International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

2022 SEP 20

Preliminary   > Environment and Ecology   >   Biodiversity   >   International conventions & protocols

Why in news?

  • The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has inaugurated the Ninth Session of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) in New Delhi.

About the treaty:

  • The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) also known as the Seed treaty was adopted by the 31st session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2001.
  • It is a legally binding comprehensive agreement.
  • The treaty came into force in 2004 and has been ratified by 149 countries including India.
  • The treaty provides solutions to achieve food and nutritional security as well as climate resilient agriculture. Countries are inter-dependent for PGRFA and consequently a global order is essential to facilitate access and benefit sharing.
  • It formally acknowledges the enormous contribution of indigenous people and small-holder farmers as traditional custodians of the world’s food crops. 

Objectives

  • Recognising the enormous contribution of farmers to the diversity of crops that feed the world
  • Establishing a global system to provide farmers, plant breeders and scientists with access to plant genetic materials
  • Ensuring that recipients share benefits they derive from the use of these genetic materials with the countries where they have been originated.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is adopted under:

(a) World Trade Organization

(b) Food and Agriculture Organization

(c) UN Convention on Biological Diversity

(d) International Fund for Agricultural Development

Answer