15/03/2011

BALI – In a surprise statement at the Ministerial meeting in Bali to strengthen the links between biodiversity, food security and climate change, the Minister of Agriculture of Indonesia HE Ir. Suswono announced that Indonesia will be the first developing country to invest a financial contribution in the global seed conservation fund of the International Treaty.

The minister said he hopes that this serves an inspiration to other countries to sustain the Benefit-sharing Fund of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. This fund was set up by 127 countries in 2008 to fight against the erosion of crop biodiversity by sustaining farmers to conserve and adapt traditional seeds. 

The main beneficiaries of the fund are farmers and local communities in developing countries who are working towards maintaining and increasing food crop biodiversity.  

International Organizations to Follow

An officer of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) also informed the International Treaty of its interest in partnering with the Benefit-sharing Fund to help farmers adapt their crops to climate change through the management of plant genetic resources by investing in the call, supporting joint resource mobilization efforts, providing strategic policy guidance and operation of the projects.

Moreover, in recognition of the need to prioritize the conservation and use of biodiversity in addressing rural poverty reduction, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) hopes to invest 1.5 million US dollars to the fund, while offering support to mobilize co-funding from other donors, which stands to increase IFAD financial support to three million US dollars.

“We are honoured by Indonesia’s generosity and leadership in supporting the Benefit-sharing Fund. We will invest this substantial investment judiciously to provide substantive results that benefit smallholder farmers”, emphasized Shakeel Bhatti, Secretary of the International Treaty.