GRFA

The bill's objectives are the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from their use
for sustainable agriculture and food security from major crops and fodder.

- should take account of genetic resources for food and agriculture and the interdependence on such resources to meet worldwide food security requirements.

(17) Article 5 promotes "an integrated approach to the exploration, conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture." (18) In particular, on-farm and in situ conservation is encouraged, and so is the coordination of efforts in ex situ conservation.

* Consumer leaders are opposed to intellectual property rights on genetic resources for food and agriculture because they do not serve the consumer.

Commissioner David Byrne has welcomed the decision of the EU's Council of Ministers that the European Union will sign the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The Treaty aims to protect the world's most important agricultural plant species in order to safeguard global food security.

The FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture will discuss the draft plan at its six-day meeting in Tehran starting Saturday, but negotiations on the proposed royalties system are expected to face tough opposition from some industrialized countries, including the U.S.

The issues of access to germplasm and benefit sharing from germplasm exchanges continue to be the subject of a long-term negotiation of the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources that is under the auspices of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

With renewed emphasis on global food security, a new, holistic approach is needed to address the loss of genetic resources for food and agriculture. Formerly, government bodies and multilateral institutions approached agricultural biodiversity policy piecemeal.

The objective of the session is to raise the capacity of the existing plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) conservation and utilization facilities in OIC countries with particular focus on Current status of plant diversity and its use and preservation.

While addressing the gathering, the Secretary General of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture pointed out that despite the challenges facing the Near East and North Africa region, it is still a treasure for plant genetic resources.

Muscat : The recently concluded ministerial meeting of the Near East, North Africa, Brazil, Indonesia, Italy, Norway and Spain stressed upon the importance of achieving world food security of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. The meeting also focused on the central role played by the international treaty and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.