PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 7:43 PM by Luigi

PGR Policy Training

Policy issues are recognized as being critical to sustainable conservation and use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) in the Pacific. Increasing the awareness of such issues among decision-makers and other stakeholders features prominently in the Pacific PGR Action Plan, agreed in 2001 at the launch of the Pacific Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN). Accordingly, such issues, and in particular the recently-concluded International Treaty on PGRFA, were discussed in the recent PAPGREN-sponsored SPC publication Policy Issues Related to PGR in the Pacific: A Guide for Researchers and Policymakers. They were also debated at length during the Meetings of Ministers and Heads of Agriculture and Forestry organized by SPC in October 2004. However, it was felt that further awareness-raising was necessary.

Dr Mary Taylor, Regional Germplasm Centre Adviser attended a training workshop on the use of the IPGRI/ISNAR Law and Policy Issues in PGR Conservation and Use training module in June 2004, with support from IPGRI, which is also providing technical support to PAPGREN and financial support via donor-funded projects. A week-long train-the-trainers workshop was thereafter organized by PAPGREN in late March 2005, with support from NZAID and ACIAR via projects that IPGRI has with SPC to support PGR networking in the Pacific. The objectives of the workshop were to provide PGR professionals and environmental law experts in the Pacific region with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to inform and train different stakeholders at the national level in PGR policy issues and concepts. More particularly, the workshop aimed to:

Create awareness of all the laws and policies relating to PGR
Help GR managers to navigate through this environment so they can promote sound and scientific management – and get a feeling for the process – through the exercises
Test the IPGRI/ISNAR training module on Law and Policy and get feedback, including ideas for improvement and for follow-up

The dozen participants represented an unusual and stimulating mix of PGR practitioners, managers and environmental lawyers, and included staff of NGOs, government ministries of environment and agriculture and regional organizations from throughout the Pacific region. The programme was adapted from the training module and was flexible enough to allow changes during the course of the workshop itself to respond to specific suggestions by participants. Each day ended with participants listing the strengths and weaknesses of the day and completing a PAPA (participant action plan approach) form detailing possible actions to be taken on their return to the office, based on the day's activities. Each day began with volunteer participants summarizing the events of the previous day and the strengths and weaknesses of the programme. All exercises were done in three small groups (4-5 people) including one legal expert each.

A report on the course, including proposed follow-up activities and recommendations, is available on request.

To stay up to date with developments in law and policy related to PGRFA:

1. Contact SPC, SPREP as necessary

2. Consult – and contribute to – “PGR News from the Pacific” (blog and email news alerts)
At national level, liaise with NBSAP focal points on CBD issues and legal office of Ministry of Agriculture on ITPGRFA

3. Check out the websites of the major relevant international treaties

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), http://www.biodiv.org/
International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources (the also referred to as the Undertaking or as the "IU"), http://www.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/IU.htm
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT-PGRFA, also referred to as the "International Seed Treaty"), http://www.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/IU.htm, (bottom of page)
Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), under the section entitled "Intellectual Property Rights and the Trips Agreement", http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm#WhatAre
Conventions of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), http://www.upov.org/eng/convntns/index.htm,
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), http://www.wipo.org/treaties/registration/pct/index.html
Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (the Berne Convention), http://www.wipo.org/treaties/ip/berne/index.html, and
Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (the Budapest Treaty), http://www.wipo.org/treaties/registration/budapest/index.html.
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, http://www.biodiv.org/biosafety
International Plant Protection Convention, http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpp/pq/default.htm
World Trade Organization–Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_e.htm
World Trade Organization–Technical Barriers to Trade, http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tbt_e/tbt_e.htm

4. Email news alerts

SciDev.Net (register here: http://www.scidev.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=register&registrationtype=1)
CropBiotech (send an e-mail message to knowledge.center@isaaa.org leaving the subject blank and entering the one-line text message as follows: SUBSCRIBE Crop Biotech Network)
Earth News Report (contact diego@iisd.org)
CBD Headlines (CBD-Headlines@biodiv.org)
Meridian Institute Food Security and Ag-Biotech News (visit http://www.merid.org/fs-agbiotech to subscribe)



	A blog maintained by Tevita Kete, PGR Officer Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji Islands
This weblog documents the activities of Pacific Agricultural Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN), along with other information on plant genetic resources (PGR) in the Pacific. The myriad varieties found within cultivated plants are fundamental to the present and future productivity of agriculture. PAPGREN, which is coordinated by the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), helps Pacific countries and territories to conserve their crop genetic diversity sustainably, with technical assistance from the Bioversity International (BI) and support from NZAID and ACIAR. SPC also hosts the Centre of Pacific Crops and Trees (CEPaCT). The CEPaCT maintains regional in vitro collections of crops important to the Pacific and carries out research on tissue culture technology. The CEPaCT Adviser is Dr Mary Taylor (MaryT@spc.int), the CEPaCT Curator is Ms Valerie Tuia (ValerieT@spc.int). PAPGREN coordination and support IPGRI ACIAR NZAID CTA SPC PAPGREN CEPaCT Click on the thumbnail to see a map of the locations of Pacific genebanks. Click here to download a regional directory of genebanks in the Pacific, including information on their location, contact details and holdings. PAPGREN partners Mr William Wigmore Director of Research Ministry of Agriculture Department of Resources & Development P.O. Box 96 Rarotonga Cook Islands Tel: (682) 28711-29720 Fax: (682) 21881 Email: cimoa@oyster.net.ck Mr Adelino S. Lorens Chief Agriculture Pohnpei Office of Economic Affairs P.O. Box 1028 Kolonia Pohnpei 96941 Federated States of Micronesia Tel: (691) 3202400 Fax: (691) 3202127 Email: pniagriculture@mail.fm Dr Lois Englberger Island Food Community of Pohnpei Research Advisor P.O. Box 2299 Kolonia Pohnpei 96941 Federated States of Micronesia Email: nutrition@mail.fm Mr Apisai Ucuboi Director of Research Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest Koronivia Research Station P.O. Box 77 Nausori Fiji Islands Tel: (679) 3477044 Fax: (679) 3477546-400262 Email: apisainu@yahoo.com Dr Maurice Wong Service du Developpement Rural B.P. 100 Papeete Tahiti 98713 French Polynesia Tel: (689) 42 81 44 Fax: (689) 42 08 31 Email: maurice.wong@rural.gov.pf Mr Tianeti Beenna Ioane Head, Research Section Division of Agriculture Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development P.O. Box 267 Tarawa Kiribati Tel: (686) 28096-28108-28080 Fax: (686) 28121 Email : agriculture@tskl.net.ki; Beenna_ti@yahoo.com Mr Frederick Muller Secretary Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 1727 Majuro 96960 Marshall Islands Tel: (692) 6253206 Fax: (692) 6257471 Email: rndsec@ntamar.net Mr Herman Francisco Director Bureau of Agriculture Ministry of Resources & Development P.O. Box 460 Koror 96940 Palau Tel: (680) 4881517 Fax: (680) 4881725 Email: bnrd@pnccwg.palaunet.com Ms Rosa Kambuou Principal Scientist PGR NARI Dry Lowlands Programme Laloki Agricultural Research Station P.O. Box 1828 Boroko National Capital District Papua New Guinea Tel: (675) 3235511 Fax: (675) 3234733 Email: kambuou@global.net.pg Ms Laisene Samuelu Principal Crop Development Officer Crops Division Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries & Meteorology P.O. Box 1874 Apia Samoa Tel: (685) 23416-20605 Fax: (685) 20607-23996 Email: lsamuelu@lesamoa.net Mr Jimi Saelea Director of Research Department of Agriculture and Livestock P.O. Box G13 Honiara Guadalcanal Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 27987 Mr Tony Jansen Planting Materials Network Kastom Gaden Association Burns Creek, Honiara P.O. Box 742 Honiara Solomon Islands Tel: (677) 39551 Email: kastomgaden@solomon.com.sb Mr Finao Pole Head of Research Ministry of Agriculture & Forests P.O. Box 14 Nuku'alofa Tonga Tel: (676) 23038 Fax: (676) 24271 Email: thaangana@hotmail.com Mr Frazer Bule Lehi Head of Research Department of Agriculture & Rural Development Private Mail Bag 040 Port Vila Vanuatu Tel: (678) 22525 Fax: (678) 25265 Email: flehi@hotmail.com Other links Other CROP agencies Forum Secretariat University of the South Pacific SPREP Pacific biodiversity Biodiversity hotspots Breadfruit Institute Hawaiian native plants Intellectual property rights Nature Conservancy PBIF PestNet SIDS WWF South Pacific Program Other Pacific organizations Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific Micronesian Seminar Te Puna web directory Pacific news Cafe Pacific CocoNET Wireless Island Directory Pacific Islands News Pacific Islands Report Pacific Islands Travel Pacific Time South Pacific travel Time Pacific Interested in GIS? DIVA-GIS	Tuesday, April 05, 2005 Posted 7:43 PM by Luigi PGR Policy Training Policy issues are recognized as being critical to sustainable conservation and use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) in the Pacific. Increasing the awareness of such issues among decision-makers and other stakeholders features prominently in the Pacific PGR Action Plan, agreed in 2001 at the launch of the Pacific Agricultural Plant Genetic Resources Network (PAPGREN). Accordingly, such issues, and in particular the recently-concluded International Treaty on PGRFA, were discussed in the recent PAPGREN-sponsored SPC publication Policy Issues Related to PGR in the Pacific: A Guide for Researchers and Policymakers. They were also debated at length during the Meetings of Ministers and Heads of Agriculture and Forestry organized by SPC in October 2004. However, it was felt that further awareness-raising was necessary. Dr Mary Taylor, Regional Germplasm Centre Adviser attended a training workshop on the use of the IPGRI/ISNAR Law and Policy Issues in PGR Conservation and Use training module in June 2004, with support from IPGRI, which is also providing technical support to PAPGREN and financial support via donor-funded projects. A week-long train-the-trainers workshop was thereafter organized by PAPGREN in late March 2005, with support from NZAID and ACIAR via projects that IPGRI has with SPC to support PGR networking in the Pacific. The objectives of the workshop were to provide PGR professionals and environmental law experts in the Pacific region with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to inform and train different stakeholders at the national level in PGR policy issues and concepts. More particularly, the workshop aimed to: Create awareness of all the laws and policies relating to PGR Help GR managers to navigate through this environment so they can promote sound and scientific management – and get a feeling for the process – through the exercises Test the IPGRI/ISNAR training module on Law and Policy and get feedback, including ideas for improvement and for follow-up The dozen participants represented an unusual and stimulating mix of PGR practitioners, managers and environmental lawyers, and included staff of NGOs, government ministries of environment and agriculture and regional organizations from throughout the Pacific region. The programme was adapted from the training module and was flexible enough to allow changes during the course of the workshop itself to respond to specific suggestions by participants. Each day ended with participants listing the strengths and weaknesses of the day and completing a PAPA (participant action plan approach) form detailing possible actions to be taken on their return to the office, based on the day's activities. Each day began with volunteer participants summarizing the events of the previous day and the strengths and weaknesses of the programme. All exercises were done in three small groups (4-5 people) including one legal expert each. A report on the course, including proposed follow-up activities and recommendations, is available on request. To stay up to date with developments in law and policy related to PGRFA: 1. Contact SPC, SPREP as necessary 2. Consult – and contribute to – “PGR News from the Pacific” (blog and email news alerts) At national level, liaise with NBSAP focal points on CBD issues and legal office of Ministry of Agriculture on ITPGRFA 3. Check out the websites of the major relevant international treaties Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), http://www.biodiv.org/ International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources (the also referred to as the Undertaking or as the "IU"), http://www.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/IU.htm International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT-PGRFA, also referred to as the "International Seed Treaty"), http://www.fao.org/ag/cgrfa/IU.htm, (bottom of page) Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), under the section entitled "Intellectual Property Rights and the Trips Agreement", http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/trips_e.htm#WhatAre Conventions of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), http://www.upov.org/eng/convntns/index.htm, Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), http://www.wipo.org/treaties/registration/pct/index.html Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (the Berne Convention), http://www.wipo.org/treaties/ip/berne/index.html, and Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (the Budapest Treaty), http://www.wipo.org/treaties/registration/budapest/index.html. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, http://www.biodiv.org/biosafety International Plant Protection Convention, http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpp/pq/default.htm World Trade Organization–Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_e.htm World Trade Organization–Technical Barriers to Trade, http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tbt_e/tbt_e.htm 4. Email news alerts SciDev.Net (register here: http://www.scidev.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=register&registrationtype=1) CropBiotech (send an e-mail message to knowledge.center@isaaa.org leaving the subject blank and entering the one-line text message as follows: SUBSCRIBE Crop Biotech Network) Earth News Report (contact diego@iisd.org) CBD Headlines (CBD-Headlines@biodiv.org) Meridian Institute Food Security and Ag-Biotech News (visit http://www.merid.org/fs-agbiotech to subscribe) * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. PestNet: For on-line information, advice and pest identification for the Pacific and beyond. Contact: Grahame Jackson. Pacific Mapper: For on-line mapping of point data over satellite images of the Pacific provided by Google Maps. DIVA-GIS: For free, easy-to-use software for the spatial analysis of biodiversity data.