA, BfN, ZADIIIGR, University Bonn, German NGOs,
and the private sector, and representing the National Focal Point to the
CHM, has provided a concept for the development of the international CHM
(BMU/CHM, 1997). BMU is generally aiming to integrate environmental
protection into other action and policy areas - especially agricultural policies.
• BML depends on the expertise of the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ)
especially for negotiations at international fora. Above all, the negotiations
concerning the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources and
Farmers' Rights are accompanied by an expert of BMJ.
• Special attention must be drawn to the negotiations within the scope of WTO
and TRIPS. The outcomes in these negotiations are influencing the conservation issues of BML as well as BMU. The Federal Ministry of Economics
(BMWi), however, takes the lead in these negotiations.
6 Two Country Examples of PGRFA Conservation Systems
actors who influence the process on different levels. The actors and their influence
on decisions relating to the conservation and management of PGRFA will be
described in the following section and are depicted in Fig. 6.3.
Germany shows a decentralized structure through the legislative competence of
the federal states for certain policy areas and partial tasks. Joint competence exist
for nature conservation, agricultural structure and research policies of the Federal
Government and the federal states. Even though the conservation of genetic
resources falls under both legislation structures, the coordination for genetic
resources conservation takes increasingly place at a national level. Hence, the
federal government, plays an increasingly important role in all activities related to
the conservation and utilization of genetic resources:
• The conservation and utilization of PGRFA is expected to contribute significantly to the future food security and to the agricultural improvement of the
production conditions. Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture
and Forestry (BML) has the largest share in the conservation activities regarding the conservation and utilization of PGRFA. The Federal Ministry is
leading the German delegation in international negotiations at FAO, mainly
revising the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources. BML is,
however, able to achieve its objectives in PGRFA conservation and utilization on a national and an international level only in close association with
other federal ministries.
• For instance, the implementation of any in situ conservation activities must
be coordinated with the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and its subordinate departments and institutes. BMU is taking the lead in the negotiations in most international fora
concerning the environment - mainly CBD and its follow-ups. It is responsible for the implementation of CBD on the federal level. One important result
of BMU's work in the field of implementing CBD is the German CHM
Working Group on the Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) under the Convention on Biological Diversity. This group, consisting of representatives
from BMU, GTZ, UBA, BfN, ZADIIIGR, University Bonn, German NGOs,
and the private sector, and representing the National Focal Point to the
CHM, has provided a concept for the development of the international CHM
(BMU/CHM, 1997). BMU is generally aiming to integrate environmental
protection into other action and policy areas - especially agricultural policies.
• BML depends on the expertise of the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ)
especially for negotiations at international fora. Above all, the negotiations
concerning the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources and
Farmers' Rights are accompanied by an expert of BMJ.
• Special attention must be drawn to the negotiations within the scope of WTO
and TRIPS. The outcomes in these negotiations are influencing the conservation issues of BML as well as BMU. The Federal Ministry of Economics
(BMWi), however, takes the lead in these negotiations.