Asia-Pacific Consultation Discusses Regional Priorities on Plant Genetic Resources
23/07/2024
Bangkok, Thailand -- The Asia and Pacific regional consultation on the Second Global Plan of Action (GPA) for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture opened in Bangkok today, hosted by the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) under the leadership of Executive Director Mr Ravi Khetarpal.
The 3-day consultation in Bangkok aims to discuss current priorities for the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) and gather inputs for reviewing the Second GPA for PGRFA. The meeting brings together 40 participants from almost 20 countries in the Asia and the Pacific region, and include National Focal Points to the International Treaty, and those to the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, as well as experts from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
The meeting was opened by Ms Hang Thi Thanh Pham, Officer-in-Charge, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, who highlighted the region’s food production system challenges, including climate change, population growth, conflicts and migration. She stressed the key contribution crop diversity can make to cope with these challenges.
“Given that crop diversity sits at the very core of the International Treaty, the ongoing review and update of the Global Plan of Action holds immense significance,” said Mr Mario Marino, Technical Officer of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, speaking on behalf of the Treaty Secretariat.
The Second GPA, adopted by the FAO Council in 2011, lays out a series of agreed priority plans and actions for the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources. A series of regional consultations are being held this year to review and revise the GPA in response to findings of The Third Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.*
“The Global Plan of Action (GPA) represents a cornerstone for the International Treaty's work on conservation and sustainable use, informing the Benefit-sharing Fund's programmatic approach and supports the national reporting under the compliance mechanism,” said Mr Marino. “The GPA acts as a crucial supporting component under Article 14 of the Treaty,” he added.
The Asia and Pacific Region Consultation is the fourth in the series of regional consultations co-organized by FAO Plant Production and Protection Division, the Commission, the International Treaty, the FAO Regional office, and partners. The first two regional consultations were held in May in Kenya for Africa, in Colombia for the Latin America and the Caribbean region; and the third in Kuwait for the Near East Region. Two regional consultations for the Europe and the North America regions are being planned for September.
The outcomes and contributions of the consultations will be considered by the 12th Session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in December 2024, and the Commission on Genetic Resources will consider a revised GPA at its 20th Regular Session in March 2025.
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* A first draft of the Third Report was launched in July of last year at the 19th Regular Session of the Commission.