International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)

In News 

• India will host the 9th Session of the Governing Body of the ‘International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture’ (ITPGRFA). 

About ITPGRFA 

• It is a legally binding comprehensive agreement adopted in November, 2001 at Rome during the 31st session of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which entered into force on June 29, 2004 and currently has 149 Contracting Parties, including India.
• The treaty provides solutions to achieve food and nutritional security as well as climate resilient agriculture. Countries are inter-dependent for PGRFA and consequently a global order is essential to facilitate access and benefit sharing.
• It formally acknowledges the enormous contribution of indigenous people and small-holder farmers as traditional custodians of the world’s food crops. 
• The treaty was aimed at:
  • recognizing the significant contribution of farmers to the diversity of crops that feed the world;
  • establishing a global system to provide farmers, plant breeders and scientists with access to plant genetic materials; and
  • ensuring that recipients share benefits they derive from the use of these genetic materials with the countries where they have originated.

Source: TH