The SNAP was established at the Seed Policy and Programmes Meeting for Asia and the Pacific held in Bangkok in June 1999. The first meeting of the coordinating board is being planned for the second quarter of 2001.

The structure of the Seed Network for Asia and the Pacific

The purpose of SNAP is to:

• develop and expand viable local-level seed production and distribution mechanisms for varieties and crops important to small-scale farmers;
• make new crop varieties available to farmers;
• improve the complementarity between governmental, commercial and small-scale enterprises in plant breeding, seed production and seed distribution;
• facilitate the exchange of information and expertise among countries and institutions on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and seed production development; and
• elaborate a regional research and information programme and an articulated plan of action to be carried out through inter-country co-operation.

Some information on the roles of the Scientific and Technical Working Groups of the Seed Network is as follows:

1. Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Objective: Establishment of a Regional Seed Information Management System (SIMS) as an electronic repository of agro-ecological and socio-economic information on crop varieties grown by farmers in the AP region.

2. Working Group on Harmonisation of Seed Rules and Regulations
Objective: Harmonisation of regional seed related legislation, including rules and regulations, aimed at improving the national and regional seed and crop genetic resources exchange and trade.

3. Working Group on Seed Supply and Marketing Systems
Objective: Develop effective seed supply systems targeting small scale farmer crop production systems using participatory approaches and farmer-to-farmer training in production and marketing of seeds and planting material of their traditional crops.

4. Working Group on Seed Technology
Objective: Promote participatory approaches to the development of crop varieties adapted to the agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions under which small-scale farmers manage their crop production systems to assure that farmers have a secure access to good quality seeds of adapted varieties.

5. Working Group on Capacity Building and Information Dissemination
Objective: Develop an inventory of past and present training programmes in the region intended to strengthen and improve on-farm seed and planting material production and management and design effective information dissemination systems.

6. Working Group on Disaster Preparedness and Response Objective: Design effective strategies at the national- and regional-level to co-ordinated actions of all stakeholders involved in disaster preparedness, response and rehabilitation activities in disaster-prone areas to procure, multiply and distribute quality seed of adapted varieties to farming communities affected by disasters.

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