FROM SEEDS TO SOLUTIONS
08/12/2023
Special Event Explores Linkages Between International Treaty & Global Biodiversity Framework
Rome, Italy, November 20, 2023 – “From Seeds to Innovative Solutions, Safeguarding our Future” was the subject of a Special Event organized on the occasion of the first day of the Tenth Session of the Governing Body (GB-10) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, that took place at FAO headquarters in Rome 20 -24 November.
In his Keynote Address, David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, talked of “’the unprecedented and interrelated crises of biodiversity loss, climate change and other aspects of global change (that) pose an existential threat to us, to our society, to our culture, to our prosperity and to our planet,” which provided the impetus for the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
He referred to the numerous intersection points and cross-cutting considerations between the objectives and work of the International Treaty and the goals and targets of the GBF, especially Goal C, Targets 4, 15 and International Treaty Articles 5, 6, 9 and 10. He spoke, in particular, of the crucial role of smallholder farmers, as “those that maintain diversity in the field, indigenous peoples and local communities, and the need for more equity between and within society and towards these groups” and emphasized “the need to ensure that the plant breeding system by both farmers and professional plant breeders is providing the ongoing adaptation and adaptability.”
International Treaty Secretary Kent Nnadozie highlighted that “a holistic approach to the implementation of the global biodiversity framework is key to its successful achievement,” and welcomed the opinions of all Treaty stakeholders, including youth representatives, on how the Treaty and GBF do and should complement one another.
The Special Event, moderated by journalist and author, Dan Saladino, brought together key stakeholders for agricultural biodiversity management for an interactive discussion on the linkages and synergies between the GBF and the International Treaty. He highlighted how the work of the International Treaty is extremely important and relevant also for his own interests and work as a food journalist.
“My fascination with crop diversity began not for reasons of science or food production, but because, as a journalist interested in food, I came to realize that the biggest and best stories can be told in a grain of wheat, cob of maize or a handful of millet,” said Saladino.
While highlighting the theme of GB-10, “From Seeds to Innovative Solutions, Safeguarding Our Future: Contributing to the Implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework for Sustainable Food Systems,” panelists had a lively discussion on innovative ideas on how to enhance the conservation of plant diversity and promote sustainable agriculture in order to achieve a more food-secure and resilient future for the planet as the GBF is implemented.
“In Ghana, like other countries, facing various food challenges, like indigenous crops disappearing from our kitchens, we need to find solutions,” said Lydia Kekeli Amenyaglo, Head of Communications, Ghana Food Movement. “We need to work our way back through the value chain, back into the kitchen, because that's where all starts (for most people),” she said.
Lorna E. Herradura, Chief of the National Crop Research Development and Production Support Center, The Philippines, emphasized the critical need for funding, “The most single challenge is funding,” she said. “We really have to be self-supporting and innovative in sustaining our collections,” she added. She spoke of the urgency of addressing funding gaps for effective and resilient agricultural practices, “We need funding to support infra, technological advances, and capacity building.”
In response to comments about the lack of funds available, Hervé Barois, Senior Technical Advisor at the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), said that that his organization would be willing to try to address some of these needs. “BIOFINwas conceived to develop a national biodiversity finance plan to reduce this finance gap, and inside the plan you've got a mix of finance solutions that are adapted to the national context and focus on domestic resources, because we realize that domestic resources are the main resources today to conserve biodiversity worldwide.”
Éliane Ubalijoro, CEO of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), emphasized the importance of managed landscapes. “This understanding of the urgency of preserving the biodiversity in our landscapes, to ensure that we leave a legacy of the biodiversity we have today to future generations (is crucial),” she said.
Alwin Kopše, Deputy Assistant Director General of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture,said, “The (International) Treaty is in a position to build a bridge between the international agenda, but for that to happen, we have to get our house in order – to make it future-proof, innovate the tools we have at hand, … (so that) the Treaty is able to contribute to the big agenda in front of us.”
Youth speaker, Sophie Healy-Thow, founder of Act4Food Act4Change, and Global Youth Campaigns Coordinator of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, emphasized the importance of increasing awareness about crop diversity amongst the younger generations. “Young people don't know about crop diversity; they don't understand,” she said. She talked of the need for youth representatives in such fora. Secretary Nnadozie responded by welcoming youth participation in future meetings.
The GB-10 theme of “From Seeds to Innovative Solutions, Safeguarding Our Future: Contributing to the Implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework for Sustainable Food Systems” highlights the mutual goals and interface between the GBF and the International Treaty, emphasizing the need for an inclusive approach to the implementation of the GBF, addressing the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources, recognizing their fundamental importance for global food security, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic well-being.
The Governing Body of the International Treaty ordinarily convenes once in a biennium, and is the largest global policy-making forum for matters relating to the conservation, exchange, and management of seeds and other PGRFA. GB-10 will be in Session from 20 through 24 November 2023.
@PlantTreaty
#ItAllStartsWithTheSeed
#GB10 #SafeguardingOurFuture #SeedsToSolutions #FoodSecurity #biodiversity