On the penultimate day of GB 9, an air of cautious optimism permeated the meeting hall as informal discussions on the resolution on farmers’ rights, one of the traditionally controversial items for the Treaty, concluded. Among the outcomes, a global symposium on farmers’ rights is expected to be hosted by India in 2023.
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Plenary was frantically busy, as delegates worked late into the night to finalize consideration of all draft resolutions. Among the day’s highlights, the Federation of Seed Industry of India made a donation of two million Indian Rupees (approx. USD 25,000) to the Treaty’s Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF).
François Pythoud (Switzerland) and Sunil Archak (India), Co-Facilitators of the contact group on enhancing the Multilateral System (MLS), presented the draft resolution to plenary. They underscored that all participants in the contact group were “very eager to restart the process and enhance the MLS,” thanking them for their constructive contributions during the deliberation. Plenary approved the resolution reestablishing the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group to enhance the Treaty’s MLS, and nominated Michael Ryan (Australia) and Sunil Archak as Working Group Co-Chairs.
Small groups continued negotiations late into the night on the Multi-Year Programme of Work, the Global Information System, and conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For the 9th Session of the ITPGRFA Governing Body, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis
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Plenary Session
From L-R: Francisco López, ITPGRFA Secretariat; Yasmina El Bahloul, Chairperson, ITPGRFA GB 9; and Kent Nnadozie, Secretary, ITPGRFA
Arvind Kapur, FSII
Kent Nnadozie, Secretary, ITPGRFA
John Wasswa Mulumba, Uganda
Svanhild-Isabelle Batta Torheim, Norway
Priya Bhanu, US
Jeewani Diddugoda, Sri Lanka
Kim van Seeters, the Netherlands
Desterio Ondieki Nyamongo, Kenya
Ali Chehade, Lebanon, with Khaled Abulaila, Jordan
Imke Thormann, Germany
Álvaro Toledo, ITPGRFA Secretariat
Ana Bedmar Villanueva, Spain
Thembinkosi Gumedze, Eswatini
Sunil Archak, India
François Pythoud, Switzerland
Contact Group on Farmers’ Rights
Co-facilitators Rakesh Chandra Agrawal, India, and Svanhild-Isabelle Batta Torheim, Norway
Gen Kunieda, Japan
K.V. Prabhu, India
Bienvenu Ntsouanva, Congo
César Tapia Bastidas, Ecuador
Regine Andersen, Norway
Jens Weibull, Sweden
Between Sessions
Yasmina El Bahloul, Chairperson, ITPGRFA GB 9, with Mario Marino, ITPGRFA Secretariat
Mariana Marshall Parra, Brazil
Delegates conferring during a break in negotiations
François Meienberg, ProSpecieRara, with Svanhild-Isabelle Batta Torheim, Norway
Cultural Events
