2005 - 2006: The Farmers’ Rights Project
In the period between the entry into force of the Plant Treaty in 2004 and the first session of its Governing Body in June 2006, there were no formal processes related to Farmers’ Rights. However, The Farmers’ Rights Project sought to prepare the ground for negotiations.
The Farmers' Rights Project was initiated by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI) in 2005, with the aim of supporting the implementation of Farmers' Rights as they are recognized in the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
The project's Phase 1 (2005-06) and Phase 2 (2006-14) consisted of many different components, comprising research and surveys as well as more operational activities such as the establishment of a website on Farmers’ Rights, which has now been upgraded to the present one.
In the first years of the Farmers' Rights Project leading up to the first session of the Plant Treaty’s Governing Body, most of the time was devoted to a report on the history of Farmers’ Rights (PDF) and an international multi-stakeholder survey (PDF) on the state of realization of Farmers’ Rights, barriers and opportunities, as well as expectations in this regard. Also in-depth country case studies in Peru, Ethiopia, India and Norway were initiated. The aim was to point out available options and possible processes for implementing Farmers' Rights at the national as well as international level. The results from this first phase were shared and discussed in various settings, inter alia at a side event at the First Session of the Governing Body of the Plant Treaty, providing the basis for Norway’s intervention to propose that Farmers’ Rights be included at the agenda of the Second Session of the Treaty’s Governing Body.
More information on The Farmers’ Rights Project is available here.