"Thematic Groups can serve an important role in turning their countries into guardians of biological diversity."

José T. Esquinas-Alcázar, Secretary of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

At the beginning of November 2001, the FAO conference approved an International Accord on Phytogenetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. With no vote against it, and two abstentions (USA and Japan), 116 votes in favour embraced a text that recognized the importance of phytogenetic resources as world heritage. The accord, which will take effect as soon as 40 countries ratify it, is an important step towards protecting the biological diversity for future generations and covers economic, social, ethical and political issues related to this topic. But where does its fundamental importance reside? What implications does it have for the agricultural sector of the developed world? How can the text of the accord be disseminated in such a way that farmers can exercise their new rights? What role do the Thematic Groups play in the dissemination, application and follow-up? One of the principal architects of the accord, Dr. José Esquinas Alcázar (secretary of the commission on Genetic Resources), has kindly explained all these particularities to the ACC network.

Why is the recently approved accord important, and what are the main goals?

We have to start with the idea that genetic resources constitute the basis of food security and agriculture in the world. That is, biological diversity in agriculture, which has developed over thousands of generations of farmers over the last 10,000 years, is being lost at an alarming rate. This is not only an irreplaceable loss in terms of cultural richness, but also with progressively homogenized agriculture and a steady reduction to a few crops that are productive but uniform, we lose the ability to adapt to unpredictable changes in the environment. As the ultimate source of food, genetic resources constitute the larder of humanity. Its importance, both real and strategic, is enormous. Thus, its loss constitutes a grave threat, medium- to long-term, for food security. The accord presents three clearly defined objectives:

• The preservation of these resources so that future generations can cope with unforeseeable environmental needs and changes, including the appearance of new diseases.
• The promotion of the sustainable and broad use of phytogenetic resources for food and agriculture.
• Just and equitable distribution of the benefits derived from the use of phytogenetic resources.

Why an international accord?

We could say that practically no country in the world today is self-sufficient with respect to agricultural diversity and that the average dependence among countries for the most important crops is some 70%. Paradoxically, many countries that are economically poor are, for being situated in the tropics, rich in genes and in genetic diversity that are necessary for the survival of humanity. International co-operation in this matter, therefore, rather than a possibility is a need. Its function is to provide incentives, by means of development programs, projects and activities, to safeguard these resources.

The accord establishes a system to facilitate broad access to a list of decisive crops for food security. What exactly does this mean?

It means that it guarantees easy access by any user to the most important phytogenetic resources in food, both those deposited in gene banks as well as those found in the fields of farmers and in the wild. In exchange for this, we establish collective participation in the benefits derived from its use.

Who are the beneficiaries you are referring to? What advantages can there be for the farmers of developing countries to make their phytogenetic heritage available to the rest of humanity?

The article referring to the benefits is divided into four points:

• Reinforcement of national capacities.
• Transfer of technology.
• Information exchanges.
• Fair and equitable distribution of monetary benefits from the commercialization of products derived from the use of phytogenetic resources. Payment will be obligatory by those users that gain commercial benefits from material coming from the multilateral system of phytogenetic resources.

Why are traditional farmers important for the conservation of biological diversity if the technologies exist for the preservation of resources in germoplasm banks?

It is correct that the multilateral system referred to in the accord is comprised both of ex situ preservation(germoplasm banks) as well as of in situ conservation (farmlands). The ex situ preservation implies the collection of representative samples of genetic variability of a crop and its maintenance in germoplasm banks or in botanical gardens in the form of in vitro tissues, seeds, cuttings or whole plants. The germoplasm banks present a serious disadvantage-that is, when we freeze seeds at several degrees below zero (for example in liquid nitrogen), we also freeze the evolutionary process of these plants, thereby losing the possibility of adaptation of the plants to changing environmental conditions. Traditional farmers are, in this way, the guardians of in situ biological diversity, which perpetuates the evolutionary process and the possibility of continuous adaptations. And, given that most of the diversity of the genetic resources of cultivated plants is in the developing world, we can consider these countries to be the principal guardians. The accord recognizes this important condition and provides incentives for it, by the financing of projects, programmes and activities that benefit these farming sectors.

Which countries are potential guardians of biological diversity?

Genetic diversity is not distributed at random throughout the world, but rather it is located mainly in tropical and subtropical zones. Vavilov, a pioneer in this subject, as early as the 1920s identified the geographic areas where the genetic richness of food plants is highest: Central America and Mexico, the area of the Andes, the Mediterranean zone, Central Asia, the Near East, China, Ethiopia, India and Indo-Malaysia.

What is the importance of public investment in research on biotechnology?

As is logical, businesses in general invest and seek profits with a short-term outlook. For this reason, it is important that investments be made in the public sector to maintain their interest in biotechnological research, with the goal of assuring that the needs of the poor are taken into account.

And what should be done so that the tenets of the accord become operative?

Two things are necessary: The first is for 40 countries to ratify the accord so that it can take effect. It is also necessary to develop national regulations and legislations that will implement the provisions of the accord.

What can the Thematic Groups of the Network do to bring the provisions of the accord to reality?

They can exert political pressure for the national legislation to develop the accord and participate in that legislative process. The multi-disciplinay in the composition of these groups can also play an important part during the implementation and follow-up of the accord. Another field of action is the dissemination of information on this accord and on the importance of this topic in the different countries. Let us not forget that an international accord is a lifeless paper until laws are passed to enforce it and more importantly until citizens recognize, accept and assimilate these laws as their own. Returning to the first point, the passing of legislation, I would like to cite India as an example and point of reference, where the national parliament has drawn up the first legislation on the rights of the farmer.

What is the reason for which a country should ratify the accord?

Here the Thematic Group can also do some work, urging its countries to be among the first to sign. Because the countries that ratify it will form the government of the new international accord, the body that will make decisions on its implementation, including the important decisions in interpretation and the development of some articles related to facilitated access, intellectual property, the agreement on transfer of material and distribution of profits. The sooner a country ratifies the accord, the more actively it can participate in these important decisions.

Public opinion often fears biotechnology as an aberrant manipulation of nature. What can you tell us about the implications of the ethics of the accord?

I have always preferred to speak of biotechnologies in plural. There is no doubt that the development and the use of appropriate biotechnologies, modern and traditional, can contribute greatly to reducing hunger and poverty in the world. The key is in deciding which biotechnologies and how to use them. The FAO is working on a Code of conduct regarding biotechnologies for maximizing their profitability and potential while minimizing their risk.