3.3 Analysis of the Beneficiaries of PGRFA Conservation 57
Countries involved in the conservation of PGRFA and the international
community expect benefits for the national and international breeding activities
derived from the raw material as well as from the improvement in the efforts for
food security through the insurance value (stabilized or increased food production)
and the functional value (reduced degradation of natural resources) as part of the
breeding value.
In addition to these beneficiaries, which are benefiting from the conservation of
PGRFA directly, the consumers, being the main secondary beneficiaries, have to
be mentioned as well. Although they do not have a direct role on the demand side,
consumers constantly demand more and higher quality food for the same or lower
prices. The stability or decrease of consumer prices for agricultural products is due
to a complex system of innovations which led to increased agricultural production
(Wright, 1996). One of the determining components for this development is the
use of PGRFA as raw material for modern varieties.
Summarizing the benefits of the PGRFA diversity and its conservation, the
flow of benefits is identified as inter-sectoral (between farmers in marginal areas
and high potential areas) and inter-temporal (between farmers presently utilizing
modern varieties, which were bred by incorporating genetically coded information
from PGRFA diversity, which was maintained in the past). Not only farmers are
benefiting from the conservation of PGRFA, but also other actors between the
food production and the food consumption. As Wright points out (1996), the
social benefits derived from the use of PGRFA, however, are far greater than the
profits of the breeding companies. Thus, the major beneficiaries of the use of
PGRFA are food consumers in developed and developing countries.
3.4
Incentives for the Conservation of PGRFA
After analyzing the beneficiaries of PGRFA conservation, who represent the
demand side of PGRFA, and before identifying the supply side in detail, some
conceptional considerations concerning the conservation of PGRFA should be
made. After discussing the theory of PGRFA conservation, economic mechanisms
of incentives for conservation of PGRFA will be examined.
3.4.1
Theory of the Conservation of PGRFA
As described in Chapter 1, PGRFA, being composed of wild crop relatives and
traditional varieties, are supplied in situ by nature and farmers and by local,
national and international conservation organization engaged in ex situ
conservation as accessions.
Generally, accessions in ex situ storage are freely available to bona fide users
upon request; only the transportation costs are charged occasionally (Hammer,
1995). Hence, PGRFA are still handled as free and public good, although - with
the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity - the free disposal is
Countries involved in the conservation of PGRFA and the international
community expect benefits for the national and international breeding activities
derived from the raw material as well as from the improvement in the efforts for
food security through the insurance value (stabilized or increased food production)
and the functional value (reduced degradation of natural resources) as part of the
breeding value.
In addition to these beneficiaries, which are benefiting from the conservation of
PGRFA directly, the consumers, being the main secondary beneficiaries, have to
be mentioned as well. Although they do not have a direct role on the demand side,
consumers constantly demand more and higher quality food for the same or lower
prices. The stability or decrease of consumer prices for agricultural products is due
to a complex system of innovations which led to increased agricultural production
(Wright, 1996). One of the determining components for this development is the
use of PGRFA as raw material for modern varieties.
Summarizing the benefits of the PGRFA diversity and its conservation, the
flow of benefits is identified as inter-sectoral (between farmers in marginal areas
and high potential areas) and inter-temporal (between farmers presently utilizing
modern varieties, which were bred by incorporating genetically coded information
from PGRFA diversity, which was maintained in the past). Not only farmers are
benefiting from the conservation of PGRFA, but also other actors between the
food production and the food consumption. As Wright points out (1996), the
social benefits derived from the use of PGRFA, however, are far greater than the
profits of the breeding companies. Thus, the major beneficiaries of the use of
PGRFA are food consumers in developed and developing countries.
3.4
Incentives for the Conservation of PGRFA
After analyzing the beneficiaries of PGRFA conservation, who represent the
demand side of PGRFA, and before identifying the supply side in detail, some
conceptional considerations concerning the conservation of PGRFA should be
made. After discussing the theory of PGRFA conservation, economic mechanisms
of incentives for conservation of PGRFA will be examined.
3.4.1
Theory of the Conservation of PGRFA
As described in Chapter 1, PGRFA, being composed of wild crop relatives and
traditional varieties, are supplied in situ by nature and farmers and by local,
national and international conservation organization engaged in ex situ
conservation as accessions.
Generally, accessions in ex situ storage are freely available to bona fide users
upon request; only the transportation costs are charged occasionally (Hammer,
1995). Hence, PGRFA are still handled as free and public good, although - with
the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity - the free disposal is