Participatory creation of instruments for farmers and farming communities, including women and men, to govern access to traditional knowledge relating to PGRFA may build on activities for collecting and documenting such knowledge. Protocols may be established that articulate self-determined rules, procedures, terms and conditions for access that may be used as a basis for community interactions with external actors, such as representatives of government, companies or research organizations, regarding their access to PGRFA and related traditional knowledge in a community’s territory.

Such tools can help build links between actors and institutions operating at different scales, from local to national and/or international, and establish a clear basis for their interactions. They may further help farmers and farming communities to take advantage of their countries’ commitments under international agreements and strengthen their role in the process of implementation, especially with a view to the protection of traditional knowledge.

Example(s) of possible measures:

  • Developing Community Biodiversity Registries and Biocultural Community Protocols (BCP): tools for implementing Farmers' Rights as set out in Article 9 of the ITPGRFA and strengthening community capacity to manage crop genetic diversity (Madagascar/Africa). Click here
  • Community Seed Registry (Philippines/Asia). Click here