International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Partnerships and collaborations
Meeting of Italian Stakeholders
22 July 2015, FAO HQs
REPORT
1. Introduction
The meeting was organized in cooperation with the Permanent Representation of Italy, to
discuss the role and future involvement of Italian Research Institutions in new programs and
initiatives of the Treaty.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FAO and three of Italy's main research
institutions in the areas of food, environment and technology, namely ENEA, CREA and
CNR, has been signed on 23 June 2015. With the MoU in place, there is momentum to launch
initiatives and programs under the Italian leadership in the framework of the International
Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (http://www.planttreaty.org).
The meeting agenda, list of participants and Treaty Secretariat’s presentation for the meeting,
are in the annexes of this report.
2. Summary of discussions
The participants made a number of considerations and decided to undertake a number of
follow up actions.
In relation to DivSeek:
The institutions will promote open data approaches to genomics data, and the interoperability
of supporting information systems, including through the adoption of digital object identifiers
under the Global Information System of Article 17 of the Treaty.
The institutions will advocate for support to data analysis capacities in developing countries,
and the development of phenotyping standards and data sharing protocols.
Those institutions which previously engaged in the initiatives (e.g. ENEA), will undergo the
necessary formalities to become DivSeek Partner organizations (i.e. by approving the
DivSeek Charter in writing).
In relation to the Treaty Platform for co-development and transfer of technology:
The institutions will constitute a network to promote technology co-development and transfer
following the objectives and principles of the Platform.1 The institutions have delegated
representatives to attend the next meeting of the Platform, on 7 September, to present their
views and experiences as well as to explore the constitution of a Platform facility based on
some initiatives already started, such as the project on durum wheat (see below).2
The institutions consider the involvement of breeding communities in developing countries,
and the support to increasing their capacities, as one of the most practical solutions to produce
innovations that reach farmers. In this regard, the work on molecular marker panels under the
Global Wheat Initiative, and on technology transfer networks represent useful models.
The institutions consider the interplay between formal and informal seed systems as vital to
expand the genetic base of crops and pursue sustainable innovation. To foster such interplay,
the advice of civil society organizations will be sought for relevant activities of the network.
With a view to applying in practice the above principles, the institutions have delegated a
project writing team to prepare a pilot project proposal on technology co-development and
transfer for durum wheat in selected North African and Middle-Eastern countries.3 The
project proposal may be submitted for funding to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation, and to the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies.
This first pilot project will be without prejudice to further initiatives of the network on other
crops, including through crop expert groups under the coordination of the EC/PGR National
Representative.
The institutions intend to link their activities on the Platform to the MoU with FAO, in
particular to the thematic area on strengthening agricultural innovation.
The institutions will develop information materials to present their network.4
1
The objectives and principles of the Platform can be found at page 4 of this document:
http://www.planttreaty.org/sites/default/files/acsu2i2.pdf
2
Subject to further internal consultations, the representatives for the Platform meeting are: Giovanni Giuliano;
Roberto Papa; Giuseppe Vendramin.
3
The members of the project writing team are: Luigi Cattivelli; Roberto Papa; Domenico Pignone; Andrea
Sonnino. The project proposal should be developed by October 2015.
4
Andrea Sonnino will coordinate this activity.
Annex 1
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale
Jessyama Forlini
DGCS – Uff. II
[email protected]
Alessandro Pecora
Scientific Attaché
[email protected]
Rappresentanza Permanente d’Italia presso le Organizzazioni delle Nazioni Unite in Roma
Filiberto Altobelli
Scientific Attaché
[email protected]
National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - CNR)
Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources
Giuseppe Vendramin
Domenico Pignone
Gabriella Sonnante
Director
Researcher
Researcher
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics
(Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria – CREA)
Roberto De Salvador
Researcher
Luigi Cattivelli
Researcher
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Italian National Agency for new Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (Agenzia nazionale per
le nuove tecnologie, l'energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile – ENEA)
Andrea Sonnino
Giovanni Giuliano
Staff scientist
Researcher
[email protected]
[email protected]
Universities
Roberto Papa
Antonio Di Matteo
sFabio Veronesi
Professor- Marche Polytechnic
University
Professor - University of Naples
Federico II (Università degli Studi
di Napoli Federico II)
Professor - University of Perugia –
President of the Italian Society of
Agricultural Genetic
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
NGO/CSO
Benedetta Merlo
IPC for Food Sovereignty –
Crocevia
[email protected]
FAO
Shakeel Bhatti
Mario Marino
Daniele Manzella
Francisco Lopez
FAO- Secretary of the ITPGRFA
FAO- IT-PGRFA Technical Officer
FAO- IT-PGRFA Technical Officer
FAO- IT-PGRFA Technical Officer
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Annex 2
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture
Partnerships and collaboration
Meeting of Italian institutions
22 July 2015
FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy
Programme
10.00- 13.00 hrs.
Canada Room (A-357)
FAO HQs, Rome, Italy
10.00 – 10.20
Opening
Shakeel Bhatti – Secretary of the International Treaty on PGRFA
Brief introduction by the participants
10.20 – 10.40
Introductory presentations
The DivSeek initiative
The Platform for co-development and transfer of technologies
10.40 - 11.30
Round table 1
Views and perspectives on partnerships and collaboration with the Treaty
11.30 – 11.45
Coffee Break
11.45 - 12.30
Round Table 2
Follow up activities
Representation of the network in future meetings of the Treaty
12.30 – 13.00
Summary and closing of the meeting
13.00 – 14.00
Lunch at the Restaurant of FAO
Annex 3
(click on the icon below to open the file)
Diversity Seek (DivSeek)
A global, community-driven initiative to harness genetic
resources for food security and climate adaptation
Joint Facilitation Unit