7.4 Increasing Effectiveness
183
scale seed production and distribution enterprises where necessary in order to
improve the access to a wider range of planting material, including the provision
of landraces stored ex situ, and the promotion and improvement of farmers'
breeding of varieties. In this connection it is of importance to review and adapt
agricultural development policies and regulatory frameworks for variety release
and seed certification. It must be, however, carefully considered how far the
support for landraces leads to a perverse incentive for the new varieties which is
unacceptable because of the overall need for food security.
The free competition between modem varieties and landraces limited only by
the restricted areal Minimum Safety Standard (aMSS) will increase the
effectiveness of in situ conservation, by reducing the area planted by landraces as
well as guaranteeing the maintenance of all landraces. Furthermore, a free
competition will identify the economic marginalized areas, and the crops and
varieties of which the landraces still have comparative advantages. Hence, the
attention to further development of infrastructure and for further breeding must be
turned to these regions and to these crops and varieties in particular.
Agrobiodiversity-rich, but (breeding) technology-poor countries are in a
dilemma 103 : the greatest possible value can be created within the country itself
only by processing the collected germplasm to value-enhancing genetically coded
information. The lack of technological capacity as well as human resources,
however, prevent this and hinder the supply of high quality PGRF A on the world
market. Consequently, these countries must seize their opportunity, wherever
possible, to develop and improve their technological potential of breeding and
support of this is also in an international interest.
The analysis of the effectiveness of storage facilities in 34 countries suggests
that existing fmancial resources should be used more effectively. The efficiency of
ex situ conservation may be improved through the rationalization of efforts, e.g.,
the rationalization of collections through regional and international collaboration,
an improved data and information management, as well as the reduced overduplication of samples. Furthermore, legally binding mechanisms should allow
countries to place materials in secure storage facilities outside of their borders,
without compromising their sovereign rights over such material 104 .
Further cooperation is needed to increase the effectiveness of PGRFA
conservation. Cooperation between the public and the private sector, the public
conservation facilities and the private seed industry, as well as between the
professional breeding and farmers in marginalized areas are recommended. The
public sector can help the private sector in undertaking plant breeding, seed
production, and distribution, by creating an enabling environment, including the
appropriate legislation. The private sector requires certain prerequisites for
investment; for instance, a base level of market infrastructure and
103 This dilemma occurs for developing countries in most other areas of raw material export as
well.
104 For more detailed recommendations see the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and
Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (FAD, 1996b).
183
scale seed production and distribution enterprises where necessary in order to
improve the access to a wider range of planting material, including the provision
of landraces stored ex situ, and the promotion and improvement of farmers'
breeding of varieties. In this connection it is of importance to review and adapt
agricultural development policies and regulatory frameworks for variety release
and seed certification. It must be, however, carefully considered how far the
support for landraces leads to a perverse incentive for the new varieties which is
unacceptable because of the overall need for food security.
The free competition between modem varieties and landraces limited only by
the restricted areal Minimum Safety Standard (aMSS) will increase the
effectiveness of in situ conservation, by reducing the area planted by landraces as
well as guaranteeing the maintenance of all landraces. Furthermore, a free
competition will identify the economic marginalized areas, and the crops and
varieties of which the landraces still have comparative advantages. Hence, the
attention to further development of infrastructure and for further breeding must be
turned to these regions and to these crops and varieties in particular.
Agrobiodiversity-rich, but (breeding) technology-poor countries are in a
dilemma 103 : the greatest possible value can be created within the country itself
only by processing the collected germplasm to value-enhancing genetically coded
information. The lack of technological capacity as well as human resources,
however, prevent this and hinder the supply of high quality PGRF A on the world
market. Consequently, these countries must seize their opportunity, wherever
possible, to develop and improve their technological potential of breeding and
support of this is also in an international interest.
The analysis of the effectiveness of storage facilities in 34 countries suggests
that existing fmancial resources should be used more effectively. The efficiency of
ex situ conservation may be improved through the rationalization of efforts, e.g.,
the rationalization of collections through regional and international collaboration,
an improved data and information management, as well as the reduced overduplication of samples. Furthermore, legally binding mechanisms should allow
countries to place materials in secure storage facilities outside of their borders,
without compromising their sovereign rights over such material 104 .
Further cooperation is needed to increase the effectiveness of PGRFA
conservation. Cooperation between the public and the private sector, the public
conservation facilities and the private seed industry, as well as between the
professional breeding and farmers in marginalized areas are recommended. The
public sector can help the private sector in undertaking plant breeding, seed
production, and distribution, by creating an enabling environment, including the
appropriate legislation. The private sector requires certain prerequisites for
investment; for instance, a base level of market infrastructure and
103 This dilemma occurs for developing countries in most other areas of raw material export as
well.
104 For more detailed recommendations see the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and
Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (FAD, 1996b).