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Global Plan of Action 76. Assessment:
The number of genebanks in the world and the size of ex situ
collections grew tremendously during the 1970 and 1980s in
response to increasing awareness of threats to plant genetic
resources for food and agriculture. While most countries still lack
longterm storage facilities, storage space is thought to
be available today in many individual genebanks and globally,
and could be expanded through elimination of unnecessary duplication
in the collections. 77. Globally, governments and
donor agencies have made insufficient provisions for on going
maintenance costs of conservation infrastructure. The result has been a steady
deterioration of many facilities and their ability to perform
even basic conservation functions. The severity of the threat to
ex situ collections can be seen in the high percentage of
accessions presently in need of regeneration and in reports
by many countries of significant technical and administrative
problems in genebanks. In addition, many genebanks house
far more species than national breeding programmes are developing,
and options exist for less costly conservation. 78. With a more rational system
based on better planning and more coordination and cooperation,
costs could be reduced and conservation work placed on a scientifically
sound and financially sustainable foundation. This would lay the groundwork
for expanded utilization of plant genetic resources for food
and agriculture, in the context of more effective conservation.
To realize such a system, conservation
options must be made available, particularly to the many countries
presently lacking sufficient capacity to ensure the ongoing
ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources for food and
agriculture at the international standards. 79. Longterm objectives:
To give high priority to safeguarding as much existing unique
and valuable diversity as possible in ex situ collections
of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. To develop an efficient goaloriented,
economically efficient and sustainable system of ex situ conservation.
To develop and strengthen cooperation
among national programmes and international institutions to
sustain ex situ collections, recognizing that states have
sovereign rights over their own plant genetic resources for
food and agriculture. 80. Intermediate objectives:
To develop and strengthen national, regional and international
networks, including the existing FAO Ex situ Network within
the FAO Global System and in accordance with policies and
strategies set out by the Commission on Genetic Resources
for Food and Agriculture. To assemble therein sufficient
capacity to provide options to countries for the voluntary
storage - preferably within each region - of appropriate genetic
materials and their duplicates. To provide for the transfer and
ongoing conservation of this material under applicable international
legal agreements, which ensure the sovereign rights of the
countries of origin, and with appropriate technical and financial
support. 81. To reduce unnecessary and
unplanned redundancy in current programmes, and promote access
to and exchange of information about plant genetic resources
for food and agriculture in line with applicable international
agreements, including the Convention on Biological Diversity.
To provide for the planned replication
and safe storage of materials not currently duplicated. 82. Policy/strategy:
The international community has interests in and responsibilities
for the ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources for
food and agriculture. It is this understanding which
provides the basis for an effective, integrated and rational
global plan to secure existing collections. Countries have national sovereignty
over, and responsibility for, their own plant genetic resources
for food and agriculture. 83. Full use should be made of
appropriate existing facilities, including national, regional
and international centres. Conserved materials should be,
as appropriate, replicated and stored in longterm facilities
meeting international standards, in accordance with applicable
international agreements. Unintended and unnecessary duplications
between collections within the networks should be reduced
to promote cost efficiency and effectiveness in global conservation
efforts. Countries could be assisted in
identifying which genetic resources are already stored and
duplicated in longterm facilities. 84. FAO in cooperation with
countries and with relevant institutions should facilitate
the formalizing of agreements to safeguard diversity in ex
situ collections in conformity with applicable international
agreements This would allow those countries so desiring to
place collections voluntarily in secure facilities outside
their boundaries. 85. Capacity: Appropriate
personnel, at all levels, for implementing and monitoring
the above policies and agreements should be recruited and
trained, as appropriate. National institutions should
evaluate current genebank management practices in light of
the need to create more rational, efficient, and useroriented
ex situ conservation systems. As appropriate, proper facilities,
human resources and equipment should be made available to
national programmes. 86. Ongoing conservation of collections
of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture should
be secured. Particular care must be taken
to safeguard the original accessions of threatened collections.
87. Support should be given where
appropriate to defray expenses incurred by institutions providing
designated storage and related conservation and research/
documentation services for other countries. This support could help to allow
for all unique material to be identified, suitably duplicated,
stored safely, and characterized, regenerated, evaluated,
and documented. This would include the identification
of materials both inadequately and excessively duplicated.
Materials not yet duplicated
should be suitably multiplied and placed appropriately in
secure storage, with the full observance of applicable international
agreements and national legislation. Additional ex situ duplications
of accessions would be maintained at the discretion of countries.
Expansion of some existing storage
facilities and the creation of new facilities may be desirable.
88. Research/technology:
Research should be aimed at the development of improved conservation
methods including as appropriate in vitro and cryopreservation
and in particular reliable lowcost techniques appropriate
to local operating conditions. Technologies and procedures transferred
from temperate climates may not be appropriate for conditions
in tropical countries and vice versa. 89. Research based on the improved
documentation and information foreseen under this Plan, should
be undertaken to inform decisions upon which a rational, effective
system must be based. This might include, inter alia,
research on identifying priority germplasm and duplications,
on methods of identifying duplicates as well as of testing
viability of accessions, procedures for the rational conservation
and duplication of vegetativelypropagated species, and on
the modalities and technologies of conserving genes, genotypes
and gene complexes. 90. Coordination/administration:
Coordination should take place within the country, between
the national ex situ genebank, national crop working groups,
and all users of PGRFA (breeders, farmers and NGOs). Strong links need to be established
with regional networks and international centres 91. Oversight of the implementation
of this activity should be supported by guidance of the FAO
Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
92. Periodic administrative and
technical reviews should be encouraged to assess the effectiveness
of the actions taken. Subject to these reviews as well
as the specific provisions of relevant agreements, financial
support should foster longterm security and allow for efficient
planning. 93. This activity is closely
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