Global agreement for resilient food systems through plant genetic resources – NordGen present during key negotiations in Peru
This week, NordGen is in Lima, Peru, together with delegates from numerous countries and representatives from many organizations. They all gather for an international meeting that addresses important topics on the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources. The aim is also to ensure that the benefits arising from the world’s most important crop diversity are shared fairly and equitably.
Higher yields, enhanced nutritional value, and crops resilient to climate change are crucial goals for global food security. The genetic resources of both cultivated and wild plants offer immense potential, but they must be shared fairly and accessed under proper regulation. Therefore, delegates from numerous countries, together with several organizations, gather this week in Lima for the Eleventh Session of the Governing Body (GB 11) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the International Treaty for short).
The first meeting in Latin America
The International Treaty is a legally binding global agreement with multiple purposes. It ensures the conservation, sustainable use, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the world’s most important crop diversity. The Governing Body (GB)comprises all Contracting Parties to the International Treaty and is the Treaty’s highest decision-making body. The GB meets every two years to coordinate international action for agricultural biodiversity, review implementation, foster partnerships, and take other measures to help countries build resilient, diverse, and food-secure agricultural systems worldwide. This session is the first ever in Latin America and also the first meeting to be co-hosted by two countries: Switzerland and Peru.
“The International Treaty ensures that countries share and protect the genetic resources on which our crops depend. These negotiations help enable researchers and plant breeders to access the diverse plant material urgently needed to develop more resilient, climate-strong, and productive crops — an effort that is crucial for future food security,” says Lene Krøl Andersen, NordGen’s Executive Director.
As the Nordic countries’ joint genebank and knowledge center for genetic resources, NordGen is an observer at the Governing Body of the International Treaty. In addition to attending the meeting, NordGen organized a well-attended side event on the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, together with the Crop Trust, the Norwegian Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and the International Plant Treaty. The event brought together speakers from several organizations covering everything from practical information for depositors to the mission of the Seed Vault and examples of the importance of safety backups of seeds.
Symbol of peace and international cooperation
One of the speakers was Alwin Kopse, Head of International Affairs at the Federal Office for Agriculture in Switzerland. Kopse is also the current chair of the Governing Body and the International Advisory Panel (IAP) of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. In his presentation, he talked about the IAP and its mission to provide advice and recommendations regarding the operations of the Seed Vault. As part of their review, the IAP members also get to inspect the Seed Vault from the inside.
“I felt honoured but also touched to be inside the Seed Vault. For me personally, it is very much a peace project. In these ice-cold chambers, you can see genetic resources from all over the world, and countries that are in conflict with each other may have their boxes next to each other. My conclusion of the visit was also that the Seed Vault deserves the trust of the genebanks,” said Alwin Kopse.
Another speaker at the side event was Kent Nnadozie, Secretary of the International Treaty. In his presentation, he talked about the connection between the Seed Vault and the International Treaty, not least in terms of conservation of plant genetic diversity and international cooperation.
Conserves 1,367 native potato varieties
Peru was represented by Ricarodo and Ricardina Pacco from Parque de la Papa (the Potato Park) located near Cusco. Managed by five indigenous Quechua communities, the park conserves 1,367 native potato varieties. Their presentation began with a screening of the film UYWAY (the seed), which describes the journey from Parque de la Papa to Svalbard in 2015, when the park deposited seeds in the Seed Vault.
“We felt like scientists, but we did not just carry a bag of germplasm to Svalbard; we carried our ancestors and the spirit of the Andes. We made this journey because the mountains of Peru told us that everything is changing,” said Ricardo Pacco.
NordGen also participated in the opening of the educational exhibition “The Infinite Loop” which was shown during GB 11—a unique co-production of the International Treaty, the International Potato Center (CIP), the CGIAR Genebanks, the Crop Trust, and NordGen. In this visual and informative exhibition, visitors have the opportunity to follow the journey of plant genetic resources from farmers’ fields to genebanks and research centers, where genetic resources are conserved, studied, improved, and shared — and then back again to the farmers who cultivate the future of our food systems.
Facts – Key priorities at GB 11
- Strengthening the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-Sharing
- Advancing Farmers’ Rights and community stewardship
- Enhancing global cooperation on conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA)
- Supporting climate adaptation and crop resilience
- Mobilizing resources and partnerships for greater global impact
- Source: The International Treaty