1.3 Research Questions and Approach
7
1.3
Research Questions and Approach
1.3.1
Research Questions
The international community, governments, breeding companies, and farmers
have become aware of the persisting threat of losing plant genetic resources. They
are willing to conserve PGRFA, but the conservation strategies and the
institutional mechanisms including transaction mechanisms for PGRFA as well as
financial mechanisms have not yet been agreed on. As basis for collection and
conservation activities, the institutional framework has changed dramatically since
the signing of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. The first
systematic attempt to develop a comprehensive, co-ordinated plan to conserve
PGRFA was not made until 1996. The "Leipzig Declaration on Conservation and
Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture" and
the "Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of
Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture" were adopted by 150 countries
in Leipzig, 1996 (FAO, 1996b), signalizing the political will to continue and to
increase the effort to conserve PGRFA.
This study will contribute to the development-policy discussion by raising and
discussing some institutional economics research questions as well as analyzing
the costs arising by conserving PGRFA. The research questions raised include:
1. To what extent is genetic loss relevant to agriculture? It is necessary to collect
information on the order of magnitude of genetic losses before any decision to
invest in conservation activities can be undertaken. Are genetic losses in
agriculturally relevant plants already threatening the breeding activities of the
future?
2. What are the main determinants of genetic losses? It is important to understand
the causes and underlying determinants of the loss for any conservation strategy
and planning so as to react by taking this information into account. The Green
Revolution is often blamed for genetic extinction, and on the eve of anew,
genetically engineered revolution, the perceived threat of significant and severe
genetic loss is widespread. It is essential to understand the interrelation between
development and genetic extinction.
3. What are the relevant differences between general biodiversity and diversity in
agricultural crops? A lot of work is being done on the conservation of
biodiversity in general, neglecting agriculturally relevant genetic resources or
suggesting them implicitly. Aspects of diversity, conservation, and utilization
must be differentiated.
4. Which methods of PGRFA conservation are practiced and what are their
complementarities? An overall systems perspective for conservation is needed;
consequently it is important to systematically assess existing conservation
7
1.3
Research Questions and Approach
1.3.1
Research Questions
The international community, governments, breeding companies, and farmers
have become aware of the persisting threat of losing plant genetic resources. They
are willing to conserve PGRFA, but the conservation strategies and the
institutional mechanisms including transaction mechanisms for PGRFA as well as
financial mechanisms have not yet been agreed on. As basis for collection and
conservation activities, the institutional framework has changed dramatically since
the signing of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. The first
systematic attempt to develop a comprehensive, co-ordinated plan to conserve
PGRFA was not made until 1996. The "Leipzig Declaration on Conservation and
Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture" and
the "Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of
Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture" were adopted by 150 countries
in Leipzig, 1996 (FAO, 1996b), signalizing the political will to continue and to
increase the effort to conserve PGRFA.
This study will contribute to the development-policy discussion by raising and
discussing some institutional economics research questions as well as analyzing
the costs arising by conserving PGRFA. The research questions raised include:
1. To what extent is genetic loss relevant to agriculture? It is necessary to collect
information on the order of magnitude of genetic losses before any decision to
invest in conservation activities can be undertaken. Are genetic losses in
agriculturally relevant plants already threatening the breeding activities of the
future?
2. What are the main determinants of genetic losses? It is important to understand
the causes and underlying determinants of the loss for any conservation strategy
and planning so as to react by taking this information into account. The Green
Revolution is often blamed for genetic extinction, and on the eve of anew,
genetically engineered revolution, the perceived threat of significant and severe
genetic loss is widespread. It is essential to understand the interrelation between
development and genetic extinction.
3. What are the relevant differences between general biodiversity and diversity in
agricultural crops? A lot of work is being done on the conservation of
biodiversity in general, neglecting agriculturally relevant genetic resources or
suggesting them implicitly. Aspects of diversity, conservation, and utilization
must be differentiated.
4. Which methods of PGRFA conservation are practiced and what are their
complementarities? An overall systems perspective for conservation is needed;
consequently it is important to systematically assess existing conservation