National Inventory and National Collection: the French concept

1. National Inventory and National Collection: the French concept Véronique Jamilloux*, Agnès Ricart*,Annick Le Blanc**, Vincent Gensollen**,Hélène Bertrand***, François Laurens****,Martine Mitteau* * BRG, ** GEVES, *** INH, *** INRA Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

2. A presentation divided in 3 parts • How has the concept of National Collection been elaborated in France in the light of the International commitments and of the Global Plan of Action? • How do we manage theplant genetic resources in France? • Consequently, how do we apply the concept of national inventory in France? Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

3. The concept of National Collection in FranceThe Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) • In accordance with the CBD, to facilitate access to genetic resources under French sovereignty, • Necessity to identify on the whole French territory: Øthe genetic material, of actual and potential value, existing within ecosystems and natural habitats; Øthe genetic material, of actual and potential value, that has developed there their distinctive properties, in the case of domesticated or cultivated species. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

4. The concept of National Collection in FranceThe Global Plan of Action (GPA) • With the aims of ensuring the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture as a basis for food security, and of strengthening national programmes, as well as regional and international programmes, • The GPA implicitly leads to a clear inventory of the genetic resources under the sovereignty of each nation in order: Øto rationalize their conservation from a sustainability and durability viewpoint; Øto mainstream the national programmes into regional and international cooperation. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

5. The concept of National Collection in France A French National Collection: • gathers genetically diversified material i.e. in a significant and rather homogeneous size, • gathers representative material sampled on the French territory, in- or ex-situ, • is documented for multicrops passport data and for some primary characters, • and is available under facilitated access according to the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) and to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (2001). Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

6. Criteria for admission to National Collection • French cultivars removed from the French or European catalogues of varieties, • Landraces and local varieties from France, • French or foreign genitors, in particular those who have given  varieties registered in the French or European catalogues in their lineage, • Material which has been collected in French territories, • Material known for the presence of identified genes, such as genotypes used as controls in certain nurseries or trials, • Material which is little known, but which is recognized as a genetic resource, and whose supply or collection remains difficult. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

7. The management of the PGR in FranceThe National Charter • defines the national policy, • as elaborated and implemented by stakeholders and policymakers, • and as adopted by funding authorities, • through: • ØGeneral review • ØRecommendations • Ø Action programmes Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

8. The management of the PGR in FranceA decentralized system Each National Collection is managed through a network which: • involves the users of genetic resources, • takes into account all dimensions of plant genetic diversity: part of naturalheritage as well as strategic and economic input, • gathers all the known expertise, • involves both public and private stakeholders, including NGOs, • shares the cost of management activities between the French state and the economic actors, • is, under national coordination, the French representative in regional networks (ECP/GR, EUFORGEN…) for the relevant species. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

9. The management of the PGR in FranceA network: which framework? • In accordance with the Global Plan of Action, the aim is the rationalization of the PGR conservation from a sustainability and durability viewpoint. • So as to ensure the long-term conservation and thesustainable use of National Collections and to share responsibilities and conservation tasks, for each network: Øa commitment of each stakeholder of the network, ØA network charter, with rules of procedure. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

10. The management of the PGR in FranceWhich networks currently? • Field crop species • “Beets”, “Fodder and lawn species”, “Large-seed Leguminoseae”, “Maize”, “Potatoes”, “Rape”, “Small grain cereals”, “Sunflower”. • Fruit species • “Figs and mulberries”, “Grapevine”, “Nuts”, “Olives”, “Pome fruits”, “Prunus”. • Ornamentals and industrial species - “Hydrangea”, “Lavenders”, “Pelargonium”, “Roses”. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

11. The management of the PGR in FranceWhich networks currently? • Vegetables species • “Allium”, “Artichokes and cardoons”, “Carrots”, “Chicories”, “Lentils”, “Market Solanaceae”, “Muskmelons”, “Strawberries”, “Vegetable Cruciferae”. • Dynamic in-situ management • “Forest trees”, “Wild relatives”. • Platform for tropical and Mediterranean species - with Citrus, banana, coffee, oil palm, pineapple, rice, soya, sorghum, sugar cane, yams… and many forest species. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

12. The concept of National Inventory in FranceA national coordination • To elaborate and to implement the national policy for genetic resources; to ensure the long term viability of the French process and to secure its sustainability; • To mainstream and to hold together the national programme into regional and international cooperation according to the Global Plan of Action of the FAO; • ØA governmental institution: • the Bureau des Ressources Génétiques Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

13. The concept of National Inventory in FranceThe BRG currently A “scientific group”, interministerial body, constituted by: 6 Ministries respectively in charge of: Research Industry Agriculture Environment Overseas Territories Cooperation 7 Scientific Organizations: INRA MNHN CNRS IRD CIRAD Ifremer GEVES represented within a Group Council, and managed by a 9 permanent staff. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

14. The concept of National Inventory in France All the genetic resources wich are: • currently in the National Collections managed by each national network, • Or complying with the criteria for admission, now or in the future, constitute the National Inventory (NI) for EURISCO, in order to: • facilitate access tothe genetic diversity under French sovereignty; • ensure access to an available and well documented genetic material; • secure the follow-up and the improvement of EURISCO. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

15. Network Collection Network Collection andNetwork Data Base National Collection and National Collection Repertory The concept of National Inventory in France How is the NI built Whole material held by stakeholders All National Collections Ú NATIONAL INVENTORY Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003

16. To conclude The National Inventory that will be available through EURISCO includes: • the whole of the genetic resources under French sovereignty in accordance with the CBD, • i.e. resources from both public and private sectors (breeding firms and NGOs), • accessible through the National Collections. All the genetic material of French collections under foreign sovereignty is avoided with the aim of a long-term clear and sensible European inventory and of the sustainable supply of available and documented genetic resources by their own responsible countries. Bureau des ressources génétiques. September 2003