9th session of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Tags: National National News

India is hosting the 9th Session of the Governing Body of the 'International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture' (ITPGRFA) from 19-24th September, 2022 in New Delhi.

IMPORTANT FACTS 

• The GB9 is being held under the theme “Celebrating the Guardians of Crop Diversity : Towards an Inclusive Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework”. 

• The theme aims to acknowledge the contribution of smallholder farmers of the world in the effective management of PGRFA.

• Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India participated in the 8th session of the Governing Body (GB8) in 2019 at Rome.

• India is a country endowed with rich crop genetic resources.

• India has successfully established the legal, institutional and educational infrastructure for using genetic diversity to breed new varieties.

About the treaty :

• The ITPGRFA, also known as the International Seed Treaty or Plant Treaty, is a comprehensive international agreement in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity.

• It is a legally binding comprehensive agreement adopted in November, 2001 at Rome during the 31st session of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

• It entered into force on June 29, 2004.

• There are 149 contracting parties of this treaty including India.

• It aims to establish a global system which provides farmers, plant breeders, and scientists with access to plant genetic resources.

• The treaty provides solutions to achieve food and nutritional security as well as climate resilient agriculture.