Second Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

SECOND GLOBAL PLAN OF ACTION
for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Adopted by the FAO Council, Rome, Italy, 29 November 2011

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Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Rome 2011

ABSTRACT

The Second Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture was adopted by the FAO Council at its 143rd Session in 2011. It updates the Global Plan of Action for Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources which was adopted at the Fourth International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources held in Leipzig in 1996.

The Second Global Plan of Action addresses new challenges, such as climate change and food insecurity, as well as novel opportunities, including information, communication and molecular methodologies. It contains 18 priority activities organized in four main groups: In situ conservation and management; Ex situ conservation; Sustainable use; and Building sustainable institutional and human capacities.

Table of Contents

Introduction Continued need for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and their conservation and sustainable use History of the Global Plan of Action Implementation of the Global Plan of Action The rationale for the Second Global Plan of Action Aims and strategies of the Second Global Plan of Action Structure and Organization of the Second Global Plan of Action
Priority Activities
In Situ Conservation and Management 1. Surveying and inventorying plant genetic resources for food and agriculture 2. Supporting on-farm management and improvement of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture 3. Assisting farmers in disaster situations to restore crop systems 4. Promoting in situ conservation and management of crop wild relatives and wild food plants Ex Situ Conservation 5. Supporting targeted collecting of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture 6. Sustaining and expanding ex situ conservation of germplasm 7. Regenerating and multiplying ex situ accessions Sustainable Use 8. Expanding the characterization, evaluation and further development of specific subsets of collections to facilitate use 9. Supporting plant breeding, genetic enhancement and base-broadening efforts 10. Promoting diversification of crop production and broadening crop diversity for sustainable agriculture 11. Promoting development and commercialization of all varieties, primarily farmers' varieties/landraces and underutilized species 12. Supporting seed production and distribution Building Sustainable Institutional and Human Capacities 13. Building and strengthening national programmes 14. Promoting and strengthening networks for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture 15. Constructing and strengthening comprehensive information systems for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture 16. Developing and strengthening systems for monitoring and safeguarding genetic diversity and minimizing genetic erosion of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture 17. Building and strengthening human resource capacity 18. Promoting and strengthening public awareness of the importance of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture
Implementing and Financing the Second Global Plan of Action List of acronyms and abbreviations

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ISBN 978-92-5-107163-2

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