6.2 German Case Study
163
• On the other hand, the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is responsible for the actual cooperation with developing
countries. Consequently, close cooperation between BML and BMZ, and
jointly with all other mentioned ministries is necessary for issues relevant to
genetic resources conservation.
• Finally, the cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science,
Research and Technology (BMBF) is of national importance. BMBF is improving the scientific basis of genetic resources conservation by financially
supporting research related to conservation issues.
• Additionally, the federal states playa vital role in the conservation of genetic
resources because of the German federalism. Besides their responsibility in
main policy issues, they must implement the federal laws. For instance,
BMU is responsible for launching the national strategy to implement the requirements of CBD. The actual power concerning conservation issues and
their implementation, however, lies within the federal states.
Most of the activities relating to the conservation and utilization of PGRFA are
carried out by public institutions connected to BML or to some other ministries.
Some other activities, even those not directly correlated to the ministries, are
sponsored by the government and are accountable to the government. In addition
to the federal and states ministries, many federal agencies and other public
institutions exist which are actively involved in the conservation process and
influence the decision making process through their work and their output. All of
these institutes are linked in different degrees to the federal or state ministries
through financial or other support and cooperation:
• For instance, the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), mainly involved in providing scientific advice and administrative support in conservation related issues to BMU, is responsible for the implementation of the
CITES agreement. Furthermore, it administers federal funds for conservation
projects in Germany (GCR, 1996). Another national agency working in the
field of environment protection is the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).
It supports BMU with scientific research, mainly in the field of quality and
impact studies on water, soil and air.
• Furthermore, according to Germany's federal structure, in which universitarian research underlies the sovereignty of the individual federal state, the federal government maintains a series of federal centers for specific research.
The Federal Center for Breeding Research on Cultivated Plants (BAZ), in
the scope of BML, hosts one of the two main national genebanks, the Braunschweig Genetic Resources Center (BGRC) with approximately 53,273 accessions, of which 6,924 have been provided to users worldwide in 1996
(BAZ, 1997). This amounts to a respectful 13% of all conserved accessions,
documenting a comparably high utilization rate (see Chap. 5.4). BORC's
main objectives are the safeguarding of agrobiodiversity and the supply of
germplasm and information for research and development in the national and
international context (BAZ, 1997). BORC's special achievement is the use
163
• On the other hand, the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is responsible for the actual cooperation with developing
countries. Consequently, close cooperation between BML and BMZ, and
jointly with all other mentioned ministries is necessary for issues relevant to
genetic resources conservation.
• Finally, the cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science,
Research and Technology (BMBF) is of national importance. BMBF is improving the scientific basis of genetic resources conservation by financially
supporting research related to conservation issues.
• Additionally, the federal states playa vital role in the conservation of genetic
resources because of the German federalism. Besides their responsibility in
main policy issues, they must implement the federal laws. For instance,
BMU is responsible for launching the national strategy to implement the requirements of CBD. The actual power concerning conservation issues and
their implementation, however, lies within the federal states.
Most of the activities relating to the conservation and utilization of PGRFA are
carried out by public institutions connected to BML or to some other ministries.
Some other activities, even those not directly correlated to the ministries, are
sponsored by the government and are accountable to the government. In addition
to the federal and states ministries, many federal agencies and other public
institutions exist which are actively involved in the conservation process and
influence the decision making process through their work and their output. All of
these institutes are linked in different degrees to the federal or state ministries
through financial or other support and cooperation:
• For instance, the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), mainly involved in providing scientific advice and administrative support in conservation related issues to BMU, is responsible for the implementation of the
CITES agreement. Furthermore, it administers federal funds for conservation
projects in Germany (GCR, 1996). Another national agency working in the
field of environment protection is the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).
It supports BMU with scientific research, mainly in the field of quality and
impact studies on water, soil and air.
• Furthermore, according to Germany's federal structure, in which universitarian research underlies the sovereignty of the individual federal state, the federal government maintains a series of federal centers for specific research.
The Federal Center for Breeding Research on Cultivated Plants (BAZ), in
the scope of BML, hosts one of the two main national genebanks, the Braunschweig Genetic Resources Center (BGRC) with approximately 53,273 accessions, of which 6,924 have been provided to users worldwide in 1996
(BAZ, 1997). This amounts to a respectful 13% of all conserved accessions,
documenting a comparably high utilization rate (see Chap. 5.4). BORC's
main objectives are the safeguarding of agrobiodiversity and the supply of
germplasm and information for research and development in the national and
international context (BAZ, 1997). BORC's special achievement is the use