Experts from nine countries meet to discuss international certificate of protection of genetic resources

Distinguished experts from Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Bolivia met in Lima on November 21 and 22 to debate and exchange proposals on the viability, feasibility, content, form and costs of a possible genetic resource certificate to safeguard the provenance of genetic resources found in mega-diverse countries such as Peru.

The workshop known as Certification of Genetic Resources in the Framework of the International Regime for Access and Distribution of Benefits, held in the office of the Andean Community General Secretariat in Lima, in preparation for the world meeting of experts to be held in January 2007 in the Peruvian capital.

The objective of the workshop is to offer technical inputs, including an outline of the background and state of the art, on the existing options and alternatives for a certificate of origin adapted to the legislative framework of participating countries (Andean and others).

Analysis and discussion based on technical inputs identified in relation to the certificate will be the basis for preparation of a technical document, previously consulted with regional experts, for use in the negotiations and strategy of the Andean countries in relation to the certificate of origin.

The direct beneficiaries of this work will be the participating countries which will improve their knowledge, negotiating capacities, and development strategies.

The workshop, which is organized by the Andean Development Corporation (CAF), the National Environmental Council, the Andean Community General Secretariat, and the UN World Environment Program, is part of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which held in its eighth meeting (COP8) in Curitiba, Brazil, in March this year. This meeting decided to create a group of technical experts to explore and prepare the form, functionality and manner of implementing an internationally recognized certificate of origin, source, and legal provenance of genetic resources.

The workshop was attended by specialists from ministries, institutions and organizations linked to the environment, science and technology of the mentioned countries. Peru was represented by the National Environment Council (CONAM, the International Institute of Natural Resources (INRENA), the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR), the National Institute for Protection of Competition, and the National Institute for Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI), and the Museum of Natural History, among others.

The international meeting underlines the role that should be played by mega-diverse countries with high biological diversity which are also centers of origin and genetic diversity. Their contribution to the conservation of global biodiversity and life on the planet is undeniable but they are paradoxically countries with high rates of poverty and so cannot adequately combat the threat to their biodiversity.

As one of the world’s most important centers of plant and animal genetic resources, Peru has a very high level of genetic diversity. It is the leading country in varieties of potato, garlic, maize (36 species), Andean grains, tubers and roots, and has a large number of species of fruit (650), cucurbitaceae (pumpkins and melons), and medicinal, ornamental and food plants (787 species).

The Andean country has 128 species of native domestic plants with hundreds of varieties as well as wild species (about 150 of potato and 15 of tomatoes). Peru possesses high genetic diversity of two (potato and maize) of the four most important crops for human consumption in the world (wheat, rice, potatoes and maize).

The national effort for their preservation resulted in the National Biotrade Program led by PROMPEX and CONAM, which creates incentives for conservation of biodiversity through sustainable exploitation and distribution of the benefits.