Since the launch of the International Treaty’s Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF) in 2009, it has received contributions of almost USD 30 million, resulting in important outcomes for the world’s agrobiodiversity, food and nutrition security.

The two main sources of funding for the BSF are voluntary contributions and  user-based income from the International Treaty’s Multilateral System for Access and Benefit-sharing (Multilateral System). 

Voluntary contributions to the BSF come from a diverse range of sources, including International Treaty Contracting Parties, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, international mechanisms and funds from innovative sources and mechanisms. 

Multilateral System user-based income is generated from profits arising from certain crop varieties that have been developed using material from the Multilateral System. A portion of the profits is deposited into the BSF, generating a reasonable source of sustainable and predictable income for the Fund. This in turn enables small-scale farmers, scientists and breeders in developing countries to tap into the International Treaty’s global gene pool to undertake research for the further development of new crop varieties. 

Historical contributions

Contributors to the Benefit-sharing Fund include Australia, Austria, Germany, the European Commission, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Further contributions have been made by the European Seed Association, the International Seed Federation, IFAD, SEMAE (formerly, Groupement National Interprofessionel des Semences), ProSpecieRara Hauptsitz and a Norwegian initiative to contribute a percentage of the value of their annual national seed sales to the BSF. In addition to these voluntary contributions, BSF-5 has also received user-based income from the International Treaty’s Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing.