BSF Project - Third Cycle

The Third Project Cycle of the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF 3) ended in 2020. It consisted of 22 projects implemented in different FAO regions (Map of Projects Windows 2 - Map of Projects Windows 3)

The BSF 3 projects focused on helping local communities adapt to climate change and contribute to food security. BSF 3 was centred around strengthening capacities and empowering famers, researchers and others (people), safeguarding and using plant genetic diversity for food security (plants) and supporting institutions for future action and innovation (institutions).

Some of the main achievements of the funded portfolio are outlined below.

Strengthening capacities of farmers and agricultural researchers (people and institutions)

A total of 97,837 people have benefited from the projects funded in the BSF-3. This includes farmers (91,6%), researchers, breeders, genebank curators, governmental officials, students and professors. Farmers have benefitted from:

increased availability and distribution of disease-free, clean planting material as a result of identification and incorporation of preferred candidate genes in breeding of climate-smart varieties;
increased availability of and access to lost or underutilized crops that have been reintroduced in farmers’ fields or repatriated from international genebanks, national genebanks and breeding programs;
increased diversity of crops grown in their fields;
increased yields and income;
improved skills and knowledge in relation to Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) management and conservation.

At least 856,700 people of which 346,344 women are expected to gain indirect benefits from the scaling up and out of the outcomes of BSF3 projects;
65,842 people have received training and capacity building on the value of agro-biodiversity, participatory plant selection and breeding, value addition and marketing of crops, on-farm conservation and application of modern techniques for the study of genetic through a total of 670 sessions.
More than 5000 students gained knowledge in participatory methods of plant breeding and community-based management systems of PGFRA, and benefited from practical application of genomics, phenotyping and use of molecular techniques. These students include MSc and PhD scholars, who represent a new generation of PGRFA scientists and breeders, equipped to support the implementation of the International Treaty;
More than 270 partnering institutions have joined forces in the execution of BSF-3 projects’ activities, including farmers’ organizations, Non–governmental Organizations (NGOs), universities, extension services, institutes for biodiversity conservation, national research institutions, gene banks, governments and the private sector.

Safeguarding and using plant genetic diversity for food security (plants)

More than 20,706 varieties of target crops have been evaluated for adaptability to biotic and abiotic stresses by farmers and scientists and 298 new varieties were developed. These new varieties present resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and meet farmers’ preferences in terms of taste, nutrition, yields, economic and cultural values.
A total of 4390 varieties have undergone molecular characterization at research institutes to identify traits of potential value
A total of 2750 accessions resistant to pests, diseases and climate-induced shocks, including landraces of target crops have been identified and are being used in farmers’ fields;
A total of 10 340 digital object identifiers (DOIs) have been assigned to PGRFA material enabling access to information on PGRFA.
79 community seedbanks have been established, including management committees storing 3612 varieties of sorghum, finger millet, pearl millet, cowpea, pigeon peas and groundnuts apple, potato, millet and common beans;
166 Farmer Field Schools have been established as interactive, bottom-up learning platforms to research and deploy climate-resilient crops.