Background Information

Within the framework of the Global Plan of Action (GPA) for the conservation and sustainable utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA), which was formally adopted by representatives of 150 countries at the FAO International Conference in Leipzig Germany on June 1996, the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) at its Seventh Session requested FAO to develop a transparent and efficient monitoring process and to establish core elements to facilitate such a process.
The main aims of the gpa are:

• To ensure the conservation of PGRFA as a basis for food security;
• To promote sustainable utilization of PGRFA, in order to foster development and to reduce hunger and poverty;
• To promote a fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of PGRFA, recognizing the desirability of sharing equitably benefits arising from the use of Traditional Knowledge, innovations and practices relevant to the conservation of PGRFA and their sustainable use;
• To assist countries and institutions responsible for conserving and using PGRFA to identify priorities for action;
• To strengthen, in particular, national programmes, as well as regional and international programmes, including education and training, for the conservation and utilization of PGRFA and to enhance institutional capacity.

Establishment and Objectives of the NISM

The Global Plan of Action covers the subset of Plant Genetic Resources pertaining specifically to food and agriculture. Based on Global plan of Action, FAO has developed a proposal for establishing National Information Sharing mechanism (NISM). In this regard, an agreement has been signed between FAO and IBC, the National Focal point for the implementation of the project, to establish this info-sharing mechanism in Ethiopia. The agreement covers a specific and significant aspect with regard to undertaking a collaborative information sharing process on the country’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture for better conservation and utilization. That is the NISM involves coordinating national efforts aimed to improve the conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources including through enhancing world-wide information management and exchange.

The main objectives of NISM are:

• improving the ability of the country to make decisions about plant genetic resources including establishing objectives, defining needs and allocating resources;
• building stronger partnerships among stakeholders in plant genetic resources management within the country;
• increasing understanding by stakeholders in the country about the status of the country’s plant genetic resources;
• increasing the ability of the country to monitor changes in its plant genetic resources over time;
• improving the quality of information about plant genetic resources status and dynamics;
• improving access to and sharing of information about plant genetic resources on national, regional and international levels.