September 2016: Bioversity International has published two policy briefs as a contribution to the Global Consultations on Farmers’ Rights. The briefs discuss evidence from the field showing how the protection of traditional knowledge, benefit sharing, participation in decision making and the strengthening of community seedbanks can promote the implementation of farmers’ rights to save, sell and exchange seed.

The first policy brief titled, ‘Realizing farmers’ rights through community-based agricultural biodiversity management,’ provides evidence from community-based projects, which shows that such projects can promote farmers’ rights as envisioned in Article 9 (Farmers’ Rights) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR).

The brief recommends that: national and local governments promote farmers’ rights implementation through agrobiodiversity-focused programmes and projects; national genebanks collaborate with community genebanks, including through capacity development, knowledge and seed exchange, and strengthening national networks of conservation actors; and farming communities, extension services universities and research organizations cooperate in implementing programmes and projects like the ones discussed in the brief.

The second brief titled, ‘Supporting community seedbanks to realize farmers’ rights,’ describes how seedbanks run by farming communities can support a stewardship approach to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) conservation based on the principles of ecological citizenship and collective ownership. It discusses challenges and opportunities, such as the struggle for community-managed seedbanks to obtain legal status, and outlines examples of how community seedbanks have been successfully strengthened.

The brief concludes that community seedbanks can play a key role in realizing farmers’ rights and recommends: that ITPGR parties integrate community seedbanks as a core component of the Treaty’s strategic plans; that national and local governments provide technical and financial support to community seedbanks; and that farming communities, extension services, universities and research organizations collaborate to establish a global platform for community seedbanks.

The policy briefs were prepared for the Global Consultation on Farmer’s Rights held as an ITPGR intersessional meeting from 27-30 September 2016. The meeting, hosted by Indonesia and co-sponsored by Norway, discussed challenges and gaps related to the implementation of farmers’ rights, and considered ways to strengthen framers’ rights in practice. Participants adopted a list of recommendations to be further considered by the next meeting of the ITPGR Governing Body to be held in late 2017.

Bioversity International is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. [Bioversity International Press Release] [ITPGR Press Release: Global Consultations] [Publication: Realizing Farmers’ Rights through Community-based Agricultural Biodiversity Management] [Publication: Supporting Community Seedbanks to Realize Farmers’ Rights]