On-farm management of crop genetic diversity and the Convention on Biological Diversity programme of work on agricultural biodiversity
2004
Jarvis, D.L. (International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome (Italy)) | Zoes, V. | Nares, D. | Hodgkin, T.
Throughout the world many programmes are now in progress that support the management of crop diversity in agroecosystems. This paper provides a synthesis and analysis of the major initiatives that have been undertaken by different countries, international collaborators and NGOs on the maintenance of crop genetic diversity within the objectives of the CBD agricultural biodiversity programme of work. Diversity continues to be maintained and managed by farmers throughout the world as an integral part of their coping strategies. Different communities and cultures approach the naming, management and distinguishing of local cultivars in different ways and no simple relationship exists between cultivar identity and genetic diversity or content. It is useful to identify the farmers' unit of diversity management as an analytical unit and this may become an important tool in work on diversity assessment. The central importance of maintaining local seed supply systems is becoming clear. Informal seed supply systems provide important elements in the maintenance of diversity and of adaptive capacity. The work undertaken has often cited provision of important ecosystem services from genetic crop diversity; but in practice, little information has been obtained on the scale and nature of these benefits or services. There are a number of areas where the formal sector might usefully make additional contributions to maintenance of local crop genetic diversity. The best programmes have been driven by a clear appreciation of the central role of the farmer in managing crop genetic diversity and of the importance of adopting working practices that are fully participatory and start from a desire to reflect farmers needs and concerns in diversity management
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