11 July 2014
ITPGR Celebrates 10 Years of Entry Into Force
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On 3 July 2014, in Geneva, Switzerland, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR) celebrated its 10th birthday since its entry into force on 29 June 2004.

The event aimed to highlight the Treaty's role in ensuring global food security, farmers' rights, sustainable agriculture, and fair and equitable benefit-sharing arising from the use of plant genetic resources.

ITPGR3 July 2014: On 3 July 2014, in Geneva, Switzerland, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR) celebrated its 10th birthday since its entry into force on 29 June 2004. The event aimed to highlight the Treaty’s role in ensuring global food security, farmers’ rights, sustainable agriculture, and fair and equitable benefit-sharing arising from the use of plant genetic resources.

During the event, ITPGR Secretary, Shakeel Bhatti, and Global Crop Diversity Trust Executive Director, Marie Haga, introduced a joint initiative between the International Treaty and the Crop Trust, called DivSeek. Short for “Diversity Seek,” DivSeek utilizes a combination of biology and sequencing of plant DNA to help speed up the plant breeding process. The initiative aims to connect phenotypic and sequencing/genotypic data for the improvement of plant breeding.

On the occasion, Braulio Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), noted that “the relationship between the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Treaty is a model of cooperation, mutual supportiveness and synergy,” and further highlighted that the Nagoya Protocol will join the ITPGR “in assisting countries and indigenous and local communities to conserve and sustainably use their genetic resources, which will in turn, support the economy, innovation and research.” [ITPGR News Release][CBD Executive Secretary Statement]

 


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