Crop genetic resource as common human heritage and its utilization

The purpose of this paper is to present a case for fair and effective genetic resource utilization as well as a concern about the abuse of intellectual property right on plant genetic resources. The CIAT Cassava Breeding Program was conceived in the beginning of the 1970s with the understanding that plant genetic resources were part of mankind's heritage and it was the duty of agricultural scientists to effectively utilize these resources for the welfare of all human beings. The initial decade of this program was mainly dedicated to the collection of germplasm and generation of basic breeding materials. The later decades were devoted to applied breeding in collaboration with national programs in Asia and Latin America. By 1999, Asian national programs had released 38 CIAT-related cassava cultivars in six countries and farmers grew these new cultivars on one million ha. The economic benefits resulting from the increased productivity is in the order of one billion US dollars. The target population of small farmers in the poorer rural areas of the tropics captured a large proportion of these economic benefits. The most critical biological factors for this successful breeding effort was the inclusion of a broad base genetic variability obtained in the center of crop origin and diversification in Latin America. The collection of genetic materials proceeded without any impediment from national agencies on the tacit understanding that CIAT, a newly established non-profit international research organization, would collect, evaluate, and maintain the genetic resources for the improvement of world cassava, and that the initial collections and the advanced materials derived from them would be freely available to any public organization. CIAT kept its word of honor by later returning the best available advanced breeding materials to the countries of origin upon request. However, at present, large private corporations are patenting on genomic materials and technical processes. Such activities would hinder the utilization of patented technology by public institutions in breeding of socially important crops. It is time we should reflect back on those days when great breeding works were accomplished with fairness and idealium