International Course On Plant Genetic Resources And Resilient Seed Systems For Sustainable Food Security

Training Date: 23 October-10 November 2017
Venue: Pokhara, Nepal

Loss of plant genetic resources from agriculture production system and impact of climate change has resulted in major concerns about global food and nutrition security. Community Biodiversity Management (CBM) emerged as successful participatory strategy to realize on-farm management of plant genetic resources and strengthening the farmers’ seed systems. CBM distinguishes itself from other strategies because of its focus on the process of enabling farming communities to increase the access, availability and use of genetic resources and quality seed of superior varieties. In addition, CBM has the potential attributes to enhance the resilience of farming communities in responding to change by enhancing social interdependence, collaboration, adaptability and autonomy.

Whilst this strategy for managing agrobiodiversity and seed systems is becoming increasingly adopted by NGOs, further mainstreaming within national PGR and seed sector development programme is needed. The objective of the training is to enhance participants’ capabilities to use CBM as integrated strategies for managing genetic resources, seed systems and promoting community resilience towards change. The training focuses on the following topics:

• Contemporary approaches in agrobiodiversity management for food and nutrition security;
• Strengthening the seed systems to increase the access, availability and use of high quality seed of superior varieties  by small-holder farmers;
• Scaling successful participatory practices (e.g. community seed bank,  diversity seed kit, seed fair, participatory plant breeding, participatory variety selection, community based seed production, social seed network, crowd sourcing of superior varieties, value addition and market linkages of orphans crops);
• Community based adaptation to climate change;
• Participatory learning and action research;
• Enabling PGR and seed policies – CBD-Nagoya Protocol on ABS, IT-PGRFA (Farmers’ Rights, Multilateral system, Benefit sharing); Intellectual Property Rights (UPOV, WTO-TRIPS), and
• Putting policies into practices and programmes- a global outlook on successful mechanisms and initiatives

This training programme is organized in Pokhara, Nepal. ‘Pokhara is one of the most beautiful cities of Nepal with majestic view of Himalaya surrounded by rich biodiversity landscapes, and part of the Ramsar site for wetland conservation’. The training includes field work in LI-BIRD project sites. The course concludes with a design exercise for transforming lessons learnt into strategic action plans, in which participants integrate CBM and community resilience in practice.

Please download a detailed brochure on the course focus, objectives, target group and further information.

Please make use of this unique training opportunity to interact with peers in your field of expertise and interest from all over the world!

Training Date: 23 October-10 November 2017
Venue: Pokhara, Nepal