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Global Plan of Action 312.
Assessment: Public awareness is the key to mobilising
popular opinion and to generating and sustaining appropriate
political action within countries and internationally. The
capacity to communicate the impact of genetic resources activities
to key target audiences is critical to the success of any
conservation programme. 313.
A targeted public awareness programme can promote the development
of international linkages and collaborative mechanisms such
as networks. Within
countries, public awareness can facilitate efforts to involve
communities and local and nongovernmental organizations in
national genetic resources activities, thus ensuring a broader
base for conservation. Strong
linkages between public awareness work done by international
organizations and national programmes and organizations can
increase effectiveness and reduce costs. 314.
Final objectives: To integrate fully public awareness
into all local, national, regional and international programme
activities. 315.
Intermediate objectives: To support mechanisms,
particularly in developing countries, for coordinated public
awareness activities at all levels. 316.
Policy/strategy: National policies and planning
should recognize the role that public awareness can play in
establishing a firm basis for sustainable genetic resources
conservation and use. Public
awareness should be considered in the development of all national
programme activities. 317.
National strategies should identify objectives and strategies
for public awareness, defining target audiences, partners
and tools for public outreach. Governments
should recognize and encourage the work of NGOs in raising
public awareness. 318.
Adequate consideration should be give to production of public
awareness materials in appropriate languages to facilitate
broad use within countries. 319.
Capacity: Genetic resources programmes should
have as appropriate a focal point for public awareness. Genetic
resources workers, however, should develop the capacity to
articulate the importance of programme goals and activities
in the broader context of sustainable agriculture and development.
They
should be able to communicate this to all stakeholders using
tools provided by public awareness specialists. 320.
Plant genetic resources programmes should consider enlisting
the help of wellknown and influential people to increase
access to the media and attract added attention. 321.
National genetic resources programmes should draw on public
awareness tools and technologies generated at the regional
and international level for use in their own information efforts.
These
tools - and the messages they convey - may have to be adapted
to reflect national priorities and circumstances. However,
it is likely that many of the regional and global messages
will prove useful in supporting national public awareness
strategies and activities. This
will substantially reduce costs to the national programme.
322.
Awareness of the value of plant genetic resources for food
and agriculture, and of the role of scientists, plant breeders,
farmers and communities in maintaining and improving them,
should be promoted in schools at all levels, as well as in
specialized agricultural research institutions. 323.
Research/technology: Research into, or consideration
of, the information needs of targeted audiences should be
made before launching major public awareness initiatives.
At
the international level, research into the use of the new
information technologies to meet public awareness needs should
be undertaken. 324.
Coordination/administration: A certain degree
of coordination and facilitation is needed at the international
level to rationalize and bring cost efficiencies to public
awareness work. National
programmes and others can take advantage of materials developed
at the international level, for example through public awareness
officers in FAO, UNEP, the CGIAR system, and NGOs, including
the private sector. Linkages
between international organizations and NGOs will facilitate
the sharing of messages and the identification of opportunities
for collaborative activities. 325.
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