The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Commission), at its Seventeenth Regular Session, requested to prepare a survey of existing legislative, administrative and policy approaches, including best practices, for access and benefit-sharing (ABS) for the different subsectors of genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA) and traditional knowledge associated with GRFA (TKGRFA) held by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, with the aim of identifying typical approaches and lessons learned from their implementation, as well as challenges and possible solutions. [Author] In response to the Commission’s request, a survey identifying the different types of legislative, administrative or policy measures countries have taken to accommodate the distinctive features of GRFA and subsectors of GRFA and of TKGRFA in their ABS measures was commissioned. [Author] At its Eighteenth Regular Session, the Commission, in considering the Survey, requested the preparation of a stand-alone document providing specific examples of existing country legislative, administrative or policy measures that directly or indirectly accommodate distinctive features of GRFA and associated traditional knowledge. [Author] This publication is Supplement I of the typology of ABS country measures reflecting the importance of GRFA, their special role for food security and their distinctive features. [Author]

The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, at its Seventeenth Regular Session, requested its Secretary to prepare for review by the intergovernmental technical working groups on animal, aquatic, forest and plant genetic resources to produce an up-to-date survey of existing legislative, administrative and policy approaches, including best practices, for ABS for the different subsectors of GRFA and traditional knowledge associated with GRFA held by indigenous peoples and local communities, with the aim of identifying typical approaches and lessons learned from their implementation, as well as challenges and possible solutions. The current survey comprises a baseline desktop review of legislation, policy and literature. It provides a review of how countries address the distinctive features of GRFA and TKGRFA based on the letter of their ABS legislative, administrative and policy measures rather than on how these measures have been implemented in practice. It therefore does not provide an analysis of the state of implementation, the challenges involved and possible solutions to these challenges. As such, it aims to provide a basis for future empirical research on how ABS measures work in practice for GRFA subsectors. A specific objective is to provide a typology of legislative, administrative and policy measures applying to ABS for GRFA and TKGRFA.

The State of the World's Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture presents the first global assessment of biodiversity for food and agriculture worldwide. Biodiversity for food and agriculture is the diversity of plants, animals and micro-organisms at genetic, species and ecosystem levels, present in and around crop, livestock, forest and aquatic production systems. It is essential to the structure, functions and processes of these systems, to livelihoods and food security, and to the supply of a wide range of ecosystem services. It has been managed or influenced by farmers, livestock keepers, forest dwellers, fish farmers and fisherfolk for hundreds of generations. Prepared through a participatory, country-driven process, the report draws on information from 91 country reports to provide a description of the roles and importance of biodiversity for food and agriculture, the drivers of change affecting it and its current status and trends. It describes the state of efforts to promote the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity for food and agriculture, including through the development of supporting policies, legal frameworks, institutions and capacities. It concludes with a discussion of needs and challenges in the future management of biodiversity for food and agriculture. The report complements other global assessments prepared under the auspices of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which have focused on the state of genetic resources within particular sectors of food and agriculture.

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity has been hailed as a giant step towards the implementation of the third objective of the Convention: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to them. Implementing this third objective is intended to contribute to the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components, the other two objectives of the Convention. The Protocol confronts policy-makers and administrators responsible for its implementation at the national level with a number of challenges. One of these challenges is the Protocol’s obligation to consider, in the development and implementation of access and benefit-sharing measures, the importance of genetic resources for food and agriculture and their special role for food security. The Elements to Facilitate Domestic Implementation of Access and Benefit-Sharing for Different Subsectors of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture aim to assist governments considering developing, adapting or implementing access and benefit-sharing measures, to take into account the importance of genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA), their special role for food security and the distinctive features of their different subsectors, while complying, as applicable, with international instruments.This publication contains the original ABS Elements as well as the explanatory notes describing, within the context of the ABS Elements, the distinctive features and specific practices of the different subsectors of GRFA. The explanatory notes were welcomed by the Commission and the FAO Conference in 2019.

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 License. It is free to read, download and share on Elgaronline.com. This illuminating book incisively surveys the complex legal regime of access and benefit-sharing in key aquaculture countries. With an international focus spanning countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, the authors explore the application of international legal standards and how these translate into domestic measures.

Sustainable management of the world's livestock genetic diversity is of vital importance to agriculture, food production, rural development and the environment. "The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture" is the first global assessment of these resources. Drawing on 169 Country Reports, contributions from a number of international organizations and 12 specially commissioned thematic studies, it presents an analysis of the state of agricultural biodiversity in the livestock sector - origins and development, uses and values, distribution and exchange, risk status and threats - and of capacity to manage these resources - institutions, policies and legal frameworks, structured breeding activities and conservation programmes. Needs and challenges are assessed in the context of the forces driving change in livestock production systems. Tools and methods to enhance the use and development of animal genetic resources are explored in sections on the state of the art in characterization, genetic improvement, economic evaluation and conservation. The main findings of the report are summarized in "The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture - in brief," of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish versions can be found on the attached CD-ROM and are also available separately in printed form. As well providing a technical reference document, the country-based preparation of "The State of the World" has led to a process of policy development and a "Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources," which once adopted, will provide an agenda for action by the international community. Published also in French.

At head of cover: IUCN Environmental Law Programme.

The livestock sector faces a range of challenges, including climate change, emerging diseases, competition for natural resources and evolving demand for animal-source foods, which is increasing globally, especially in developing countries. Genetic diversity of livestock is a key resource for allowing livestock keepers to address these challenges, but this diversity has been in a state of decline. The diminishing genetic diversity thus represents yet another obstacle for sustainable livestock production. Cryoconservation (i.e. ex situ – in vitro conservation) of genetic resources through gene banking provides one of the most powerful tools governments and other stakeholders have to manage genetic diversity in both the short and long term and thereby provide future generations with the tools to meet the challenges ahead. Gene banking genetic resources fits within the context of the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources, which was developed and adopted by FAO Member Nations. Specifically, Strategic Priority 9 of the Global Plan of Action is “Establish or strengthen ex situ conservation programmes” and Strategic Priority 11 urges countries to “Develop approaches and technical standards for conservation. To assist countries in the implementation the Global Plan of Action, FAO worked with experts from around the world to prepare technical guidelines. In 2012 FAO published FAO Guidelines on Cryoconservation of animal genetic resources.Gene banking is a long-term effort that needs to be viewed in terms of decades rather than years, as demonstrated by similar systems for agricultural crops. The responsibility for establishing such resources lies squarely within governments’ roles of providing public goods and food security. Gene banking of animal genetic resources is a technology-intense undertaking and the associated technologies are in a continual state of research and development. The livestock sector also continues to evolve rapidly. Since the development and release of the previous guidelines, numerous changes have taken place. Critical among these is a greater appreciation of the opportunities for actively utilizing cryopreserved material to enhance management of in vivo populations, rather than as simply an “insurance policy” to protect breeds against extinction.This key development has led to further changes in gene bank management. First, interaction with users of the stored material has increased. This in turn has created a need to involve stakeholders more closely in the management of genetic collections and to better monitor and document the processes of gene banking to ensure quality management.