Montevideo, Uruguay
November 14, 2024
A national workshop on "Capacity Building in the Use of Tools, International Databases and Mechanisms to Access to Plant Genetic Germplasm" was held in Montevideo from 4 to 6 November. The event was organized by the National Agronomic Research Institute (INIA), the Faculty of Agronomy (Fagro, UdelaR) and the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) of Uruguay.
The workshop was held within the framework of the project "Strengthening National Capacities to Implement the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture," funded by the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT and with the participation of the Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA).
The workshop brought together more than 45 representatives from various institutions, including INIA, UDELAR, INASE, MA, MGAP, the National Commission for Rural Development and the Agroecology Network of Uruguay. The event was also attended by national and international speakers, who were present in person and virtually.
During the workshop, participants were able to familiarize themselves with searching international databases and international agreements on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA). Other topics covered during the workshop included tools for the identification of information gaps (gap analysis) and germplasm subgroups and in national procedures for entry and access to germplasm in the country.
On the margins of the event, Francisco Lopez, technical officer of the ITPGRFA Secretariat, and Isabel Lopez, legal expert of the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, met with Martín Mattos, Director of Natural Resources of the MGAP, to discuss the national regulations expected to be approved in the short-term.
"We are working to develop a decree to regulate better access to PGRFA with the framework of the current laws and the ITPGRFA, to eliminate some technological lags in the genebank and to generate national capacities so that the Multilateral System, in particular, and the International Treaty, in general, are a benefit for our producers and researchers," said Marcos Martínez, Uruguay’s national focal point for the ITPGRFA.
"Thanks to this project and the efforts of both policymakers and institutions that conserve and work with plant genetic resources in the country, the foundations are being laid and strengthened for a solid and efficient implementation of the International Treaty, with the benefits that this will bring to the national system as a whole," said Francisco López, technical officer of the International Treaty.
For their part, Francisco Lopez and Isabel Lopez also highlighted the work that has been carried out in Uruguay on capacity building and the involvement of the institutions and organizations that participate in the National Committee on Plant Genetic Resources. They highlighted that Uruguay plays a leading role in policy negotiations in international forums on plant genetics and within the framework of the ITPGRFA. They noted that the country's position is widely heard, and it is the result of teamwork.
The workshop concluded with a very positive evaluation. Participants described it as a very enriching experience, with a very useful exchange of information, which will help support the daily work of PGRFA researchers in Uruguay. They particularly noted the valuable information they learned about international agreements, which they deemed extremely useful for those working with germplasm.
@PlantTreaty
#ItAllStartsWithTheSeed #data #GLIS #multilateralism #Uruguay
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