International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

The Platform for the Co-Development and Transfer of Technologies

Stakeholders in the International Treaty are empowered to utilise technologies for the conservation, characterization, evaluation and use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.  The Treaty calls for technology transfer as a primary form of non-monetary benefit-sharing, in its Article 13.

The Platform for the Co-Development and Transfer of Technologies was established as a direct follow-up of the Rio Six-point Action Plan for the International Treaty adopted in 2012 at the Second High-Level Round Table of the Treaty, on the occasion of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

The Platform facilitates the discussion and coordination on issues related to the identification of gaps and the development of technology packets in the context of the International Treaty.  The Platform, with its objectives and operating principles, was presented to the Fifth and Sixth Sessions of the Governing Body in 2013 and 2015 and adopted as part of the Programme of Work on Sustainable Use as a mechanism to build partnerships for the co-development and transfer of technologies relevant to PGRFA.

At its first meeting in Brazil the Platform decided to create technology transfer packets, while at its second and third meetings in Indonesia and Italy, it further advanced on the development of the analysis of existing initiatives and methodologies for needs assessment.

The Platform is operating under the presidency of Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD) -Government of Indonesia-, which is providing the hosting and liaison unit. The work of the Platform is to connect to other Treaty systems and mechanisms, in particular, the Multilateral System, the Benefit-sharing Fund, the Training programme and the programme of work on Sustainable Use.

Since then, the Platform has further developed its initial programme of work through the holding of annual meetings, and a range of activities that includes the development of joint international studies and services for its partners.

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