Genetic resource flows and access in agriculture

1. Genetic resource flows and access in agriculture Willy De Greef Secretary General EuropaBio 16 April 2012 1 OEWG7, ABS CBD

2. An old story Some historical information People have always taken their crops with them as they spread over the world How ABS can be made to work for food security 16 April 2012 2 OEWG7, ABS CBD

3. What do we mean by crops? Cereals, sugar crops, oil crops, protein crops, tuber crops, � Beverages: coffee, tea, cocoa, grapevines, �. Vegetables and fruits,(hundreds of species) Ornamentals (thousands of species!) Industrial crops: cotton, rubber, Animal feed crops: forage grasses and legumes Forestry crops: (often forgotten, huge areas, and even bigger economic impact) 16 April 2012 OEWG7, ABS CBD 3

4. Most crops are global travellers Almost all successful crops are mosty cultivated OUTSIDE their centre of origin Cereals: wheat, barley, maize, � Root and tuber crops: potato, cassava, � Fruits: citrus, grapes, � Oil crops: soybean, oil palm, oilseed rape, � 16 April 2012 OEWG7, ABS CBD 4

5. The movement of cotton varieties

6. The spread of sugarcane

7. The spread of oil palm

8. Wheat: Maize:  16 April 2012 OEWG7, ABS CBD 8

9. Today no nation is completely independent in terms of genetic resources for food and agriculture and both, developed and developing countries have come to rely on non-indigenous crops for their food supply. A study assessing the degree of a country�s dependence on non-indigenous crops (measured in terms of calorific contribution to nutrition contributed by crops whose centre of diversity is outside the country in question) has shown that all countries grow or import crops that come from distant lands. Ghana is just as dependent on crops originating outside of Ghana (70-81%), as Italy is on crops originating outside of Italy (71-81%). Today no nation is completely independent in terms of genetic resources for food and agriculture and both, developed and developing countries have come to rely on non-indigenous crops for their food supply. A study assessing the degree of a country�s dependence on non-indigenous crops (measured in terms of calorific contribution to nutrition contributed by crops whose centre of diversity is outside the country in question) has shown that all countries grow or import crops that come from distant lands. Ghana is just as dependent on crops originating outside of Ghana (70-81%), as Italy is on crops originating outside of Italy (71-81%).

10. Under the CBD, countries may provide access to genetic resources for which they are �countries of origin�, countries possessing the material in in-situ conditions. In-situ is defined as: �conditions where genetic resources exist within ecosystems and natural habitats, and, in the case of domesticated or cultivated species, in the surroundings where they have developed their distinctive properties. This framework, while useful, does not provide an explanation or advice on what a �distinctive property� is. Neither does it clarify what �property� is: is it a gene, a trait, a particular combination of otherwise common alleles? Centres of crop diversity have not always occupied a limited area and moreover, secondary centres of diversity exist in areas with a long history of continuous cultivation. Farmers and breeders have moulded genetic resources over centuries through phenotypic selection, facilitating genetic exchange between cultivars and weedy relatives. Under the CBD, countries may provide access to genetic resources for which they are �countries of origin�, countries possessing the material in in-situ conditions. In-situ is defined as: �conditions where genetic resources exist within ecosystems and natural habitats, and, in the case of domesticated or cultivated species, in the surroundings where they have developed their distinctive properties. This framework, while useful, does not provide an explanation or advice on what a �distinctive property� is. Neither does it clarify what �property� is: is it a gene, a trait, a particular combination of otherwise common alleles? Centres of crop diversity have not always occupied a limited area and moreover, secondary centres of diversity exist in areas with a long history of continuous cultivation. Farmers and breeders have moulded genetic resources over centuries through phenotypic selection, facilitating genetic exchange between cultivars and weedy relatives.

11. Sorting out which country has the right to negotiate the terms of access to genetic resources for food and agriculture led delegates to the CBD to recognise that there was a need �to seek solutions to outstanding matters concerning plant genetic resources� and led to negotiations that concluded in the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Sorting out which country has the right to negotiate the terms of access to genetic resources for food and agriculture led delegates to the CBD to recognise that there was a need �to seek solutions to outstanding matters concerning plant genetic resources� and led to negotiations that concluded in the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

12. Breadfruit Artocarpus Breadfruit only. Asparagus Asparagus Oat Avena Beet Beta Brassica complex Brassica et al. Genera included are: Brassica, Armoracia, Barbarea, Camelina, Crambe, Diplotaxis, Eruca, Isatis, Lepidium, Raphanobrassica, Raphanus, Rorippa, and Sinapis. This comprises oilseed and vegetable crops such as cabbage, rapeseed, mustard, cress, rocket, radish, and turnip. Pigeon Pea Cajanus Chickpea Cicer Citrus Citrus Genera Poncirus and Fortunella are included as root stock. Coconut Cocos Major aroids Colocasia, Xanthosoma Major aroids include taro, cocoyam, dasheen and tannia. Carrot Daucus Yams Dioscorea Finger Millet Eleusine Strawberry Fragaria 16 April 2012 OEWG7, ABS CBD 12

13. ITPGR: what is not covered # 1 sugar crop of the world (sugarcane) # 1 and 2 oil crop of the world (oil palm, soybean) # 1 protein crop of the world (soybean) # 1 fibre crop of the world (cotton) # 1 vegetable crop of the world (tomato) # 1 and 2 beverage crops of the world (coffee, tea) 16 April 2012 OEWG7, ABS CBD 13

14. A special concern: agricultural pests and diseases Breeding crops is mostly a matter of providing resistance to pests and diseases To test crops, having the diseases organisms is essential What happens if the crop is managed under the ITPGR treaty, and diseases under ABS/CBD? A recent example: rust in wheat 16 April 2012 OEWG7, ABS CBD 14

15. Making ABS work for food security 16 April 2012 OEWG7, ABS CBD 15 A regime that stimulates exchange of genetic material Recognises that crops are always composites of many genotypes That the whole is always more than the sum of its parts That most value comes from deploying the advanced material