76
4 Institutional Frameworks for the Exchange and Utilization of PGRFA
this plan and its adoption was also recommended by UNCED in 1992 and the
second session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological
Diversity in 1995. The objectives of the global plan are: (1) to conserve PGRFA
as the basis of a worldwide food security; (2) to promote the sustainable utilization
of plant genetic resources to reduce hunger and poverty, mainly in developing
countries; (3) to promote a "fair and equitable sharing of benefits" resulting from
the utilization of plant genetic resources; and (4) to strengthen institutional
capacities as well as national, regional, and international programs for
conservation and utilization of PGRFA 15 •
This chapter will analyze the institutional framework for the exchange of
PGRFA, namely the actors in conservation and exchange, the different property
systems involved in the process, as well as the different existing and discussed
systems of genetic resources exchange. First, the institutional aspects of PGRFA
conservation and exchange will be discussed.
4.1
Institutional Aspects of Exchange of PGRFA
The institutional success of adopting a major technical plan of action has not been
followed by any breakthrough in the policy debate. The uncontrolled reduction of
area under traditional varieties due to technical and economic development, the
lack of sufficient resources for incentives at a national level, and the insecurity of
additional funds on the international level call for a safe conservation system. The
central policy questions concerning PGRFA presently being discussed at the
different international fora are:
• the national sovereignty over PGRFA;
• the setup of some kind of property rights associated with genetic resources and
its enforcement;
• the arrangement for the access to PGRFA;
• the sharing of benefits of PGRFA between "owners" and users;
• the aspects of financing conservation and the supply of genetic resources,
e.g.,in concrete programs.
A conservation and exchange system must solve these problems and integrate all
of these issues. Progress has been delayed, because these issues are interrelated,
and the main actors in negotiation have contrary objectives. Kloppenburg and
Kleinman (1988) identified the declaration of the property rights as the major
reason in the deadlock of the discussions ten years ago. The industrialized
countries recommend that genetic resources derived from landraces be treated as
common heritage but modern varieties have to be protected. The developing
countries would also like to declare the newly bred varieties of the seed industry
as public good or to protect the landraces instead.
" See FAO, 1996b for more detail.
4 Institutional Frameworks for the Exchange and Utilization of PGRFA
this plan and its adoption was also recommended by UNCED in 1992 and the
second session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological
Diversity in 1995. The objectives of the global plan are: (1) to conserve PGRFA
as the basis of a worldwide food security; (2) to promote the sustainable utilization
of plant genetic resources to reduce hunger and poverty, mainly in developing
countries; (3) to promote a "fair and equitable sharing of benefits" resulting from
the utilization of plant genetic resources; and (4) to strengthen institutional
capacities as well as national, regional, and international programs for
conservation and utilization of PGRFA 15 •
This chapter will analyze the institutional framework for the exchange of
PGRFA, namely the actors in conservation and exchange, the different property
systems involved in the process, as well as the different existing and discussed
systems of genetic resources exchange. First, the institutional aspects of PGRFA
conservation and exchange will be discussed.
4.1
Institutional Aspects of Exchange of PGRFA
The institutional success of adopting a major technical plan of action has not been
followed by any breakthrough in the policy debate. The uncontrolled reduction of
area under traditional varieties due to technical and economic development, the
lack of sufficient resources for incentives at a national level, and the insecurity of
additional funds on the international level call for a safe conservation system. The
central policy questions concerning PGRFA presently being discussed at the
different international fora are:
• the national sovereignty over PGRFA;
• the setup of some kind of property rights associated with genetic resources and
its enforcement;
• the arrangement for the access to PGRFA;
• the sharing of benefits of PGRFA between "owners" and users;
• the aspects of financing conservation and the supply of genetic resources,
e.g.,in concrete programs.
A conservation and exchange system must solve these problems and integrate all
of these issues. Progress has been delayed, because these issues are interrelated,
and the main actors in negotiation have contrary objectives. Kloppenburg and
Kleinman (1988) identified the declaration of the property rights as the major
reason in the deadlock of the discussions ten years ago. The industrialized
countries recommend that genetic resources derived from landraces be treated as
common heritage but modern varieties have to be protected. The developing
countries would also like to declare the newly bred varieties of the seed industry
as public good or to protect the landraces instead.
" See FAO, 1996b for more detail.