Sustainable Use of Biodiversity – GCARD2 Side Event Report

Kwesi Atta-Krah, Deputy Director General of Bioversity International, reports from the Second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2).

“Last week, I was in Punta del Este, Uruguay, participating in GCARD2. The focus this year was foresight and partnership for innovation and impact on smallholder livelihoods, a call to action that is very close to Bioversity International’s vision.  The conference was a great opportunity to meet with various stakeholders and partners in agricultural research for development, to learn from each other and find ways we can work better together to achieve real impact. The Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) and CGIAR really contributed to make a success of this event.

Agricultural biodiversity is gaining increasing recognition for its potential contribution towards sustainable development and food and nutrition security, and as part of solutions for mitigating the effects of climate change on food production. In 2012, it has been on the agenda at several international forums looking to find solutions to these global issues including CBD COP11, the IUCN and The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).

I was invited to facilitate a parallel session at GCARD2 on the subject of ‘Sustainable Use of Biodiversity’, held as part of the ‘Partnerships for Environmental Resilience’ theme. I also gave a brief presentation, tracing the CGIAR research agenda on agricultural biodiversity conservation, management and use. CGIAR is a global research partnership that unites 15 research centers (including Bioversity International), engaged in research for a food secure future. CGIAR research is carried out through 15 cross-cutting multidisciplinary research programs to tackle development challenges. Agricultural biodiversity research cuts across all the research programs.

At the session, CGIAR received a strong endorsement for its role in improving the conservation and management of plant genetic diversity, in particular for its work on ex situ conservation of major staples. But the need to strengthen research on the characterization, trait identification and linkages to market of neglected and underutilized species – crop species that are of major benefit to communities and smallholder farmers, but that fall outside the mainstream of research and development – was also recognized.

A lot of the views expressed at the event were around strengthening research on in situ and on-farm management of diversity, to complement the work done on ex situ aspects of plant genetic resources management. Discussions looked at ways to quantify the benefits of biodiversity conservation on farm and to better support farmers, including incentive mechanisms. A need to understand more how below-ground and arthropod diversity related to agricultural biodiversity, and how to strengthen appreciation and support for regional networks, was also discussed.

GCARD2 was indeed another milestone, building on the achievements of GCARD1, which was held in Montpellier, France, in 2010. GCARD2 provided an essential platform for diverse communities within agricultural research for development, including farmers, young people and donors to deliberate together, review progress and set targets for the next two-year phase, ahead of GCARD3.

Outcomes for more research and better collaboration for on-farm and in situ research were agreed including: a clear CGIAR research strategy for on-farm management of agricultural biodiversity that includes neglected and underutilized species; strengthened partnerships between international, national and civil society organizations; a global strategy for on-farm and in situ conservation and management of agricultural biodiversity, and to influence research for development across countries.

Other items on the list included the development of a knowledge portal and better market links for neglected and underutilized species, the establishment of an African reference laboratory for pollinator health, and a mechanism to support countries in the implementation of the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture provisions – including the special provision on farmers’ rights."

Kwesi Atta-Krah, Deputy Director General, Bioversity International
@KwesiAttaKrah

Find out more about how Bioversity International is contributing to CGIAR Research Programs here.