In response to Norway’s intervention at the First Session of the Governing Body of the Plant Treaty, Farmers’ Rights was put on the agenda of its Second Session, as Agenda Item 14.

Based on the report  (PDF, 634KB) from the Lusaka Informal International Consultation on Farmers’ Rights, co-organized by Zambia Agricultural Research Institute, the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Zambia and Norway prepared and submitted an input paper on Farmers’ Rights (PDF, 41KB) to the Governing Body for its consideration at its Second Session (see also information document (PDF, 40KB) from the Secretary). Together with a side event presenting the outcomes of the Lusaka consultations, this formed the basis for the negotiations on Farmers’ Rights at this second Session of the Plant Treaty’s Governing Body. There was substantial resistance among several industrialised countries against the resolution text proposed by the developing countries (G77). Only through intense negotiations in a contact group was it possible to arrive at a consensus text. (PDF, 14KB) The result was the adoption of the first resolution on Farmers’ Rights under the Plant Treaty, Resolution 2/2007 (PDF, 8KB). In this resolution the Governing Body:

  • Encouraged contracting parties and other relevant organizations to submit views and experiences on the implementation of Farmers' Rights as set out in Article 9 of the International Treaty, involving, as appropriate, farmers' organizations and other stakeholders.
  • Requested the Secretariat of the Governing Body to collect these views and experiences as a basis for an agenda item for consideration by the Governing Body at its Third Session to promote the realization of Farmers' Rights at the national level.
  • Affirmed its commitment to continue to involve farmers' organizations in the work of the Governing Body - as appropriate and according to the Rules of Procedures.

Following from this resolution the Centre for Genetic Resources, The Netherlands (CGN) and the Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT), Zimbabwe organized an on-line consultation on Farmers’ Rights, with focus on Article 9.3 of the Plant Treaty. Several countries and stakeholders also took the opportunity to submit their views and experiences and the Fridtjof Nansen Institute submitted a compilation of results from the Farmers’ Rights Project, covering views and experiences from a wide range of countries and stakeholders. You can read more about this here.

 

Text by Regine Andersen