Agricultural biodiversity plays essential roles in development and in sustaining livelihoods, food security and nutrition. However, despite its vital role in food security, nutrition, sustainability and resilience, incomes, ecosystem services and social coherence, efforts to bring greater benefits through sustainable use of this vital resource to humanity have remained fragmented and undervalued.
In recent years, The Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) has mobilized productive interactions between many of the key initiatives under this theme, including that of international research via CGIAR Centers such as Bioversity International and others; FAO and the Commission on Genetic Resources in Food and Agriculture; the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources in Food and Agriculture, international institutions such as INBAR, AVRDC and Crops for the Future; national systems as brought together via Regional Fora; collective platforms such as the GlobalHort initiative and a wide variety of civil society and private sector initiatives. This Diversity for Development alliance represents a significant step forwards in creating coherent and practical collective actions towards sustainable use of agro-biodiversity.
GFAR recently convened a multi-partner dialogue on this theme in FAO as part of the 30-year anniversary of the Commission on Genetic Resources in Food and Agriculture and the various information events organized by the International Treaty. The meeting set out and discussed an interacting range of policy and practical initiatives now being brought together through the Diversity for Development partnership: international policy development within the International Treaty, international research programmes via the CGIAR, regionally coordinated actions via AARINENA and other Regional Fora, and reconciling farmers rights and plant breeders rights via the Global Forum. Following this dialogue, the partners then discussed linkages with the Nagoya Protocol of the Convention on Biological Diversity, that will help shape benefit-sharing mechanisms at country level and in particular for rural communities. Working together, these initiatives are mobilizing collective actions towards outcomes that can benefit the lives of millions.
Watch the video of this inspiring and informative session here, or contact the GFAR Secretariat.