22 July 2011: The 13th regular session of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Commission on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA 13) has: adopted the Second Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA); established an Ad hoc Technical Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) for genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA); and developed a roadmap for climate change and GRFA.

CGRFA 13 took place from 18-22 July 2011, at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. The Second Global Plan of Action on PGRFA updates and complements the first edition of the Plan. It contains sections on: rationale for the Second Plan; aims and strategies of the Plan; and structure and organization of the Plan. The main part of the Second Plan is comprised of 18 priority activity areas (PAAs) under four separate categories: in situ conservation and management; ex situ conservation; sustainable use; and building sustainable institutional and human capacities.

The ABS Ad hoc Technical Working Group represents a first step towards the development of distinctive approaches for the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS for GRFA. It will, in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol: identify relevant distinctive features of the GRFA sectors and sub-sectors; develop options to guide and assist countries in developing legislative, administrative and policy measures that accommodate these features; and analyze possible modalities for addressing ABS for GRFA, taking into account the full range of options, including those presented in the Nagoya Protocol.

On climate change and GRFA, the Commission decided to develop a roadmap or work programme including elements on: strategies and policies; tools and technologies for genetic resources and climate change; forging partnerships; and monitoring progress.

Other issues considered by the Commission were: biotechnologies for the conservation and sustainable use of GRFA; aquatic and forest GRFA; aquatic genetic resources; forest genetic resources; biodiversity of micro-organisms and invertebrates for food and agriculture; targets and indicators; implementation and review of the Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPOW); and the Commission’s status and profile. [IISD RS coverage of CGRFA 13] [Meeting website]