M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, India

Proceedings

Proceedings of the National Symposium on "Biodiversity, Agriculture and Nutritional Security", 6th December 2005

Highlights of the Inaugural Speech by Prof. M.S.Swaminathan

The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority (PPVFRA) should involve itself more on Farmers' Rights since most Farmers Rights are Community Rights. While Breeders Rights are clearly defined and procedures well laid out, this is not so with regard to Farmers Rights.

There is an urgent need for enlarging the Food Basket using biodiversity for ensuring nutritional security. In the present scenario the major crops are by rice and wheat, while hundreds of plant varieties including medicinal, traditional grains and millets were used by people a few decades ago. The situation needs to change in-order to deal with nutritional security.

Biodiversity of alternate crops is required for tackling natural calamities like floods, droughts, etc., The Chairman cited the example of Sweet Potato as an alternative short duration, nutrition rich crop in flood affected areas. A "Biodiversity Contingency Plan" (a plan to handle crisis situations) should incorporate for provision of seeds and planting. Biodiversity should make a difference to the people and only then conservation will be possible.

Prof.M.S.Swaminathan cited the example of Uri in Kashmir, affected by earthquake where food supplies could not be rushed during the calamity due to remoteness. He called for a establishment of a National Network of Grain / Seed Banks covering various parts of the country, to be filled with local varieties of grains / seeds to tackle calamities in a more effective manner. This may be essential in the light of man-made disasters, which are likely to increase and hence call for appropriate remedial measures. Biodiversity is an important area for disaster mitigation.

To conclude he recalled his Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture 1972 for the All India Radio (AIR) in which he had detailed about three National Codes: The Flood Code to deal with Floods, the Drought Code to deal with droughts and good Weather Code dealing with favourable weather conditions for effective management of disasters and reduce human suffering.

Highlights of speech by Dr. S. Nagarajan, Chairman, PPVFR Authority Managing Agro-biodiversity for Livelihood and Poverty Alleviation under IPR Regime on Plant Varieties

a. Genes can transform agriculture: This was seen during the Green Revolution. The present scenario is that we are moving from a Plant Genetic Resource era of Common Heritage to one of commercialization.

b. Farmers maintain an enormous diversity of crops and varieties, inspite of the fact that much of the diversity has been eroded. Farmers along the Yamuna maintain a wide diversity of cucurbits that are cross-pollinated crops, which is a potential resource. A recent survey by scientists of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in the Tsunami affected areas of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu brought to light crops and germplasm that had withstood the indundation of salt water during Tsunami. While the contributions made by Private and Public Plant Breeding Institutions are acknowledged by society, the contributions made by farmers remain unsung.

c. To enable Farmers' Rights requires considerable thought and good governance. Mechanisms need to be developed for recognition of Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) of farmers, to improve their livelihoods and move them out of poverty.

d. Dr. S. Nagarajan listed the key area which there were overlapping between the Farmers Rights Act, Seed Act, Biodiversity Act, and the Biotech Guidelines include: a) The issue of Folk Varieties, b) Geographical Indications, c) Diversity Conservation, d) Benefit Sharing, e) Community Rights, f) Wild Relatives of crop plants and g) Indigenous knowledge. Of these, he spoke at length about the lack of conceptual clarity between folk varieties and land races. He raised the question of if germplasm and Folk Varieties were similar. What was the link between Folk Varieties and Traditional Knowledge and what was the manner in which they were linked?

e. The issue of sharing of benefits spoken of both by PPVFR & BD Acts was a complex area, due to the presence of Community Rights and Collective Ownership of plant genetic resources. Therefore there was an urgent need to harmonize the two acts and work together.

f. With regard to sharing of benefits one of the key issues requiring attention was the no. of generations of crops that require sharing of benefits. How far can the parentage go? Dr.Nagarajan cited the example of Traditional Basmati to explain the complex nature of the issue. Unless this was resolved providing compensation and ensure livelihood security to communities to save folk varieties may not materialize. Hence a cut off point for Benefit Sharing may be essential. If some of these issues are resolved they can act as models for South Asian Countries.