News

FAO survey on ABS country measures

Published on
December 7, 2021

The FAO has published a paper that explores the way that countries take into account the specific features of genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA) and traditional knowledge associated with GRFA (TKGRFA) in their ABS measures.

During the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992, it was accepted that genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA) were different from other genetic resources and needed special treatment. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has now published a background paper that explores the way that countries take into account the specific features of genetic resources for food and agriculture (GRFA) and traditional knowledge associated with GRFA (TKGRFA) in their ABS measures.

The survey aimed to identify approaches and lessons learned from their implementation, as well as challenges and possible solutions. The main conclusion is that, although countries have a range of options to take into account the specific features of GRFA and TKGRFA in their ABS measures, most measures do not seem to address GRFA in a different way than other genetic resources. Exceptions are plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, which are often treated under the approach of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). It is also concluded that different approaches exist to take into account the special characteristics of GRFA/TKGRFA in ABS measures, and that there is not a one-size fits all model. A third conclusion is that there is a lack of evidence about the positive or negative effects of these different approaches on users of GRFA, the conservation and sustainable use of GRFA, the sharing of benefits, and food security, while there is also a lack of evidence about how measures have been implemented in practice.

Find the paper titled ‘Survey of access and benefit-sharing country measures accommodating the distinctive features of genetic resources for food and agriculture and associated traditional knowledge’ on the ABS Focal Point page ‘Downloads and links’ or through the direct link (PDF).