Optimizing the Use of Plant Genetic resources for Food Optimizing the Use of Plant Genetic resources for Food

and Agriculture for Adaptation to Climate Change and Agriculture for Adaptation to Climate Change TCP/SNO/3401TCP/SNO/3401

Egypt National Strategy for PGRFAEgypt National Strategy for PGRFA

Dr. Sami Reda Saber Sabry Dr. Sami Reda Saber Sabry Project National ConsultantProject National Consultant

First National Meeting to Enhance Ownership of National First National Meeting to Enhance Ownership of National Strategy for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Strategy for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

2 April 2014 -Cairo, Egypt 2 April 2014 -Cairo, Egypt

Vision:To contribute to the overall development of agriculture

and food security with the aim of improving the livelihood of Egypt farmers by promoting policies and viable programs for the conservation and the enhanced use of plant genetic resources.

 

Mission: To conserve and safeguard biodiversity in general and

plant and genetic resources for food and agriculture in particular with the aim of enhancing their contribution to national agrialtural development, food security and well being of Egypt people.

Goal:Goal:The major goal of the strategy is the conservation The major goal of the strategy is the conservation

and sustainable utilization of plant genetic and sustainable utilization of plant genetic diversity in the country through promoting diversity in the country through promoting concerted coordinated efforts at the national concerted coordinated efforts at the national level for efficient and effective level for efficient and effective ex situ ex situ as well as as well as in in situ situ conservation for prime importance crops.conservation for prime importance crops.

The strategy aims at facilitating partnership and The strategy aims at facilitating partnership and sharing facilities and responsibilities to establish sharing facilities and responsibilities to establish regional coordination mechanisms for advancing regional coordination mechanisms for advancing the long – term regional strategy. the long – term regional strategy.

Main ObjectiveMain ObjectiveThe main objective of the Strategy is to promote The main objective of the Strategy is to promote the development of an effective and efficient system the development of an effective and efficient system for the conservation of important crop diversity in for the conservation of important crop diversity in Egypt and to facilitate its sustainable use. Much of Egypt and to facilitate its sustainable use. Much of the success in achieving the main objective of the the success in achieving the main objective of the Strategy hinges on having reasonable functional Strategy hinges on having reasonable functional links between the relevant national institutions, as links between the relevant national institutions, as well as on forming a suitable mutually accepted well as on forming a suitable mutually accepted arrangement for regional collaboration and arrangement for regional collaboration and exchange of experience and knowledge among the exchange of experience and knowledge among the countries of the region.countries of the region.

ContCont..Strong national programs are the building blocks Strong national programs are the building blocks of an effective regional collaboration link through of an effective regional collaboration link through functional broadly based national PGRFA functional broadly based national PGRFA programmes that would operate as facilitating and programmes that would operate as facilitating and coordinating platforms.coordinating platforms.

Specific ObjectivesSpecific Objectives More specifically the strategy aims at :More specifically the strategy aims at :1- Building strong national programm that is well 1- Building strong national programm that is well

coordinated’coordinated’  2- Enhancing the knowledge base about the genetic 2- Enhancing the knowledge base about the genetic

diversity of the PGR in the country and the region, diversity of the PGR in the country and the region, andand

   3- To promote individual national efforts to conserve 3- To promote individual national efforts to conserve

the genetic diversity of species of national, regional the genetic diversity of species of national, regional and global importance through:and global importance through:

  a.a. Conduct collecting missions at national level Conduct collecting missions at national level

based on gap analysis for enriching the based on gap analysis for enriching the ex situex situ collections and cooperation on evaluation of collections and cooperation on evaluation of germplasm base on national and regional germplasm base on national and regional requirment.requirment.

b. b. Conduct research efforts on aspects related to Conduct research efforts on aspects related to defining biodiversity hot spots for defining biodiversity hot spots for in situin situ conservation , management of PGR and climate conservation , management of PGR and climate change impact.change impact.

c. c. Establishing network of protected areas Establishing network of protected areas representing different ecosystems. representing different ecosystems.

  d. d. Exchange of information, experience and Exchange of information, experience and

germplasm.; germplasm.;

e. e. Safety duplication of Safety duplication of ex situex situ conserved PGR; conserved PGR;

f. f. Regular comprehensive assessment of genetic Regular comprehensive assessment of genetic resources conservation programmes;resources conservation programmes;

g. g. Assess the status and threats to target species, and Assess the status and threats to target species, and establish a system for the monitoring of genetic establish a system for the monitoring of genetic

diversity in the long term;diversity in the long term;

h. h. Evaluation of PGR accession of importance to the Evaluation of PGR accession of importance to the region to facilitate access and benefit sharing;region to facilitate access and benefit sharing;

i. i. Cooperation on safe movement of germplasm and Cooperation on safe movement of germplasm and prevention of distribution of quarantined pests and prevention of distribution of quarantined pests and

diseases. diseases.

4. Strengthen information management and sharing including the development of a regional genetic resources information management system, adoption of GRIN-Global and GENESYS,

5. Encourage exchange of experiences and build capacity through the organization of national and regional courses and workshops,  

6. Develop knowledge and expertise to facilitate the development of harmonized GR strategies and GR policies and legislations

7. Promote use of existing documentation on indigenous knowledge.

Output  The main proposed outputs of the Strategy are: 1. Effective conservation, sustainable use and valorisation of agrobiodiversity2. Capacities strengthened and partnerships enhanced

3 .Appropriate policies and regulatory frameworks developed

4 .Awareness raised5 .Appropriate mechanism for regional exchange of

PGR information

Actions to Strengthen the National Program a. Egypt should formulate a national strategy and action

plan on PGRFA, particularly for the implementation of the GPA according to the national needs and that this plan should be in harmony with national biodiversity strategy and action plans,

b. National PGRFA plans and strategies should also be integrated in Egypt national development and agricultural sector plans.

c. Egypt should have a National Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) Committee, or similar coordinating mechanisms involving all concerned parties across ministries and other governmental authorities. The committee should have a clear mandate, based on well defined terms of reference and should hold regular meetings .

d. There should be a well-defined implementing agency for coordination of national PGRFA conservation and use activities with adequate authority and a sustainable budget provision;

e. e. PGR units or facilities should be improved where PGR units or facilities should be improved where

required to meet national needs and international required to meet national needs and international agreed standards. They should have clear agreed standards. They should have clear responsibilities, and be coordinated with other responsibilities, and be coordinated with other parts of the national program, as well as parts of the national program, as well as sustainable budgets that reflect these sustainable budgets that reflect these responsibilities;responsibilities;

f. f. Developing appropriate national legislation on Developing appropriate national legislation on PGR .PGR .

g. g. Strengthening human resources development to Strengthening human resources development to improve availability of qualified staff, through improve availability of qualified staff, through training programs and use of experts from the training programs and use of experts from the region and international organizations working region and international organizations working on PGR conservation and use; andon PGR conservation and use; and

h. h. Egypt national program requires secure and Egypt national program requires secure and sustainable finance, drawing upon national and, sustainable finance, drawing upon national and, where applicable and possible on international where applicable and possible on international sources. sources.

Coordination at the National Level Efficient germplasm maintenance and use require

active interaction among a multidisciplinary team of scientists, including genebank curators, plant biologists, plant breeders, socio-economists and users as well as among specialized research institutes that deal with different aspects of PGR conservation and utilization.

Lack of coordination between different national Lack of coordination between different national institutions dealing with plant genetic resources institutions dealing with plant genetic resources activities is a major impediment to PGR program activities is a major impediment to PGR program development and could lead to dispersal of development and could lead to dispersal of resources and undermines the effectiveness to resources and undermines the effectiveness to collaborate at the regional level.collaborate at the regional level.

Capacity – building and Upgrading Capacity – building and Upgrading Requirements Requirements

Egypt national capacities, infrastructure and Egypt national capacities, infrastructure and facilities require much upgrading and building. facilities require much upgrading and building.

Human resources capacities require development Human resources capacities require development by education and training programs in areas by education and training programs in areas related to PGR in general and related to PGR in general and ex situ ex situ activities in activities in particular.particular.

Area in need for upgrading or capacity buildingArea in need for upgrading or capacity building

AAreas for overall capacity building and reas for overall capacity building and upgradingupgrading::

a. a. Germplasm management/documentation Germplasm management/documentation SystemsSystems

b. b. Maintaining Infrastructures and Facilities Maintaining Infrastructures and Facilities c. c. Maximizing utilizationMaximizing utilizationd. d. Increasing public awarenessIncreasing public awarenesse. e. Developing enabling policies and legislationsDeveloping enabling policies and legislationsf. f. Enhancing technical and research capabilitiesEnhancing technical and research capabilities

Areas for training and education:a. Strengthening in-country/on the job

courses/training,

b. Short, medium, long-term plans for training .c. Sub-region and regional training organized by

the more advanced national systems and outside institutions with relevant expertise,

d. Coordinated country needs assessment/inventory, commitment and program approach and maintenance of skills.

Areas for upgrading management systemsAreas for upgrading management systems::a. a. Development of common information platforms for Development of common information platforms for

sharing such as common descriptors, data standards, sharing such as common descriptors, data standards, protocols on conservation such as genebank protocols on conservation such as genebank management systems, performance monitoring, quality management systems, performance monitoring, quality management and good practices;management and good practices;

b. b. Harmonization of regulations especially on facilitating Harmonization of regulations especially on facilitating PGR exchanges; PGR exchanges;

c. c. Management of germplasm health;Management of germplasm health;d. d. Biotechnology laboratory skills;Biotechnology laboratory skills;e. e. Databases management;Databases management;f. f. Strengthening links with users through increased Strengthening links with users through increased

availability and accessibility of information on the availability and accessibility of information on the collections.collections.

Areas for upgrading infrastructures and Areas for upgrading infrastructures and facilities:facilities:

a.a. Support to field genebanks for crops and regional Support to field genebanks for crops and regional

collaboration for sharing responsibilities,collaboration for sharing responsibilities, b. b. Arrangements for safety duplication of accessions Arrangements for safety duplication of accessions

and information within/or outside the countriesand information within/or outside the countries..

Coordination between Egypt and other WANA countries

In 1989 west Asia and North Africa Network (WANANET) was established to promote collaboration among countries of the region including Egypt.

Initially, the network played an important role in strengthening the national programs by reinforcing the role the national PGR committees, encouraging coordination between different institutions within each country and among countries.

Cont. - The inability of the network to be self-sustained

and failure to implement its recommendations are among the reasons for its ineffectiveness and eventual failure.

- Egypt should support the active participation of public and national institution in regional, crop and thematic networks.

- The funding constraints require sustainable and innovative solutions to establish networks based on common benefits.

Areas of Possible Regional Collaboration Areas of Possible Regional Collaboration between Egypt and other WANA Countriesbetween Egypt and other WANA Countries

- Based on comparative advantage, willingness to Based on comparative advantage, willingness to

collaborate, and commitment to the regional collaborate, and commitment to the regional strategy, countries should discuss collaboration strategy, countries should discuss collaboration on well-identified and focused activities.on well-identified and focused activities.

- There are some broad areas for regional There are some broad areas for regional collaboration but are national responsibilities in collaboration but are national responsibilities in the first place.the first place.

Cont.

- Some countries are more advanced in one or more of these areas and could lead efforts to share their experience.

- Egypt and other countries of the region have to agree on prioritizing their activities within each area to ensure focus on the most urgent needs.

The following are the areas of possible The following are the areas of possible regional collaboration regional collaboration

1.1. Germplasm Management Germplasm Management

2. 2. Germplasm ConservationGermplasm Conservation

3. 3. Germplasm MovementGermplasm Movement

4. 4. Capacity Building / KnowledgeCapacity Building / Knowledge

5. 5. Joint Research Projects and VenturesJoint Research Projects and Ventures

Collaboration with Regional/International Collaboration with Regional/International OrganizationOrganization

1. 1. Egypt and other countries have the primary Egypt and other countries have the primary responsibilities to conserve the plant genetic responsibilities to conserve the plant genetic resources that exist within their boundaries and resources that exist within their boundaries and accordingly invest sufficiently in their conservation accordingly invest sufficiently in their conservation and utilization. and utilization.

2. 2. There is need for external assistance with these There is need for external assistance with these responsibilities by regional and international responsibilities by regional and international organizations that have traditionally played this organizations that have traditionally played this role in the past.role in the past.

3. 3. NENA-PGRN should join efforts with national, NENA-PGRN should join efforts with national, regional and international organizations to contribute regional and international organizations to contribute to the development of the Global System on Genetic to the development of the Global System on Genetic Resources led by the FAO-Commission on Genetic Resources led by the FAO-Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and AgricultureResources for Food and Agriculture

4. 4. Among the organizations that supported PGR and Among the organizations that supported PGR and related activities in the region are the CG centres related activities in the region are the CG centres (particularly Bioversity International, ICARDA, (particularly Bioversity International, ICARDA, CIMMYT, ICRISAT, CIP, IRRI), GFAR, ACSAD, CIMMYT, ICRISAT, CIP, IRRI), GFAR, ACSAD, GEF, UNDP, UNEP, FAO, JAICA, USAID, IDRC, GEF, UNDP, UNEP, FAO, JAICA, USAID, IDRC, IFAD, IDB, AFSED, ICUC, CIHEAM, OPEC, Global IFAD, IDB, AFSED, ICUC, CIHEAM, OPEC, Global Crop Diversity Trust and several others. Crop Diversity Trust and several others.

It is important for NENA-PGRN to attract the It is important for NENA-PGRN to attract the support of the previous organizations and other support of the previous organizations and other sponsors especially from outside the region.sponsors especially from outside the region.

A number of PGR networks are operational in A number of PGR networks are operational in regions neighboring NENA region in Africa, Asia and regions neighboring NENA region in Africa, Asia and Europe, where different PGR, interests and concerns Europe, where different PGR, interests and concerns are shared.are shared.

Strengthening the inter-regional cooperation with these networks on related aspects of common interest should be one of the concerns of NENA PGRN that can help in attaining its objectives.

Thank you