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Conclusions of the Second World Seed Conference
The Second World Seed Conference (Conference) recalled that agriculture needs to provide sustainable food security and economic development in the context of current and future global challenges. This Conference has highlighted the critical role of new plant varieties and high quality seed in providing a dynamic and sustainable agriculture that can meet those challenges. It is concluded that governments need to develop and maintain an enabling environment to encourage plant breeding and the production and distribution of high quality seed. The Second World Seed Conference identified the following elements in providing such an enabling environment:
- Plant Breeding has significantly contributed and will continue to be a major contributor toincreased food security whilst reducing input costs, greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. With that, Plant Breeding significantly mitigates the effects of population growth, climate change and other social and physical challenges.
- The International Treaty on PGRFA is an innovative instrument that aims at providing food security through conservation, as well as facilitated access to PGRFA under its multilateral system (MLS) of access and benefit-sharing. The MLS represents a reservoir of genetic traits, and therefore constitutes a central element for the achievement of global food security.
- Intellectual property protection is crucial for a sustainable contribution of plant breeding and seed supply. An effective system of plant variety protection is a key enabler for investment in breeding and the development of new varieties of plants. A country’s membership of UPOV is an important global signal for breeders to have the confidence to introduce their new varieties in that country.
- Seed quality determination based on scientific principles before supplying the seed to farmers is an important measure for achieving a successful agricultural production. The establishment or maintenance of an appropriate infrastructure on the scientific as well as technical level in developed and developing countries is highly recommended.
- The development of reliable and internationally acceptable certificates, through close collaboration between all stakeholders along the supply chain for varietal certification, phytosanitary measures and laboratory testing contributes substantially to the strong growth in international trade and development of seed markets.
Overall Conclusions
- Participation in internationally harmonized systems (ITPGRFA, OECD, UPOV and ISTA) is an important means for countries to increase the availability of germplasm, new plant varieties and high quality seed for the benefit of their farmers, without which their ability to respond to the challenges ahead will be substantially impaired.
- A predictable, reliable, user friendly and affordable regulatory environment is crucial to ensure that farmers, have access to high quality seed at a fair price. Cooperation between international governmental and non-governmental organizations, on the basis of mutual supportiveness, is essential in order to provide effective assistance to governments in the development of an enabling environment.
- The conference acknowledges the important role of the public and the private sector to meet the challenges ahead. It also recognizes the benefits in developing complementarity and synergy between the public and private sectors.
- Urgent government measures and increased public and private investment in the seed sector are required for the long term, if agriculture is to meet the challenge of food security in the context of population growth and climate change.
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DECLARATION FROM THE SECOND WORLD SEED CONFERENCE
World food security: urgent measures on seed needed
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PRESS RELEASE
Urgent government measures and increased public and private investment in the seed sector are required...
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