Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 4 • Number 22 • 3rd December 2004

Crafting of Process of Plant Genetic Resource Treaty Begins

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The second session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA), acting as the Interim Committee for the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR), convened from 15-19 November in Rome, Italy. The session, which focused primarily on procedural issues, agreed to set up two groups to prepare for the first meeting of the ITPGR Governing Body, scheduled to meet in Spain in 2005 or 2006. The ITPGR (available here) is a legally binding instrument that targets the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources and equitable benefit sharing for sustainable agriculture and food security. At the November meeting, countries agreed to establish an open-ended inter-sessional working group to address the procedural and financial rules for the Governing Body, the funding strategy and procedures for compliance. The decision followed extensive discussion on a text on procedural and financial rules. The meeting heard a report on the standard Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) from the Expert Group, which will facilitate transfer of genetic resources by setting minimum standards for access to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) held in the Multilateral System for Access and Benefit sharing set up by the treaty (see BRIDGES Trade BioRes, 21 October 2004). Countries agreed on Terms of Reference for a contact group to develop a draft standard MTA for consideration by the Governing Body.

The ITPGR came into force on 29 June 2004 and is centred upon a Multilateral System for Access and Benefit Sharing, which would allow plant breeders, farmers and research institutions to access 64 important crops and forages from around the world more freely and share the benefits derived from these resources (see BRIDGES Weekly, 7 July 2004). It aims to allow better access to key resources, but at the same time is constrained by lack of funds, limited negotiation capacity among participants and difficulties deciding exactly what the benefit-sharing scheme would look like.

For a full report of the meeting, see IISD’s Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

ICTSD reporting; ENB Vol. 9 No. 300.