The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture entered into force in June 2004 and now has some 73 Parties. The Treaty is of vital importance to food security and to sustainable agriculture in that it allows for the continued flow of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) on which all countries and regions are dependent. The Treaty, which is in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity, responds to the special characteristics and needs of PGRFA. The Treaty establishes a Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing for PGRFA that are of special importance for food security and on which countries are most interdependent. For these PGRFA, access and benefit-sharing is to be on standard terms and conditions, agreed by the Parties at a multilateral level and implemented through a standard Material Transfer Agreement. A Contact Group is now negotiating the format and terms of the standard Material Transfer Agreement. Much work remains to be done on the implementation of the Treaty, but the Treaty remains a significant achievement for the world’s agricultural community. The first session of the Treaty’s Governing Body is scheduled to be held in Spain in June 2006