ISHS Acta Horticulturae 495: WCHR - World Conference on Horticultural Research
IPGRI SUPPORT TO NETWORKING ACTIVITIES IN THE AMERICAS |
| Authors: | R. Lastra, David E. Williams |
| Abstract:
Since the late 1980s, IPGRI has been a driving force in advancing the concept of networks which link the plant genetic resources activities of national programmes, research institutes and other institutions with common interests. Today, about 150 countries worldwide are involved in some form of genetic resources networking. The networks themselves have become a platform for sharing resources, ideas, technologies and information. Networks have become an efficient mechanism for enabling countries to share the responsibilities, costs, and to promote the establishment of joint conservation strategies based on common affinities. The grouping of countries in the networks takes in consideration that crop genetic diversity tends to distribute itself according to ecological and socioeconomic parameters. To maximize the effectiveness of all national efforts, IPGRI has supported in the America the development of five ecoregional networks, which include most countries in the region. Three of them are the result of collaboration between IPGRI, IICA and other partners including regional agricultural centers as CATIE, CARDI and national institutions of the member countries. While PGR activities in some countries are very sophisticated and include an extensive national programme and modem genebank facilities, efforts in other countries can be severely constrained by economic and human resource limitations Networks bring together countries which share common agro-ecologies and crop species, and allow them to share goals, resources and information. So far, the networks in Latin America have proven to be an effective and economic means of addressing subregional conservation challenges, making efficient use of scarce resources and linking conservation with utilization. Network members share germplasm and related data, jointly plan strategies for germplasm collecting and conservation, and identify research priorities on the basis of consensus. Partners: Network partners include national, regional and international organizations, including public, private, and community-based. Partners are selected based on criteria of need, expertise, and complementarity. At present, national partners in the Americas consist primarily of NARS and universities. The networks are further strengthened by regional and international partners. IICA, the Interamerican Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture, operating under the aegis of the Organization of American States, and its Cooperative Research Programs, or PROCIs, are key partners of the networks, providing an essential political umbrella under which IPGRI can work. CATIE, the Tropical Agronomic Center for Research and Training, in Costa Rica, is a key partner in the Mesoamerican network. CARDI, the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute, is a key player in the Anglophone Caribbean and will be an important partner in the establishment of the Caribbean network. International partners have so far been involved in the networks to a lesser extent, but include CIRAD, CIAT, CIP, ISNAR and FAO. | |
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