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[Martin Sundermann]

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http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2002/10300-en.html

GENETIC RESOURCES, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW AND GMOS: ON THE AGENDA AT =
FAO
October 28, 2002
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Press Release
http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2002/10300-en.html
ROME, 28 October 2002 - Genetic resources and intellectual property =
rights
were top of the agenda during a recent meeting at the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome where experts also
discussed genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their impact on
business, human health and the environment.
The ninth session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (CGRFA), held in mid-October, tackled issues such as
biodiversity, biotechnology and ethics and agreed on the importance of
developing Codes of Conduct on biotechnology and the transfer of plant
genetic material.
The Commission was warned that inappropriate granting of intellectual
property rights could jeopardise public confidence in an international
network of plant collections containing more than half a million =
samples.
Country members cited the example of a US patent on the "Enola bean" and
expressed support for the efforts of the International Centre for =
Tropical
Agriculture (CIAT) who have requested that the bean's patent be revoked.
They called upon the Director-General to bring the matter to the =
attention
of the United Nations General Assembly, the World Trade Organization and =
the
World Intellectual Property Organization.
The plant collections, designed to preserve and maintain genetic =
diversity,
are held in-trust by the International Agricultural Research Centres =
(IARC)
of the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research =
(CGIAR).
The Commission threw its weight behind the Global Conservation Trust, an
international initiative launched during the Johannesburg Summit on
Sustainable Development to maintain the world's plant collections, a =
task
estimated at some 260 million dollars.
Member countries asked the Commission to examine the impact of =
biotechnology
on health and the environment in order to create a Code of Conduct for
Biotechnology and to ensure the benefits of these technologies reach =
farmers
in both developing and developed countries.
The Commission decided to undertake an in-depth analysis of animal =
genetic
resources. The result of this study, a report entitled The State of the
World's Animal Genetic Resources will be published in the next three =
years.
The Commission also discussed the possibility of creating an =
international
treaty on animal genetic resources similar to the recently approved =
Treaty
on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
The Commission also discussed a rapid alert and information system for
emergencies linked to plant genetic resources, an information network to
promote the interchange of technology and resources and the publication =
of
the second report on The State of the World's Plant Resources.
The International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture's Interim Committee also held its first meeting recently in
Rome. The meeting, which centred on the development of agreements =
governing
the transfer of genetic material, represented the first step towards the
treaty coming into effect.
The treaty's aim is to guarantee the future availability of the =
diversity of
plant genetic resources and promote the fair and equitable sharing of =
all
benefits. The agreement, approved in November 2001, will become legally
binding when it has been ratified by at least 40 countries. To date, 65
countries have signed the accord and it has been ratified, accepted or
approved by eight .


1,000 FARMERS TO RALLY VS IRRI
October 28, 2002
Philippine Daily Inquirer
LOS BANOS, Laguna-At least 1,000 farmers from the Southern Tagalog =
region
and seven countries are, according to this story, expected to join a =
rally
today to protest the International Rice Research Institute's (IRRI) =
alleged
"disregard of workers rights, and its involvement in bio-piracy and =
genetic
engineering."
The story says that the farmers' protest coincides with the annual =
general
meeting of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
(CGIAR) in Makati where more than 500 scientists all over the world have
convened starting yesterday until Nov. 1.
The CGIAR is a global alliance of 16 international research institutes =
known
as "Future Harvest Centers," 22 developing and 21 industrialized nations =
and
hundreds of partner organizations in over 100 countries.
A member of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) was cited as =
telling
the Inquirer that the march will start at about 8:30 a.m. from the =
Olivares
Mall here and move to IRRI gates where local and international speakers =
from
Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand will take turns expressing their
sentiments in favor of the farmers' plight.
The other nations to be represented are Mexico, Colombia and India.

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