 |
ICARDA News International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012 Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG Website: www.icarda.org
|
||
|
Media
contact:
icarda-media@cgiar.org
|
|||
|
Meeting
of the Genetic Resources Policy Committee
|
|||
| The
23rd session of the Genetic Resources Policy Committee was held at
ICARDA, 18-20 March to discuss policy issues related to International
Plant Genetic Resources. Dr Carlos Correa, Chair of the GRPC, welcomed the participants and outlined the agenda of the meeting. He then gave the floor to Dr Mahmoud Solh, ICARDA Director General, whose presentation highlighted ICARDA’s work on conservation of plant and animal genetic resources in dry areas . Dr Emile Frison, Director General of Bioversity International spoke about the importance of policy issues in genetic resources conservation.
Dr Shakeel Bhatti, Secretary of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT-PGRFA) presented a report on the intersessional activity of the governing body, and Mr Dan Leskien, Specialist Legal Adviser to the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture presented a report on the intersessional activities of the commission. Dr Frison initiated a discussion concerning the development of the policy of the Alliance of CGIAR center on Intellectual Assets. The committee also focused on issues of using the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA), identifying materials distributed by Centers as PGRFA under Development, what should be included in the PGRFA, commercialization, options for additional conditions to be included in an ancillary document to the SMTA for PGRFA under Development, and best practices concerning information made available with SMTA. In another session the committee discussed draft guidelines for Centers' germplasm acquisition and distribution of materials for purposes other than conservation, research or training for food and agriculture. On the second day the committee visited ICARDA's Gene Bank and held discussions on draft guidelines for the acquisition and use of traditional knowledge by the CGIAR scientists, a background document on the report on Survey of practice for the acquisition and use of traditional knowledge by CGIAR scientists and comments received from Centers on the draft guidelines.
The committee also deliberated on "Beyond the Genebank: Policy issues faced by Centers developing and distributing improved germplasm," which was introduced by Dr Solh and ICARDA scientists. A roundtable was held on additional genetic resources policy issues of relevance to the CGIAR, which was introduced by Dr Correa. |
About
ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.org) is one of the 15
international research centers supported by the Consultative Group on
International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ICARDA serves the entire
developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean;
and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water,
improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and
goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central
and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for
the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage
legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of
the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
(www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of countries, international and
regional organizations, and private foundations supporting15 international
research centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable
development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition
and health, and protecting the environment.